What should I be using to repair wheel pants. Im thinking I should be using fiberglass tape and epoxy on the inside of cracks. Is this this correct?

What should I be using to repair cracks on the outside prior to sanding? What type of filler?

I will also have to pull and refinish the area around the blind nuts as they are very loose. I havent looked at it that closely yet. Would I be using the same type of filler? Once this area is repaired I would then be redrillng and installing new blind nuts.

Thanks

Are the wheel pants made for Vac formed plastic, epoxy/glass or polyester/glass? It makes a difference, don't ya know.

hmmm....well glass for sure. Epoxy or poly - I dont know. If someone was to know from experience, they are from a Hanger 9 Funtana.

Some are fiberglass and epoxy with glass matt or even clean coffee filters will work. Some are plastic and you'll need a different approach.

I have found wheel pants and grass do not mix. They crack and work like wheel brakes and make take-offs and landings problematic. I usually just leave them off all my models, certainly anything with 3.5"" or smaller wheels. Your results and grass may vary.

Ive actually never had a problem with wheel pants; buy my field has a paved runway. I really like the look of them on my planes.

It seems to me, if the plane is from Hanger nine, they should be able to provide replacements. It would be a lot simpler (and cheaper, a lot less hassle) to order new ones, rather to subject yourself to the pain of repairing them.
Forty-two years of experince in glass work tells me that.
OMG, am I that old???? I think I've snorted too much styrene!

Of course thats easier; but would be a really good thing to know.

It's almost trivial to repair cracked pants, if you put a little effort into it.

Here goes:

- Remove the wheel pants
- Tape the outer part of the pants together tightly with masking tape.

+ You can save some sanding later if you have minor cracks, if you put wax paper over the outer crack, to shape any epoxy that may seep through.

- Cut several strips of fiberglass cloth, that you can lay on the inside of the cracked wheel pant. You want to minimize the number used at one time.

- Mix up some 30 minute epoxy, and add about 30% Isoprophyl Alchohol to it to thin the mix. Some people use Acetone, but this may ruin paint.
- Apply the thinned mixture with a brush to the inside.

- With a gloved hand, lay the fiberglass strips to the inside of the pants.

- Apply more thinned mixture until the fiberglass seems to all but disappear.

- It is OK if the fiberglass extends beyond the wheel opening, as you can cut or sand off the excess easily later.

- Let dry overnight, preferably inverted.

- Repeat if desired but I find two fiberglass strips are often more than enough...

- Remove the tape and wax paper.

- Now for the outside you have your choice, you can apply epoxy and filler, or use something like Bondo.

- Apply the Bondo, let dry, and sand the pants with progressive grits of sandpaper until somewhat smooth.

- Clean, prime & paint.

Done.

BTW: The same works for cowls too. I have repaired HUGE holes in cowls or remodified the cowls for completely different engines and mufflers this way.

Thanks Opjose! Simple enough!

Wax paper is your friend.

Once epoxy dries, it does NOT stick to it because of the wax.

After you've done one or two of these, you'll never shy away from tackling a badly damaged cowl again!

The plastic that models come protected in will not stick to epoxy, either. I've done some great repairs by setting a sheet of plastic over a towel, putting epoxy on both sides of a piece of CA hinge material cut to the shape I need, placing that inside the cowl and then the cowl on the towel, then another piece of plastic inside and a bag of lead shot or sand on top of that. The bag presses the air out and forms the hinge material to the cowl and, when dry, the plastic peels right off.

This works for altering the cutouts in a cowl for a different engine, also. You may or may not have to do some Bondo work for a really smooth job, but often it comes out beautiful with just the epoxy.

I'm going to have to try that!