The International Cessna 170 Association

I need thoughts from other heroic C-170 Owners re: proper and effective ways of sealing the doors.

I made an attempt to do that today by carefully removing all (a lot) of existing deteriorated seal, glue, and other stuff that has accumulated on the doors over 50 years, on my '56 170B.

I then used 3M adhesive glue to adher Aircraft Spruce and Specialties Rubber Channel/Molding #7 around the door (not the fuselage...)

I think if I applied enough force to actually crush the fuselage I might get the door closed; but otherwise, no dice. It appears the molding is simply too big. My repair efforts have been totally in vain.

Any thoughts on how I can seal the doors from the cold Montana wind that threaten turn my snug little cockpit into a raging maelstrom?

Thanks!

MontanaBird

In this thread: http://cessna170.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2322 George recommended T-9088 door seal from Brown Aircraft. You can find that here: http://www.brownaircraft.com/Merchant2/ ... ode=T-9088

Montanabird as you have found out these door seals can be tricky as they have to be just right. To little, no seal, to big can't shut the door.

I would recommend you get the stuff George recommends but it's not cheap. While you saving up for the good stuff you might get by with the cheap foam sold at hardware stores used to seal house windows and doors. That's what I did. I got stuff that was a bit large and shaved it down to a size that worked.

Not as nice as George's recommendation but readily available and fairly cheap.

I too have recently replaced the seal on my passanger door. I used the one supplied by Bill Rhoades, PO box 51, Northfield, MN 55057. The product is the original style used on 120/140. I purchased 25 ft. (cost $31.25) and followed his instructions. I bet I put 15 hours in removing the door and then all the old mickey mouse seals and glue. I stripped down to the metal, primed and painted prior to installing the new seal. Like Marty states "if you take your time you'll be pleased. Yes very pleased. You can get a free sample for a buck. Also read his ad. :Free seal replacement if you mess up the inst. Can't beat that. Very happy and shall attack the pilot door in spring.

I used the one supplied by Bill Rhoades, PO box 51, Northfield, MN 55057. The product is the original style used on 120/140. I purchased 25 ft. (cost $31.25) and followed his instructions.

Roger on the seals from Bill Rhodes. I had my mechanic install the stuff and it seems to work well. Seals the doors and the doors still shut. It takes some work and my mechanic is still swearing at me but I am pleased with the result and door seals are one of the keys to happy winter flying in Alaska.

pete

It's amazing how much noise is reduced by proper door seals also. With new seals, I can actually hear the radio with ANR headsets.

Bill has run out of the door seal finally and we're in the middle of procuring another run, if anyone needs some chime in over at the 120/140 site. http://www.cessna120-140.org

tye

The best door seal / weatherstrip I've found to replace the original is:
Brown Aircraft T-9088 . (Some mfr's call it "Piper" door seal, but don't let that fool you. It's what
Cessna used.) It is approx. 3/8" thick at the open "P".

(Not actual size)


Brown Aircraft Supply
4123 Muncy Rd
Jacksonville Florida 32207
Phone: (904) 396-6655
Fax: (904) 398-3492

sales@brownaircraft.com

Other choices may be viewed at:
http://www.brownaircraft.peachhost.com/ ... rseals.htm

How much is necessary to do both doors? Any Ideas? thanks, Doug

deleted by the author

I used to stick a map between my leg and the door to keep the breeze down in the winter. after I installed new door seals, I discovered the air was really mostly coming from inside the door and blowing out around the door trim. I experimented with taping over my door handle and ta-da, no more breeze.

the wind was coming in through the handle and pressurizing the inside of the door, the rubber seal around the latch mechanism had long ago deteriorated. So I installed some new foam weatherstrip around the handle inside the door and it's much better now.

gahorn wrote:The best door seal / weatherstrip I've found to replace the original is:
Brown Aircraft T-9088 . (Some mfr's call it "Piper" door seal, but don't let that fool you. It's what
Cessna used.)

My 140 still has the original door seal retainer and I don't think this shape will work with it. The retainer is basically a folded over length of aluminum riveted to the door with fold heel to the edge of the door.

tye

thammer wrote:

gahorn wrote:The best door seal / weatherstrip I've found to replace the original is:
Brown Aircraft T-9088 . (Some mfr's call it "Piper" door seal, but don't let that fool you. It's what
Cessna used.)

My 140 still has the original door seal retainer and I don't think this shape will work with it. The retainer is basically a folded over length of aluminum riveted to the door with fold heel to the edge of the door.

tye

I was not suggesting it for a 140/120. (This being a 170-site, and me being a smartazz, I was suggesting it for a 170.) (The doors have different depth at the seal-channels. Also, be aware that later 170's do not utilize the retainer.)

The second link offered should have an appropriate seal for a 140/120.

gahorn wrote:

thammer wrote:

gahorn wrote:The best door seal / weatherstrip I've found to replace the original is:
Brown Aircraft T-9088 . (Some mfr's call it "Piper" door seal, but don't let that fool you. It's what
Cessna used.)

My 140 still has the original door seal retainer and I don't think this shape will work with it. The retainer is basically a folded over length of aluminum riveted to the door with fold heel to the edge of the door.

tye

I was not suggesting it for a 140/120. (This being a 170-site, and me being a smartazz, I was suggesting it for a 170.) (The doors have different depth at the seal-channels. Also, be aware that later 170's do not utilize the retainer.)

The second link offered should have an appropriate seal for a 140/120.

No problem George. Do all the 170 models use the same seal shape? From some of the other posts I got the idea that at least the rag wing might use the same seal as the 140. Or maybe the guys just used that not knowing about the closer match stuff. None of the shapes I saw were a match for the 140 seal.

Cessna used several different seals thru the years and changed whenever they felt like it...and worse...didn't keep a record of the actual seal used. This is one of the reasons it's so stupid for some FAA inspectors to insist that only seals with traceability and/or "approval basis" be used on Cessnas. If you order from Cessna you'll get what will please such inspectors...but what you'll get will be whatever they have at the time....not what was original to the airplane.

Showboatsix.... don't say ANYTHING!