warped door in C172

[[email protected]]

The left door of my Cessna 172 is warped. I've tried the benign
options of using wooden blocks at appropriate places and applying
pressure to bend the door. But that didn't get the door back to where
it has a tight seal at the lower side (opposite hinges). There's still
about 1/2 inch gap between the door and the frame. Any ideas of what
else I can try?
Dale

[[email protected]]

Land softer.



Sorry... couldn't help it... :) Seriously though, I think most planes of
typical GA vintage have lots of air leaks. If you were sucessful in bending the door
a bit with the blocks, maybe you can do better if you take it off and try it. I don't
know how troublesome that is for a 172, though. If you're just after wind noise and
it still closes OK, you could always band-aid it with thick rubber.

I'm sure Cessna would *love* to sell you a replacement door for a small,
nominal fee.

-Cory

wrote:
: The left door of my Cessna 172 is warped. I've tried the benign
: options of using wooden blocks at appropriate places and applying
: pressure to bend the door. But that didn't get the door back to where
: it has a tight seal at the lower side (opposite hinges). There's still
: about 1/2 inch gap between the door and the frame. Any ideas of what
: else I can try?
: Dale

--

************************************************** ***********************
* Cory Papenfuss *
* Electrical Engineering Ph.D. Graduate Student *
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University *
************************************************** ***********************

[Michelle P]

Dale,
Are you sure the door is warped and not the airframe?
Gota ask, you did not state that airframe was checked for trueness.
Michelle

wrote:

>The left door of my Cessna 172 is warped. I've tried the benign
>options of using wooden blocks at appropriate places and applying
>pressure to bend the door. But that didn't get the door back to where
>it has a tight seal at the lower side (opposite hinges). There's still
>about 1/2 inch gap between the door and the frame. Any ideas of what
>else I can try?
>Dale
>
>

--

Michelle P ATP-ASEL, CP-AMEL, and AMT-A&P

"Elisabeth" a Maule M-7-235B (no two are alike)

Volunteer Pilot, Angel Flight Mid-Atlantic

Volunteer Builder, Habitat for Humanity

[[email protected]]

I must admit that never occurred to me. It might be warped. But I
doubt it because there are no wrinkles in the skin around the door.

[tony roberts]

you mean they're not supposed to be warped?
Hmmm. Never seen one of those on a 172.

--

Tony Roberts
PP-ASEL
VFR OTT
Night
Cessna 172H C-GICE


> The left door of my Cessna 172 is warped. I've tried the benign
> options of using wooden blocks at appropriate places and applying
> pressure to bend the door. But that didn't get the door back to where
> it has a tight seal at the lower side (opposite hinges). There's still
> about 1/2 inch gap between the door and the frame. Any ideas of what
> else I can try?
> Dale

[Bruce Cunningham]

wrote in message >...
> The left door of my Cessna 172 is warped. I've tried the benign
> options of using wooden blocks at appropriate places and applying
> pressure to bend the door. But that didn't get the door back to where
> it has a tight seal at the lower side (opposite hinges). There's still
> about 1/2 inch gap between the door and the frame. Any ideas of what
> else I can try?
> Dale

Light Plane Maintenence had an article about this a few months ago.
Aside from the block approach, they recommended removing the rivets in
the section that is warped, realigning the frame, and re-drilling for
oversize rivets and install new ones. Maybe I could find it and mail
you a Xerox copy if you are interested.

Regards,
Bruce Cunningham
N30464 C177A

[[email protected]]

On 21 Aug 2004 17:46:14 -0700, (Bruce Cunningham)
wrote:

>Light Plane Maintenence had an article about this a few months ago.
>Aside from the block approach, they recommended removing the rivets in
>the section that is warped, realigning the frame, and re-drilling for
>oversize rivets and install new ones. Maybe I could find it and mail
>you a Xerox copy if you are interested.
>
> Regards,
> Bruce Cunningham
> N30464 C177A

Thanks for the offer. I know where I can see back issues of that
magazine and I'll find the article.

I suppose there's a point of the fix being more bother than it's
worth. The gap isn't nearly as wide as I've seen on some planes. And
the plane doesn't fly fast enough to make the door a major drag. But
it would be nice to have it flush with the frame. Thanks again for the
reference.