Painting the instrument panel crossbar

[M016576]

I know I've seen a thread on this waaaay back, but what have people done to touch up the flaking paint on the bar that extends through the instrument panel up into the headliner? I have my compass attached to it, and it seems to flake black paint pretty easily. Any solutions? (Nylon wrap? Leather wrap? Repainting?). Thanks.

[DonMuncy]

I spiral wrapped mine with a leather strip about 3/4 inch wide. A dab of contact cement at the top and bottom holds it in place. It looks pretty nice. Don't ask for a photo. I have tried, and my photographic ability just can't get a decent shot of it.

[DonMuncy]

I didn't mention that I removed the compass and just wrapped around the mounting bracket. Then punched holes in the leather to re-mount it.

[pirate]

I installed the Aero Comfort leather wrap with my N number stitched on it years ago. Still looks like new, dresses it up real nice.

[Lood]

I just wrapped mine a couple of weeks ago. I bought road bicycle handle bar tape and wrapped it with that. There many different materials, looks, feels, etc available in handle bar tape and it works perfectly as the center post and a bicycle handle bar is very similar. The tape is cut thinner on the sides so it doesn't bulge at the overlaps. I removed the compass and refitted it afterwards, over the tape. It looks way better than the bare tube and it has an exceptionally good feel to it.

[The-sky-captain]

Good tip Lood!

[rbridges]

I've stared at mine, too and wondered if I could spray paint it without getting overspray in the entire cockpit.  

[Bennett]

For my prior Mooney I found a moderately textured (like light powder coating) vinyl "contact paper" in black with self adhesive on the back. I cut the vinyl to the full length of the post, after removing the compass, and allowed about an eighth of an inch overlap on the back (nose side) of the post. It lasted well over a decade and a half, and looked just like all the other black powder coated parts (yokes, door handles, etc) in the airplane. Sorry I don't have any photos of that portion of that aircraft, but it really looked great, and cost very little. I like the idea of a leather sleeve for the post . Stitching it together might be a pain, but thin Velcro strips on the back side would make this very easy, and a great place to show the N number. On my current Mooney I keep the compass correction card in a plastic sleeve at the top of the post - just snaps in place (Thank you LASAR).

[fantom]

I've got the Aero Comfort leather w/N#, Jim. A picture is somewhere in my gallery. I think they charge under $50. It's Velcro attached, and best of all it doesn't heat up and singe your palm on hot days in the sun.

 

Before that, I wrapped the bar in a tennis racket handle repair kit. Worked fine, and only cost $10. Flyboy should like that

[Awful_Charlie]

Mine was done by a previous owner with a sports racquet type grip tape - I'm not sure how it is secured at the ends (or maybe only one end), but it has a bit of trim around it!

[fantom]

Nice, Gary.  I found your pic.  I was worried that the Aero Comfort solution might increase the diameter of the bar enough to affect visibility, but based upon your photograph that doesn't appear to be the case.  I think that I'll order one.  Many thanks,

 

 

 

It's very tight, Jim, and has zero impact on viability. Now your big decision will be to have them sew your N# on it for another $15 bucks or so, and what color, red perhaps, it should be. Say hello to Hector for me...a first class gentleman.

[KSMooniac]

It is a stainless steel bar, and stainless is notorious for the difficulty of getting any kind of coating to permanently stick...

 

I bought some scrap black leather years ago with the intent of getting a cover stitched up, but still haven't done it myself.  It should be pretty simple to make a flat pattern with some butcher paper and then get it stitched-up nicely with real edges and some thin foam padding and a velcro strip.

 

Or just pay Aero Comfort to do it.  

[M016576]

Some great solutions here, thanks guys!

[bumper]

Polyurethane tape, black, 3" wide, from McMaster-Carr. Not cheap, $80, but looks nice and really lasts well . . . I've used it in my Husky for the last 8 years.

 

http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-polyurethane-tape/=mvc56m

 

 

bumper