Lift ring sealing

[Andy]

How should the gap between the lift rings and the wing root fairings be sealed?

Clear caulking seems to be the easiest method but I wonder if anyone has had success with a close fitting rubber seal.

There was no attempt to seal these gaps on my FX-3 and they leak when parked in the rain.

[Dan L]

I made two rubber seals from a flat piece of black rubber, similar in thickness to an inner tube. Careful measuring and cutting and a Whitney hole punch were used. Black RTV to hold it in place. It isn’t an elegant solution but then the only time I see it is when I’m cleaning the wind screen.

[airplanebrad@aol.com]

3m strip caulk is what aviat uses. It’s non hardening and cleans up with mineral spirits. Don’t get it on your hands.
3M Strip Calk, 08578, Black, 1 ft Strips, 60 per carton https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000PEZ1L4...V9PV9Q2TK6H1C6

[Andy]

Thanks for the ideas.

[Narwhal747]

Thanks for the ideas.

We are getting tons of rain up here in AK, I'm thankful to have a hangar, but my FX3 leaks quote a bit.

Andy, did you ever try one of these solutions?

I am also needing to seal up the gaps between the tops of the side windows and bottom of the wing root fairing, just forward of the front hinges. There is about a 1"x0.5" hole where there is no seal and water comes in pretty good during in-flight rain. Kinda disconcerting when you consider what's just forward of that right window behind the kickpanel.
20220819_005819.jpg

[Daveembry]

I can’t really tell from your pic if the “D” weatherstrip is installed above the window, between the hinges or not. I also put some in that gap you are referring to. When weatherstripped properly, I haven’t had any leaks. Here is a video I did showing the installation of the side windows and I talk about the weatherstrip and show you what it is (the “D” weatherstrip).

https://youtu.be/Vsra2cOhjPc


Also, here is a figure showing the installation of the weatherstripping and “rock guard” around the door opening. It doesn’t show sealing in front of the hinge but like I said, I put some of that top “D” weatherstrip there.

9786FA0F-F82F-4B7D-A816-C8DAECB9BD26.jpg

it shows here using the regular foam weatherstrip that goes around the window sides on the front of the door. I’ve always found that gap too large for that foam weatherstrip and have used the “D” instead.

We are getting tons of rain up here in AK, I'm thankful to have a hangar, but my FX3 leaks quote a bit.

Andy, did you ever try one of these solutions?

I am also needing to seal up the gaps between the tops of the side windows and bottom of the wing root fairing, just forward of the front hinges. There is about a 1"x0.5" hole where there is no seal and water comes in pretty good during in-flight rain. Kinda disconcerting when you consider what's just forward of that right window behind the kickpanel.
20220819_005819.jpg

[Andy]

Andy, did you ever try one of these solutions?]

No, have not sealed the lift rings. Other improvements took priority and it's not too difficult to avoid rain in AZ.

I'll check that window hinge gap next time I'm at the hangar. I do know it leaks at the front edge of both side windows when in flight in rain. My legs were soaked but that water didn't go near the ignition modules. That should be easy to seal but not done yet.

[Narwhal747]

Thanks Andy and Dave!

Yes, the "D" shaped weatherstrip is there along the top of the window, but only in the middle between the hinges just like in the diagram you linked. There is that gap between where the D weatherstrip ends and where that rubber seal on the wing root fairing begins, which is forward of that front window hinge. I think that's where most of my water is coming from, plus the lifting rings above that. Some water might also be coming in behind the wing in the gap behind the hinge back there, but it's not as noticeable since I don't sit back there and it's more protected by the wing. It sounds like I need some of that D weatherstrip.

Part of the problem might be that the window "frame" ends at the hinge. I'm not sure what the best surface to attach the D weatherstripping is at that hole.

I can’t really tell from your pic if the “D” weatherstrip is installed above the window, between the hinges or not. I also put some in that gap you are referring to. When weatherstripped properly, I haven’t had any leaks. Here is a video I did showing the installation of the side windows and I talk about the weatherstrip and show you what it is (the “D” weatherstrip).

https://youtu.be/Vsra2cOhjPc


Also, here is a figure showing the installation of the weatherstripping and “rock guard” around the door opening. It doesn’t show sealing in front of the hinge but like I said, I put some of that top “D” weatherstrip there.

9786FA0F-F82F-4B7D-A816-C8DAECB9BD26.jpg

it shows here using the regular foam weatherstrip that goes around the window sides on the front of the door. I’ve always found that gap too large for that foam weatherstrip and have used the “D” instead.

[Daveembry]

You should be able to stick the D weatherstripping onto the bottom of the header panel (just like it should be between the hinges) and it should touch the top of the window there forward of that hinge.

Silicone caulk around the d rings. Silicone is used to seal the windscreen to the skylight above; the sides of the skylight to the wing roots, windscreen to window line to boot cowl, etc. Just put it up around the d ring gaps as well.

Thanks Andy and Dave!

Yes, the "D" shaped weatherstrip is there along the top of the window, but only in the middle between the hinges just like in the diagram you linked. There is that gap between where the D weatherstrip ends and where that rubber seal on the wing root fairing begins, which is forward of that front window hinge. I think that's where most of my water is coming from, plus the lifting rings above that. Some water might also be coming in behind the wing in the gap behind the hinge back there, but it's not as noticeable since I don't sit back there and it's more protected by the wing. It sounds like I need some of that D weatherstrip.

Part of the problem might be that the window "frame" ends at the hinge. I'm not sure what the best surface to attach the D weatherstripping is at that hole.

[Narwhal747]

Here's what I ended up doing. First I did a flight using some normal weatherstripping to fill in the gaps at the top of the window forward of the hinge and it didn't help that much, but maybe a little.

It seemed that most of the water was coming from bottom half of the window when it was closed. So I bought some of this stuff at home depot and just ran it along the entire front window threshold. It worked great, 130 mph through some pretty constant rain and not a drop in the cabin. How will it hold up durability wise is the question. Hopefully it doesn't absorb a bunch of water and cause corrosion.

This weatherstripping is compressible foam, so it doesn't make the window hard to close yet seals out water reasonably well when the window is closed.

I also took some shorter strips and touched up the factory window weatherstripping along the bottom of the windows where it closes on the window latches. The metal of the latch housings in the top of the door on the aircraft right and top of the sidewall on aircraft left seems to be deformed the factory weatherstripping that was put onto the windows along the edges.

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