C-180J extended Cargo, Is that piece half-way up Structural?

Alex Clark · Mar 26, 2019

So I was wedged into the rear cargo bay of the 1976 C-180J. While I was stuck in there, I noted that the little metal athwart-ship piece of thin metal, that holds down the aft headliner, is only held on with a couple rivets on each end.

I would love to drill out those rivets and wrap my head-liner around the upper frame work, and then just use a big cargo net over the opening.

My IA, does not know if it counts as structural. It would certainly make the aft cargo area easier to access.

mike mcs repair · Mar 26, 2019

Remove it. Common mod

Sent from my iPhone using SuperCub.Org

Alex Clark · Mar 26, 2019

Log book entry, or nothing since it is part of the headliner anchoring system? I still gotta prove to to my IA. I asked 3 IAs in Homer and nobody knew....
I hate crawling back in there... I was tempting just to drill the rivets while I was in there....

Alex Clark · Mar 26, 2019

I wish I had the time and money to get rid of the tall floor as well, ( since my battery is on the firewall ) ... Makes me wonder why they did not just use a battery box and make the floor lower in the rest of that aft section....

BC12D-4-85 · Mar 26, 2019

If you load there on the thin metal raised deck what's: the CG excursion and useable weight capacity? Twenty some years in a C-185 and all I put there were the winter covers. Next time belly pod.

Gary

Alex Clark · Mar 26, 2019

50 pounds, from station 110 to 130. As it is now.

Some of the STC's for the lower floor go to 80 pounds back there...

Eddie Foy · Mar 26, 2019

I removed mine. It is clearly not a structural member.

stewartb · Mar 26, 2019

Alex Clark said:
Makes me wonder why they did not just use a battery box and make the floor lower in the rest of that aft section....

Because the elevator and rudder cables run through that space and rise toward the back. The floor is raised in order to maintain level. To lower the baggage requires rerouting cables. The mid cross brace is there to fill space above the lower insert that held the third row seat back cushions. My cross piece is long gone with the third row seat.

stewartb · Mar 26, 2019

And by the way, the area where the battery box was under the baggage floor is a great place to mount the 406 ELT since the factory mount doesn't meet current ELT installation requirements.

mike mcs repair · Mar 26, 2019

Normal mod is to add pulleys and lower cables and floor of extended baggage area since you move battery

Sent from my iPhone using SuperCub.Org

eskimo77 · Mar 26, 2019

The Airglas carbon fiber extended baggage STC is pretty slick/simple install without moving pulleys. The price isn't bad by airplane standard either.
http://www.airglas.com/FixedWing/Pr...uctDetails/mid/3050/ProductId/45/Default.aspx

46 Cub · Mar 26, 2019

I bought the Selkirk STC in order to be sure my PMI was happy. One of the steps in that STC specifies removing that cross piece. You don't have to do everything on the STC. I kept the 3rd row useable by stretching a cargo net across there tightly for a back rest when I wanted to use those seats. I never did bother with lowering the floor but it would make it easier to fit backpacks behind the second row seats. (The best mod I did on the 185 was replacing it with a 206) :smile:

46 Cub · Mar 26, 2019

When I finished typing I saw eskimo77's post.... That looks like what I would do today!

stewartb · Mar 26, 2019

Alex's J model baggage is already as big as what the Airglas offers for the early models. FWIW.

eskimo77 · Mar 26, 2019

The Airglas baggage lowers the front of the baggage to be nearly even with the cabin floor.

Alex Clark · Mar 26, 2019

Stewart,
I was thinking more along the lines of, Since it is possible to make it a flat floor with the cables down low, why not just do that in the first place??

Since I am out of cash this spring, any more changes will have to wait. I only have the snap-on canvas cover on the rear of that compartment. Which is a killer trying to get the last couple snaps to set-in. If I do not use a net back aft, I may need to come up with something to keep my survival gear from breaking past the canvas.

Randyk · Mar 26, 2019

Alex, instead of the canvas, you can try a piece of light plywood cut to shape and hold it in place against the frame with a bungee across horizontally. Works fine lasts long time....

stewartb · Mar 26, 2019

eskimo77 said:
The Airglas baggage lowers the front of the baggage to be nearly even with the cabin floor.View attachment 42201

So it slopes downhill? How do you keep things from sliding? I've seen baggage floors lowered but still flat. It wasn't worth the effort for my needs.

OLDCROWE · Mar 26, 2019

eskimo77 said:
The Airglas baggage lowers the front of the baggage to be nearly even with the cabin floor.View attachment 42201

What are your interior panels?

eskimo77 · Mar 26, 2019

There is some slope in flying attitude, pretty much flat on the ground. The picture isn't my airplane, but it looks to be adhesive back closed cell foam.

