Solved Reinforcing Explorer Firewall

[randyrls]

Last fall My 4 yo explorer (how many years is that in plane years?) AND MY FLY EVERY TIME PLANE! bit the dust. On launch the "C" power pack tore the entire firewall loose from the motor mount. The prop, still at full throttle chewed up everything in range. I'm building a new one and want to reinforce the motor mount. I am thinking of either a second layer of foam board cutout to go around the firewall triangle inside the mount or inside popsicle sticks. I may also put skewers through the sides of the firewall.

I'm looking for ideas and opinions too!

 

[Piotrsko]

Hmmm 4 years old and how many crashes? Sounds like the factory mounts are good enough until they work loose. You did check before every flight? Otoh, there is no one size fits all universal solution because it would have been done and broadcast. Doubled fuselage with skewers is good, doubled popsicle sticks is good. I like layers of string tape between the motor and firewall going back down the fuselage. Pick one and go another 4 years to see if it works.

 

[Bricks]

It lasted 4 years any changes you make is going to add weight which will change the way it flies.

 

[randyrls]

Thanks for the ideas. Almost finished with the new Explorer. Just have to button up the boom and assemble.


GOOD ONE!
"RPM is how fast your motor was running when it hits the ground.
Power/Torque is how far down you have to dig to get it out."

I made a number of mods to the plane. I made one mod to the boom to line up the servos and push rods. I put popsicle reinforcement "targets" in areas where skewers go thru and will do this and add targets to the boom in front. I discovered that the boom was moving over time.