Floor attachment

[tiav8r]

OK, now that you guys have answered my rudder/tailwheel horn question, I have another one: has anyone had their floor out and then replaced it?

My floor was apparently installed before it was covered the last time, and when I took it out to replace a brake cable, I was shocked to see how it was attached. Maybe this is normal, but besides the angle piece that links the two halves just ahead of the sticks, there were the screws/washers around the perimeter of both right and left halves. When I removed the screws, something fell under the floorboard and plopped onto the fabric of the belly.

When I got the floor out, I saw that all those things falling in there were these half-circle gizmos that looked like conduit clamps with tinnerman nuts on them. I now have my brakes fixed, the floors refinished, and I'm ready to replace them, but I CANNOT figure out how I'm going to replace these things.

I can't reach under the floor to hold them until the screw hits the tinnerman. I don't even know if this is a standard method of attachment. Most of the guys here at the airport have looked at it and felt like it should've had tabs welded to the tubing, but I have no idea what other Champs look like under the floorboards.

Is this standard, or is my Champ just weird? And if anyone has faced this situation before, how in the heck did you get the floor fastened down? I'm starting to wonder if the angle pieces near the sticks were the original hold-down, and someone added these others on their own.

Terry Irwin
Cape Girardeau, MO

[joea]

Terry,

Am not going to be much help, but this is standard. Have seen it on several Champs that I was working with.

I am a Chief/Sedan guy so do not know the tricks to get these back on, but sure that there are some!

Will let some Champ guys chime in here with more info.

Joe A

[james gevay]

This sounds like it's pretty much standard attachments. If I remember correctly, you might have to go through the stick holes to hold the 1/2 clamps until you get them started on the last piece you install.
Yes, I made new floorboards many years ago when I got tired of looking at the old icky looking ones.

[gusc]

My Champ has two inspection holes underneath the belly about even with the door, I don't remember exactly, but assumed it is the standard location.

From these holes it appears to me one can reach the floorboard clamps.

This is probably pretty much standard floorboard attachment for tubular frames, my Stinson 108-3 used the same system.

[DELCOM]

I used the standard attach hardware for my floor. Yes the thought that sometime I might have to remove the floorboard was a concern in reusing the same attach hardware that the plane had. What I came up with is the longer type b screws that go thru the tinnerman, thus allowing the screw to be loosened enough to rotate the clamp 90 degrees off the tubing BEFORE the tinnerman nut and clamp fall off and land in the belly fabric. I know how but not so sure that the next guy will know this. Anyway here is a photo.



Del

[Jon B.]

Del:

That is the "purtiest" Champ belly that I have *ever* seen!

Wow!

Jon

[DELCOM]

Yea.......looks good on the ground in the shop but will it fly?

del

[joea]

Jon,

Was thinking the same thing. Very nice looking!

Joe A

[CptKelly]

Ditto on that, really pretty work. I bet it flys just like it looks. One thing, when putting the fabric on, I think it would be wise to put some inspection holes in that belly fabric, just in case one of those tinnerman nuts comes off, and you need access.

Mike

[DELCOM]

I have installed all of the rings for the inspection holes in the belly fabric. I have not yet cut the fabric away from the rings and installed the covers. I will do so when needed. They do not show up in the photo's with the dark green paint. But thanks for the reminder, as I have been known to forget things?? Uh.what were we talking about?

Thanks, Del

[tiav8r]

Del,

Just curious---I noticed your battery cable. I'm getting ready to install an Odyssey battery and a new SkyTec starter, and I'm planning on the same type of installation as you seem to have. You wouldn't happen to have a pic of the topside of the floorboard would you, with the battery showing?

Terry Irwin

[Robert Henley]

Del,

Just curious---I noticed your battery cable. I'm getting ready to install an Odyssey battery and a new SkyTec starter, and I'm planning on the same type of installation as you seem to have. You wouldn't happen to have a pic of the topside of the floorboard would you, with the battery showing?

Terry Irwin

Terry

How are you getting the Odyssey battery approved? I want to do the same and I, too, want to see the top side pictures.

Robert

[tiav8r]

One of the guys in the STL FSDO looked at my proposed installation, and said that as long as we installed everything according to AC43, he'd approve it. The Odyssey comes in two versions, one which is already STC'd for the Piper Super Cub. The other is the same battery, as far as I know, but isn't "approved". My guy didn't balk at it. He did suggest that we mount it in a box at the point behind the rear seat as per the Type Certificate data called for in the "electrified" Champs. From some of the stories I've heard on here, I'm blessed with having a cooperative bunch of Feds.

[DELCOM]

Here is the topside.



tiav8r is spot on, he has it right.

[Robert Henley]

One of the guys in the STL FSDO looked at my proposed installation, and said that as long as we installed everything according to AC43, he'd approve it. ..... From some of the stories I've heard on here, I'm blessed with having a cooperative bunch of Feds.

I would say you are fortunate to have a cooperative bunch of Feds. I hope mine will show that much common sense. Please post your field approval once you get it. I would sure like a copy of it.

Regards

Robert