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 Post subject: 182 bent doors won’t latch well – mechanic recommendation
PostPosted: 12 Nov 2020, 14:26 
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Joined: 10/25/20
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Location: KFAT
Aircraft: TR182
Hello everyone,

My TR182 has both doors that are very hard to close, you basically need to slam them a little bit while at the exact same moment push the latch forward to engage it. Just pulling the door inward and pushing the latch forward will not cause it to close at all. This is most likely due to them being bent over the years, and looking at how the doors dont sit flush with the frame seems to be the case. It is already a pretty big annoyance since my wife can’t really close the door on her own yet without slamming them really hard. I took my plane to a pretty good shop and my impression was that the mechanics there didn’t really want to try to do anything. They mentioned they adjusted the latch catch on the passenger door but that was it, and they didnt touch the pilot’s door at all. I imagine it is sort of a lose lose scenario for them to try to fix these cases so i understand. I recently saw this webpage though, and wondering how realistic of a fix this can be for me?

http://welch.com/n46pg/2019/07/05/reali ... sna-doors/

Would any mechanic on the west coast be willing to have me fly out and work with me on something like this? It does seem to be an “owner produced” part type scenario. While I am somewhat handy with tools, i have done zero metal work so not interested in doing this without supervision. Any help or recommendations would be appreciated, I live in central CA. It would be amazing to have some doors that actually work well :(.



-David

P.S. I am based in central california


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 Post subject: Re: 182 bent doors won’t latch well – mechanic recommendatio
PostPosted: 12 Nov 2020, 16:34 
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Location: Brunswick, Ga
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Could it be the doorpost is bent? There was an AD effective today on bent door posts. I don't know the history behind it, but it's worth taking a read and researching further.

https://www.federalregister.gov/documen ... -airplanes


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 Post subject: Re: 182 bent doors won’t latch well – mechanic recommendatio
PostPosted: 12 Nov 2020, 16:57 
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Username Protected wrote:
Could it be the doorpost is bent? There was an AD effective today on bent door posts. I don't know the history behind it, but it's worth taking a read and researching further.

https://www.federalregister.gov/documen ... -airplanes


That's for cracking of the bulkhead under the floor where the wing strut attaches.


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 Post subject: Re: 182 bent doors won’t latch well – mechanic recommendatio
PostPosted: 12 Nov 2020, 20:51 
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Joined: 03/24/08
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Aircraft: Cessna 182M
David

Is this a restart T182 or one of the pre-1986 models?

If not a restart, the simple truth is the doors were practically hand fitted. Suggest you might ask on Cessna Pilots Society for a reference. If you were closer to the middle of the country I would suggest either John Efinger in Fort Worth or Del Lehman who does post here.

182 door fitting on pre-restart models is more art than science. Good luck.

RAS

PS, I doubt it is a doorpost issue as called out in the AD but never hurts to make sure.


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 Post subject: Re: 182 bent doors won’t latch well – mechanic recommendatio
PostPosted: 12 Nov 2020, 20:59 
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If the doors are like the ones I'm familiar with, they are more bonded than riveted, and they get tweaked from wind grabbing them and slamming into the stop. Rather than looking for just an A&P, I'd be looking for a major airframe shop. Perhaps they can massage it back into shape. I've heard of mechanics taking a door off and laying it on the floor with a board underneath and mashing down to restore the shape, but that seems a bit crude for a nice airplane.


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 Post subject: Re: 182 bent doors won’t latch well – mechanic recommendatio
PostPosted: 12 Nov 2020, 21:16 
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Location: KFAT
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Username Protected wrote:
If the doors are like the ones I'm familiar with, they are more bonded than riveted, and they get tweaked from wind grabbing them and slamming into the stop. Rather than looking for just an A&P, I'd be looking for a major airframe shop. Perhaps they can massage it back into shape. I've heard of mechanics taking a door off and laying it on the floor with a board underneath and mashing down to restore the shape, but that seems a bit crude for a nice airplane.


Any referrals for a major airframe shop, or examples of one's that I can contact?


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 Post subject: Re: 182 bent doors won’t latch well – mechanic recommendatio
PostPosted: 12 Nov 2020, 21:36 
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Username Protected wrote:
...................I've heard of mechanics taking a door off and laying it on the floor with a board underneath and mashing down to restore the shape, but that seems a bit crude for a nice airplane.

Don,
This made me smile :D If I had a video of me trying to straighten a Bonanza cabin door, using a 100 ton press, using all manner of wood and rubber blocks, you'd all think I'm a madman (and you wouldn't be far off ;) ).

