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+--- Thread: Rad cowl stiffener for Ulster Rep (/showthread.php?tid=1502)
Rad cowl stiffener for Ulster Rep - Erich - 27-07-2018
Hi All,
On my Ulster Rep, I currently have a steel cowl and cycle wings. The wings bolt directly to the sides of the cowl, apparently with no ill effects(no cracks or distortion). However, I have a new brass cowl. I have heard that it is advisable to fit a stiffener which arcs over the fan blade and stiffens the cowl and was designed for the 65. Is it advisable to fit this or would simple backing plates behind the wing fixing work as well? In such a case, they won't stiffen the cowl across but would stiffen the are of the fixing. If I need the 65 part, I've heard that Rod Yates makes them. Is he available by email or only phone?
Erich in very hot Seattle!
RE: Rad cowl stiffener for Ulster Rep - NickB - 27-07-2018
Hi Erich,
It's a pretty simple bracket and wouldn't be difficult to make/get made up. This was made for my 65, the original only having a short side bar with a single hole, I increased the bracket length and added a second fixing.
I'm hoping it will reduce the stress on the rad cowl, mine was well cracked, but perhaps what it really needs is a couple of universal joints to give the wings some flexibility to move!
Regards,
Nick
RE: Rad cowl stiffener for Ulster Rep - "Slack Alice" Simon - 27-07-2018
Do not fix to the shell without cross bracing, it will eventually wreck it.
On "Alice" the shell had been load bearing, and all 4 corners were split from the insides to the start of the curved sections.
I made a very light cross-support, with an inverted "V" down to the chassis, and the shell hasn't moved since.
Put flat section rubber inside and out to stop fretting.
Simon