canopy hold down screws
 

Seagull Edge 540-- any ideas on how to keep the canopy and cockpit screws from backing out during flight? Loktite, or some other thread locker? Lockwashers that wont mess up covering? Any ideas appreciated.

RE: canopy hold down screws
 

glue down your canopy with RC-56 canopy glue. Works great and will replace your screws.

RE: canopy hold down screws
 

Thanks for the suggestion, but this is a mid wing plane, and one needs to take off the canopy/cockpit to install and remove the wing.

RE: canopy hold down screws
 

You are correct....you will need to remove your canopy to access aileron Rx connection etc.
Ok....on the inside of the fuselage....THIN CA nylon nuts to screw into......or, this is a method I use....radio box tape for boats (similar to scotch tape but does not leave a residue), paste pieces over the screw heads when the canopy is in place...it will stop the screw from vibration loose. I have the Seagull Laser 200 with the same method of holding down the canopy....flown 7 times.....and no sign of the screws backing out.
It is a pain to cut radio box tape every time you place the canopy on....If I had the problem, I would CA nylon nuts inside the fuse...the screw holds in tight.
Cheers.

RE: canopy hold down screws
 

Use 4-40 or 2-56 hex screws with blind nuts. Just enlarge your existing screw holes and insert the blind nuts from inside the fuselage. Throw a little epoxy on each nut (being careful not to get any in the screw hole) to hold them in the fuselage. It is easier and faster to use a ballend hex driver than a screw driver. I use this method to mount the bellypan on my Vectorflight Edge 540. Very simple and highly effective.

Here a couple of pics on how I did it on my VF Edge 540. Hope this helps and good luck.

RE: canopy hold down screws
 

I had the same problem with my Seagull 540 and a Magnum 91 wanting to vibrate the canopy bolts,infact lost one,I put a small piece of fuel tubing on each bolt,about 1/8 long,that sort of gave pressure to the bolt head and stopped it from turning out.
I hope this helps!

RE: canopy hold down screws
 

You could also use nylon bolts with the blind nuts. Nylon bolts won't back out like screws or metal bolts. You can get any size you want. I have some 4-40 nylon hex head I use to hold down a hatch on my cessna.

Randy

RE: canopy hold down screws
 

tHANKS FOR ALL THE QUICK HELP! I appreciate it;.

RE: canopy hold down screws
 

Here's another trick: epoxy a short length of nyrod into the fuselage and drive the screws into that. You could also use nylon screws directly into the fuselage. Another method is to use a rubber or neoprene washer between the screw and fuselage. Good luck!