Turtle deck slider clearance

I've been having a heck of a time getting the sliding canopy right. I've got it so that if the side rail frame is just outboard by 1/16" I can clear the skin. If I have it flush with the fuselage or inset by 1/16" per plans, there's no way to clear the skin. All other measurements are right on. It's hitting at the 9 and 3 o'clock positions.

I've spoken to a few people, a bunch of help from some great builders here.

One of the fixes I've heard is to trim the skin until the frame clears that corner. Van's said that's a last resort. But how do you know when to throw in the towel and trim the skin? Assuming most don't.

I'm ready to move on!

Have you tried stretching open your rear frame were the guide pins are.? The pins should pull the widened frame back in when they engage so-as to snug your skirts back in when the canopies fully closed,1/16? isn?t very much , or is your plexiglass already attached?

I'm still fighting the frame and haven't started the canopy yet.

Both rear sides by the pins are currently sitting outboard. One side is 1/8", one 1/16. One side obviously clears slightly better than the other. If I move either inboard per plans, they both catch on the skin.

So you're saying the frame itself can be outboard and then it's pulled in by the pins? I've not installed that yet so I can't verify if that happens. I've not heard this before.

amaris said:

I've been having a heck of a time getting the sliding canopy right. I've got it so that if the side rail frame is just outboard by 1/16" I can clear the skin. If I have it flush with the fuselage or inset by 1/16" per plans, there's no way to clear the skin. All other measurements are right on. It's hitting at the 9 and 3 o'clock positions.

I've spoken to a few people, a bunch of help from some great builders here.

One of the fixes I've heard is to trim the skin until the frame clears that corner. Van's said that's a last resort. But how do you know when to throw in the towel and trim the skin? Assuming most don't.

I'm ready to move on!

Click to expand...

Welcome to the club Allen! I had interference in the same place and ended up trimming the skin. I'm not sure why vans would call it a last resort, to me there really wasn't anything else to do, and I've seen a couple of other RV's with skin trimmed back so its a common issue.

However if you have not yet started working on the plexi, don't forget that that the plexi will cause your frame to spread somewhat once fitted. Mostly at the forward bow but a little at the aft bow as well. I would not be trimming anything until the canopy is completely done and riveted.

I would not rely on the anchor blocks to pull the canopy frame in. The friction would make the canopy difficult to open.

I had this issue during my build - more like 3/16" in my case

When I glued the plexi onto the frame I made sure that it was flexed open (clamped onto a wooden jig I'd made that matched the fuz profile) slightly as the adhesive cured. Once set the assembly matched pretty much spot on width wise. So long as your hoop to turtle deck gap is less than say 2" I'd have no problem trimming the turtle deck to suit - the rear fairing will bridge this and also the plexi can be trimmed to bridge the gap by about 1"

Make sure your "ramp" in the slider rail track is set as best as you can get it - moving it foreward or aft makes big changes in how the rear of the canopy moves as it slides back.

Another small trick was to put some shims under the slider rails so that as the canopy moves back it raises up 1/16" and lifts just above the fuz

I think every canopy is slightly different - Its a matter of taking your time (mine took a month - and I completed the whole build in 18 months) and thinking things through carefully before cutting / drilling / gluing anything.

Final comment - Use Sikaflex, its MUCH lower risk and makes a nicer job when done well.

thanks for the input. I'll look at the shim option too.

Canopy

Mine was perfect. Measured it with the canopy clamped to the bow. After bonding it was wide.
Amazing what you can hide with a one piece fiberglass skirt.