DENNY · Mar 26, 2019

The Airglass stuff comes with D rings that go in the back and front for a tie down/net to keep things in place. The big question is what too do with the old L channel supports on the side. Drill them out or trim them off. I spent most of a day grinding mine back so I did not have new line of rivets in my nice paint job. Just something to think about.
DENNY

stewartb · Mar 26, 2019

Getcha some of these. You can paint rivet heads and nobody will be able to tell. Like when you change out all the glass and drill out the factory ELT mount. BTDT!

https://www.autobodytoolmart.com/ez-dabber-p-17790.aspx

46 Cub · Mar 27, 2019

What I liked about the canvas was it would hold stuff from sliding back on the lower part, and I could unsnap the top couple of snaps and open it enough to lay long stuff (like unbroken fishing rods if you happen to be a fishing guide) on top of the lower (light and fluffy) gear in the back. That airglass lower front would help with the backpack issue and would also seem to be less work than tackling the moving of pulleys and changing cables, etc. My first year with the 185 I had the headliner-3rd row holder in place ( the part you want to remove) and it was a real pain. Much better with it out. My battery was in back so I didn't bother with the lower floor and I ran it 135 with no problems for a few years before going to the 206. So cut that part out and forget it, or buy the the cheapest STC that includes cutting it out if you don't want to concern your AI, or whatever.. but taking it out will make your plane more useful. That Airglass mod looks like the most gain for the least effort (and $1100 is nothing if you are serious) and you have no questions or discussions about legality with a current STC.

stewartb · Mar 27, 2019

How many IAs out there would refuse to sign off an annual on a plane that was brought to them with that piece (I wouldn't call it a brace) removed? I see more Skywagons without it than with.

Cannon · Mar 27, 2019

Absolutely remove it. Way better without, and who’s to say it was ever there?
Before & after:

Alex Clark · Mar 27, 2019

I need to find a nice net like that...
I guess it is really a trim piece. since you can flex is around and see light around most of the connection. I gotta figure out if drilling the rivets or grinding off the heads will work easier. I should have never told my IA about it...

mike mcs repair · Mar 27, 2019

Alex Clark said:
I need to find a nice net like that...
I guess it is really a trim piece. since you can flex is around and see light around most of the connection. I gotta figure out if drilling the rivets or grinding off the heads will work easier. I should have never told my IA about it...

atlee sells nets, but I think they have "fineline interiors" custom make them??? you air taxi? if not why do you need net?

you need new IA from what you said in your PM..... I know one up here, he even removed that part you talked about in his 185..... decades ago, and on many others

hotrod180 · Mar 28, 2019

Alex Clark said:
I need to find a nice net like that.....

I heard about Mountain Wave Aviation cargo nets, they make a nice one intended for the extended baggage.
Way overpriced IMHO at $350.

I bought mine from Safaristraps.com -- 23.5 x 23.5", $61 + S&H.
They make a huge variety of sizes.

https://www.safaristraps.com/1-polyester-cargo-net-23-5-x-23-5/

[SUB][/SUB]

hotrod180 · Mar 28, 2019

eskimo77 said:
The Airglas carbon fiber extended baggage STC is pretty slick/simple install without moving pulleys. The price isn't bad by airplane standard either.
http://www.airglas.com/FixedWing/Pr...uctDetails/mid/3050/ProductId/45/Default.aspx

My 53 has a flat-floor extended baggage,
field approved, before anyone offered a flat-floor STC'd version (I think).
Looks about like Eskimo's photo in post #15.
No extra pulleys, no re-routing cables.
The slope of the floor doesn't seem to cause a problem. Cargo net keeps stuff from sliding in any event.

Alex Clark · Mar 30, 2019

When who-ever moved the battery to the firewall, they did not cut out the battery box mounts in mine. Plus they left the strobe generator back there as well. My cables come in pretty high... ( seaplane centering system) ... More projects for the future when I have more cash in hand. I am selling rifles and pistols in an attempt to buy a Garmin 796.
Wireweanie is making me a wire harness for my use Becker radio...

C-180J extended Cargo, Is that piece half-way up Structural?

Registered User

Life Long Alaskan

Attachments

Registered User

chugiak AK

Registered User

Life Long Alaskan

Registered User

Life Long Alaskan

Fairbanks, AK.

Registered User

Life Long Alaskan

South Florida

…

Attachments

…

Registered User

chugiak AK

Registered User

Kenai, Alaska

…

Registered User

Kenai, Alaska

Attachments

Registered User

Life Long Alaskan

Talkeetna Alaska

…

Meanwhile,...

Registered User

Kenai, Alaska

…

…

Registered User

Moorpark, CA

Attachments

Registered User

Life Long Alaskan

Registered User

chugiak AK

Port Townsend, WA

Attachments

Port Townsend, WA

Attachments

Registered User

Life Long Alaskan

Attachments

Similar threads