Cessna seat rails

May I refer you to:

http://www.kjsl.com/~javier/sb-1.pdf
http://www.kjsl.com/~javier/sb-2.pdf
http://www.kjsl.com/~javier/ad-1.pdf
http://www.kjsl.com/~javier/ad-2.pdf

That deals with the seat rails on Cessna single engine aircraft. It's
pretty straightforward, when the holes on the rails are elongated
beyond certain limits, or if cracks are observed, the rails need to be
replaced.

The deal is, these suckers are riveted, and the outboard rails appear
to be a pain to deal with... there's either a magic bucking bar I don't
know about, or maybe there are little Wichita-born elves that fit in
there.

So the question is, how does one deal with this seat rail replacement?

Removing them is easy enough, and a lot of the rivets are doable, but
some are not. How does one deal with the impossible ones?

Cherrymax rivets? #6 or #8 structural screws? Something else?

In case it matters, my plane is a 1973 182P, but I think the pain is
about the same in all cases.

Thanks,

-jav

Javier Henderson wrote:

The deal is, these suckers are riveted, and the outboard rails appear
to be a pain to deal with... there's either a magic bucking bar I don't
know about,

(Yes, we made one when my AI and I did it to my 182)

or maybe there are little Wichita-born elves that fit in
there.

I was the designated elf. I still have scars on my hands

So the question is, how does one deal with this seat rail replacement?

Removing them is easy enough, and a lot of the rivets are doable, but
some are not. How does one deal with the impossible ones?

Cherrymax rivets? #6 or #8 structural screws?

About 3 screws per rail...

MikeM
Skylane '1MM

MikeM writes:

(Yes, we made one when my AI and I did it to my 182)

Well, share! Seriously, got pic?

I was the designated elf. I still have scars on my hands

Ouch.

About 3 screws per rail...

#6?

-jav

Javier Henderson wrote:
MikeM writes:

(Yes, we made one when my AI and I did it to my 182)

Well, share! Seriously, got pic?

Its in my AI's toolbox (I have a key; how many other plane owners
have that?). If I remember, I will take my digital camera out
and snap a pic.

I was the designated elf. I still have scars on my hands

Ouch.

They match the scars on my arms from when I replaced the fuel
bladders in the 182...

About 3 screws per rail...

#6?

We used #8 MS Cd-plated structural screws with shakeproof
nuts, only in the places where it is impossible to get a
bucking bar...

MikeM

MikeM writes:

They match the scars on my arms from when I replaced the fuel
bladders in the 182...

Let's not talk about that right now...

We used #8 MS Cd-plated structural screws with shakeproof
nuts, only in the places where it is impossible to get a
bucking bar...

Honest question: is there a reason to not use screws all around? Are
they heavier? More expensive?

-jav

Javier Henderson wrote:

MikeM writes:

We used #8 MS Cd-plated structural screws with shakeproof
nuts, only in the places where it is impossible to get a
bucking bar...

Honest question: is there a reason to not use screws all around? Are
they heavier? More expensive?

My AI is a rivet freak. He loves rivets. Personally, I would have been
inclined to use the screws, cost be dammed, in the event I ever have
to replace the seat rail again. AFIK, Accepted Practices specifically says
that it is ok to use a fastener inplace of a rivet.

ToeCutter? Chime in here.

MikeM

"Javier Henderson" wrote in message
...
May I refer you to:

http://www.kjsl.com/~javier/sb-1.pdf
http://www.kjsl.com/~javier/sb-2.pdf
http://www.kjsl.com/~javier/ad-1.pdf
http://www.kjsl.com/~javier/ad-2.pdf

That deals with the seat rails on Cessna single engine aircraft. It's
pretty straightforward, when the holes on the rails are elongated
beyond certain limits, or if cracks are observed, the rails need to be
replaced.

A crack does not make the rail unairworthy. I forget the exact wording but
it is something like if a crack goes from one hole to another then it is
unairworthy. I have had a crack in one of the copilot rails for the 6 years
I have owned the plane.

"Newps" writes:

"Javier Henderson" wrote in message
...
May I refer you to:

http://www.kjsl.com/~javier/sb-1.pdf
http://www.kjsl.com/~javier/sb-2.pdf
http://www.kjsl.com/~javier/ad-1.pdf
http://www.kjsl.com/~javier/ad-2.pdf

That deals with the seat rails on Cessna single engine aircraft. It's
pretty straightforward, when the holes on the rails are elongated
beyond certain limits, or if cracks are observed, the rails need to be
replaced.

A crack does not make the rail unairworthy. I forget the exact wording but
it is something like if a crack goes from one hole to another then it is
unairworthy. I have had a crack in one of the copilot rails for the 6 years
I have owned the plane.

Yeah, mine aren't cracked, and the holes were ok last year, but we'll
see how it goes this year, annual is next month...

-jav