Nose Bowl for a 12

[skukum12]

I am replacing my nose bowl for various reasons. I have a few questions here.

With my lightweight B&C starter do I still need a starter hole?

I see multiple different sizes available, is there a correct size for a PA-12 with an 320?

Wag sells an "original" 12/14 bowel, will this work with my 320?

As usual, thanks for all the advice

[Marc Davis]

I have what I believe to be a stock bowl with an 0-320 (long mount). It's pretty beat up so I bought one of the fiberglass piper nose bowls from ACS to have a look at. I'm returning it. It's poorly made and not really the right shape. I don't know if the Wag Aero part is the same. Several people have recommended Carbon Concepts to me. About $600 plus shipping for a hand made carbon fiber part. Not PMA, but probably not hard to get it installed depending on your IA. I have not shelled out the $1700 for the Univair part. I have the skytec ultra light weight starter in my 12 and it needs a hole in the bowl.

[skywagon8a]

... sells an "original" 12/14 bowel, will this work with my 320?

Use caution and due diligence when you purchase stuff from this source. Be certain it is an FAA-PMA approved part with documentation. Too often they use the words "original" or some other description which implies approved, when in reality it is not.

[Paul Heinrich]

I, too, have a B&C starter and alternator on my O320/340 12. I bought my original design PA12 nose bowl (without the starter hole) from Univair before their list prices quadrupled. It was flawless and beautiful. The hole for starter is unnecessary.

Mine was an all new parts project, so I didn’t have to worry about lining up old parts as appropriately suggested in the next post by Stewart.

[stewartb]

You’ll need to match your old one exactly or you’ll need to re-make some or all of the other 4 cowl parts.

[skukum12]

$1700+ for a nose bowl makes my skin crawl, I don't care how nice it is. I gave my previous bowl away, it was absolutely loaded with bondo and heavy.

I replaced it with a two piece split vertically. Not once have i needed to take it apart to save time. I figure that if I am going that deep into engine maintenance, the prop is coming off anyway.

The two piece looks terrible with all the fasteners, the thick rear facing flange rubbed the ring gear, the area where the halves meet started rubbing the back of the prop(caught this during a caribou hunt and had to saw a chunk out with my Leatherman)and there is not enough clearance for a backing plate for the spinner.

If I had a beer in my hand I would be crying in it.

[Paul Heinrich]

What does Javron use? Does anyone know how much they charge for a nosebowl? Would that be a less expensive option? I haven’t heard anyone complain about the quality of their products, but I have heard lots of negative press about Wagaero parts.

Does anybody still think they can build a 12 or an 18 from the ground up, using all new parts, for less than $150G?

[skywagon8a]

Keep in mind when you have a type certificated airplane and you find a fiberglass or/and I assume also carbon fiber cowling components, the resins used in the layup must be able to meet FAA's inflammability requirements. I can't quote the specific FAR, nor whether it was a fire proof or fire resistant requirement. I do recall performing flammability tests with a blow torch on the Twin Bee cowls for certification. We had to add a third chemical to the resin mix.

Make certain the supplier provides documentation approval of this.

[Gordon Misch]

Dunno - seems if the nose bowl catches fire there are probably other, more interesting problems at hand. I know - there's the regs. But still couldn't resist.

[AZinAK]

What does Javron use? Does anyone know how much they charge for a nosebowl? Would that be a less expensive option? I haven’t heard anyone complain about the quality of their products, but I have heard lots of negative press about Wagaero parts.

Does anybody still think they can build a 12 or an 18 from the ground up, using all new parts, for less than $150G?

I'm also curious about the quality of the Javron nose bowls. I need to redo everything forward of the firewall forward as far as cowlings/nose bowl at some point unfortunately.

[stewartb]

The only limitation for a replacement nose bowl would be re-using the other cowl parts. Pitch the old, buy a Suoercub nose bowl, hang it from new channels, and make the top, bottom, and sides. Make it better than original

[MT12]

I put on a light weight starter and covered up the hole on my original pa12 nose cowl, where it then punched a new hole I pre-installed a smaller hole. So I guess it depends on how you have your cowling set. Can't you get a 2 piece carbon fiber nose cowl from ruppert or javeron, modify it a bit and have it qualify as a one off owner built part