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Southco Fasteners

Lawn Dart

Lawn Dart

Registered User
Las Vegas, Nv
One of my Southco fasteners, on the engine cowl, broke the other day. Actually it was the floating receptacle part that broke, it split sideways between the hole and the edge. This isn?t one of those things that you look real closely at because (1) the receivers are pretty much hidden and (2) either they work or they don?t. Upon closer inspection, several of them are either worn out or cracked. I?m going to replace all of them before one of the cowls comes off.

My question is .... do I stick with Southco or switch to Dzus or Camloc and why?
 
Hey LD!

I totally rebuilt (by fabrication) my cowling this past year. I replaced every Southco fastener with nutplates and machine screws w/nylon washers. This is a much better solution than these loosey-goosey fasteners...

Cheers!
 
I like the ease of removal using the Southco. I do check them every time I remove the cowl and have spares on hand to replace when needed.
 
Cavy, If you have a rivet squeezer or access to one the recepticles are easy to install. I installed mine with the nylon cup under the head. It keeps them from vibrating a hole in the cowl. I can remove the entire cowl except nose bowl in under 5 minutes.
 
Cavy,

If you take the time to replace the worn-out parts with new ones they should last another 10-20 years! You can still get the parts and the only thing you will see is a few new rivets (unpainted) heads!

Tim
 
Dzuz and camlocs fasteners work good. All the big jobs I work on (747, L1011s) seldom have any problems and are always tight. Then again, like the man says, If what you had before was good for 20 years then same new one will last you an other 20 year. That my 2 cents worth.
Heavylift. :Beer
 
I have no problem with the Southco. If you replace with Dzus will the rivet holes for the Dzus springs be the same. I've worked on Corsairs and Mustangs with many Dzus fasteners and they have problems too. I'd install new Southco's and go fly. Forget the swedging the aluminum grommets and hoping you ordered the right highth spring. Go with what you know works. Let Cuby experiment.
 
Steve Pierce said:
Let Cuby experiment.
Click to expand...

Gee, thanx Steve!... Just because I have an EXPERIMENTAL and posted a LONG message and didn't mean to STEP on anyone... 8)

Actually, my top and lower cowls are screwed on with nutplates and the sides are camlocs... The camlocs are OK, but the screws and nutplates are a pain in the butt...

I concur that dzus can be a pain too, but it would probably be better than the screws...
 
Stick with the Southco's. When they are put in properly, they are the easiest to work with. Camlocs and dzus are more flimsy, nutplates are a real pain. It's nice to be able to pull a coin out of your pocket and remove the cowl in a few minutes. Like Steve, I keep spare studs and recepticals around to replace the worn ones.
 
I´d agree stick with the Southco´s I hear people complaining :bad-words: about them but its usually because the studs and recepticals are worn out or not fitted properly I´d agree with MD. I´d also agree with carrying a few spares too just in case.

David.
 
Sorry Cuby, I couldn't resist. My point really was every time I go to change some simple little thing it turns into a mess with lots of unexpected problems. Seems like it's never simple when it comes to an airplane.
 
What size/style Southco studs is everyone using? I have eleven oval 85-20-200-20, and six flush 82-14-240-20. Thanks, Nick
 
I agree, stay with the southco fasteners. less problems then Dzuz. The length of the fastener depends on the thickness of the metal and cowling chafe strips.

John
 
Aviator has the question I would ask: How do you look at these things, then order a replacement? Seems lots more difficult than ordering 10-32 screws.
 
look in the Aircraft Spruce catalog. they give you all the lengths and p/ns.
look at the head of an original one. there is a number on it. that is the length.

John
 
I appreciate the help, John, but what I'm looking for is the Southco P/N equivalent of Piper P/N's 487-563, 487-564, and 487-565; AKA No. 5-0-140A, No. 5-0-180A, and No. 5-0-200A. I'm assuming (but don't know) the Southco equivalent P/N's are 85-11-140-xx, 85-11-180-xx and 85-11-200-xx, where xx is 15 for steel and 20 for SS. The Fed gets sticky about undocumented substitutions around here (seems to to give them something to do). I'm trying to get rid of some undocumented mods or else get the paper trail for approved substitutions. Does anybody have a cross-reference doc for these studs?

Edited: xx -15 should read -16
 
For what it is worth, folks; I am a stocking distributor for Southco Fasteners. I am one of the few small entities that can still buy direct from the factory.

I carry over 40 different lengths, diameters and types (head styles, SS or plated, etc) of studs, recepticles and mounting types.

Give me a call if interested: (907)688-3715

Burl
 
Aviator,
The p/n's that you have are strictly Piper numbers. You won't find them anywhere. They are Piper's numbering system and they are for in fact Southco. you have the right numbers.


John
 
The New 4000 Series C-lock Camlocs can be addusted so picking out a length is a no brainer. They can also be installed to float making them much easier to use. We just installed a kit in a 172 that came out great. We have some 172s that we work on that have the soutco's. I hate them. give me a bad camloc over a southco anyday.
 
I am about to convert the Decathlon to 10-32s. The factory is now delivering them like that, and I am beginning to see older ones so equipped. One shop said they do that regularly.

The darn quarter-turn deals seem to eat up the fiberglas, and when they are untwisted they like to re-engage just enough to make life miserable. That, and with an electric screwdriver the regular screws will probably be quicker - and lots stronger, if that makes any difference.
 
i'm trying also to replace some of my fasteners -
marked "lion" and have 6-O-140 (oval head), 5-O-200 (oval head), 5-F-100 (flush head)
anyone know if the southco will replace them (look the same) and how to convert the numbers
steve
 
Lion and Southco numbers are basically the same. Example 85-11-140-16 the 85 is the fastener size (Diameter) 11 is head type (11 Slotted, 19 Phillips, 14 Flush) 140 is the length and16 is material (16 steel, 20 stainless steel) if you have a 140 Lion buy a 140 Southco. If your fasteners are lose you need to replace the receptacles # 85-35-295-15 if you keep them tight they don't wear holes in your cowling.
 
I use the plastic wear washer for Southco fasteners. You can see them in this picture. Holds them tight and dosent wear into your cowling.

 
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