New Zuks - duh - how do I get the cover off.

[dlwford]

I'm just a BSEE & MSME - worked for NASA and put a few swabbies on the moon - but I'm havin a bit of a problem -GETTING THE *&%$ COWLING OFF my two new (to me) DF175's . OK - found 3 latches - but can't seem to get enough levelerage to open her up.

Can I buy the secret decoder ring 0n this web site?

I just want to get inside to get at the lifting eyes and lift them off the trailer - and hang them vertically to make sure they are winterize before we get a hard freeze.

PS... the NMEA write up is very good - can't wait to get these black beauties hung and see what the rate of climb is really gonna be!!

[Harper]

Lift the three latches. Once they are up about 30°, you are basically through with the unlatching. What you are probably encountering is the cowling gasket being stuck to the mid-unit cover. This happens to me, to the point of actually pulling the gasket from the cowling, to which it's supposed to stay glued. Try giving it a firm upward whack with the heel of you hand on the back of the cowling, where the air intake is. You shouldn't have to hit it too hard, but it should loosen the adhesion between the gasket and the lower piece.

[dlwford]

Thanks Mike - I haven't been able to find a drawing or reliable instructions on how they are supposed to come off.

Just the three latches - right?


Do you know if the gasket stays with the top or bottom? Wonder if I can work some silicone spray in under the gasket to help it let go?

Larry

[Harper]

Yep, just three latches. Once you get the sucker off, the silicone would be a good idea, I think. Don't know if it'll help get it off this time, though. I might even do that myself, but haven't had quite the problem on my DF150 that warranted it yet. The gasket is glued to the top, the cowling.

[dlwford]

Thanks agn Mike

I knew they could be stubborn - didn't want to break something if I was missing a latch. The service manual is very thorough right up to the point of how to remove the cover - says "remove cover"!

Ordered me a suction cup to get hold of these things - think I will try to work some rubber safe silicone under the edge somehow.

Take care and happy holidays.
Larry

[dlwford]

All else fails - READ THE DIRECTIONS!

All is well ... here in sweet home .. Alabama!

As my brilliant younger brother pointed out today - in the bright light of day - on the latches - it not so clearly states to "lift - then - ROTATE" - the handle to release the cover.

Bingo! I'm in....



Some days I sits and thinks ..... some days, I just sits!

[Harper]

Lift the three latches. Once they are up about 30°, you are basically through with the unlatching.

All is well ... here in sweet home .. Alabama!

As my brilliant younger brother pointed out today - in the bright light of day - on the latches - it not so clearly states to "lift - then - ROTATE" - the handle to release the cover.

Bingo! I'm in....



Some days I sits and thinks ..... some days, I just sits!

Haha ... yeah, I thought there were arrows on the latches. Sometimes we forget to fully explain what seems to us to be obvious. Glad you got it, though, without breaking anything.

[dlwford]

Well, my only excuse is that it has been approaching dark when I've had time to play with them and the instructions are molded on the surface of the levers - black on black - hard to see in the dark. I could feel and hear what sounded like a metallic latch ... so I felt like I was not fully disengaging the latch by just pulling it out of the parked position. The handle rotation was stiff enough to make me question that as a valid operation.

Upon inspection, it appears someone else had a similar experience and cracked one of the lower housings just below starboard latch - very short so its easily fixed from the inside.

Anyway - thanks for your response and running the forum. Great source of information.