The problem is, each problem door is different and requires different corrective "massaging". I decided to get out of the masseur business a decade ago. It's just too time consuming, and with generally poor results. Nobody benefits.


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 Post subject: Re: 182 bent doors won’t latch well – mechanic recommendatio
PostPosted: 12 Nov 2020, 22:05 
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Location: Columbus, Ohio
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If you are able to close the door far enough that it will latch, but only if you latch it immediately or it will pop back open, the clutch/ratchet in the striker at the rear door post is probably worn out. When the door is pulled shut, the little geared wheel is engaged by, and turned by, the teeth on the latch arm in the door. When the two parts mesh, the wheel is turned. If the clutch assembly is working correctly, the door is held held in that position allowing you to move the handle to the latched position. If the clutch is not working and there is any spring tension on the door caused by a new door seal or a bent door frame, the door will pop back open. My wife’s 182 had that problem when she bought it. New clutch assemblies fixed the problem.


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 Post subject: Re: 182 bent doors won’t latch well – mechanic recommendatio
PostPosted: 12 Nov 2020, 22:48 
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Location: Austin, TX area
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Any referrals for a major airframe shop, or examples of one's that I can contact?


David, I'm sorry, I don't. Not familiar with the West Coast businesses at all. The very best Cessna gurus I know are John Efinger near Ft. Worth, and Paul New in TN. You might call John at 817-992-0753 and see if he knows of someone in CA.


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 Post subject: Re: 182 bent doors won’t latch well – mechanic recommendatio
PostPosted: 12 Nov 2020, 22:52 
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What condition is the weather stripping in? Old and hard? That can make it difficult to close the doors.


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 Post subject: Re: 182 bent doors won’t latch well – mechanic recommendatio
PostPosted: 12 Nov 2020, 23:21 
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Hell, I consider it a win if they stay closed rolling it into the hangar.

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 Post subject: Re: 182 bent doors won’t latch well – mechanic recommendatio
PostPosted: 12 Nov 2020, 23:23 
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Username Protected wrote:
Quote:
Any referrals for a major airframe shop, or examples of one's that I can contact?


David, I'm sorry, I don't. Not familiar with the West Coast businesses at all. The very best Cessna gurus I know are John Efinger near Ft. Worth, and Paul New in TN. You might call John at 817-992-0753 and see if he knows of someone in CA.



He did but I moved here. Then he moved to my airport. We went to a Veterans day lunch yesterday and he mentioned you. Our 172 has a warped rh door. It pops open on the ground but never has in the air. It was not that way when we sold it in ‘06. Just disturbing to look thru the gap in flight. And they put the handle on backwards so leaning on it opens the door. Sheesh. It is on the short list of (wouldn’t it be nice) things still left to do. It gets its first checkride, since we got it back, next week. Good student!


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 Post subject: Re: 182 bent doors won’t latch well – mechanic recommendatio
PostPosted: 12 Nov 2020, 23:54 
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I did a lot of work on my TR182 to get the doors to fit nicely.

- Hinge pins were replaced
- Hinges shimmed as needed, similar to that referenced link
- One door clutch/ratchet mechanism was worn out, replaced with serviceable used part
- Door seals replaced with Cessna factory seal material. This is a very time consuming process to get a good seal. Air Mod has some good articles on how to do it right https://airmod.com/magazine-articles/. I also recall that CPA magazine had an article on door fitment a few years ago.

Regarding bent doors, I have heard of taking the door off and bolting the hinges to a strong surface (like a fence post) and "strong arming" the door back into shape.

It should also be noted that pre-1981 doors don't close as nice as later years, as the door latch mechanism was improved in 1981. But should not have to slam the door to get it to close.

Good luck


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 Post subject: Re: 182 bent doors won’t latch well – mechanic recommendatio
PostPosted: 13 Nov 2020, 00:31 
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Aircraft: 1969 Bonanza V35A
I don't know about the 182, but the 172 series has two different door hinges. One is a "bent" hinge and the other is straight. A friend found his 172 had the wrong hinges on and the doors would naturally sit about 1-2" open with no pressure on them. After removal and "adjustment" of the hinges the doors now sit snug to the airframe.


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 Post subject: Re: 182 bent doors won’t latch well – mechanic recommendatio
PostPosted: 13 Nov 2020, 01:01 
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Aircraft: C-182RG, C-172, PA28
Our '79 R182 has this problem. It came back from paint with two shims under one of the front hinges (I think, may have only been 1). It reduced the gap at the rear seal somewhat, but introduced a new gap at the front.

What are the odds that the current door is bent, and that we could find a straight door that would fit better?


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