Thorp Air Command - T18.net

How hard is it to install the Van's retrofit that Ryan mentioned? Time required? I think I would want it secured with rivets or screws but that shouldn't add much to the process, especially if the proper pull rivets are used. While I like my solution for the original fuselage tank, I wouldn't necessarily want it on my wing (if I had wing tanks).

For what it is worth, I would look more toward caps that attach directly to the mount ring similar to the ACS 10600 to reduce the part count.

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Thorp T18
O-320-B3B (160 HP)
68x74 Sterba Propeller

"The joke in aviation is, 'If you want to make a million, you'd better start with £10m.' " -Bruce Dickinson

Pop rivets and Marine Tex. Flying like that for over thirty years.

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Bob Highley
N711SH
SN 835
KLAL

I was able to confirm the ACS 10455 cap is indeed a pressure cap so it is time for the stupid question....What makes the ACS 10455 better than the other pressure caps Aircraft Spruce sells? It appears to work and adjust exactly the same way.

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Thorp T18
O-320-B3B (160 HP)
68x74 Sterba Propeller

"The joke in aviation is, 'If you want to make a million, you'd better start with £10m.' " -Bruce Dickinson

Size. The ACS 10455 appears to be made by Spruce.

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Bob Highley
N711SH
SN 835
KLAL

ACS products , AZ . Go to their web site and it will explain how the ACS cap works and how it is replaced with a drop in fitting .

RB

It appears they may have discontinued the 10455 and replaced it with the 10460. It is an improvement over the PA-23 cap I had but I think I would still prefer something having a means of securing other than squeezed rubber.

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Thorp T18
O-320-B3B (160 HP)
68x74 Sterba Propeller

"The joke in aviation is, 'If you want to make a million, you'd better start with £10m.' " -Bruce Dickinson

Spruce still has the 10455 on their web site and says it is in stock. That said I have an Aero 400 3" locking cap made by Newton Engineering mounted on my tank. https://www.newton-equipment.com/aero-400-filler-cap.html I purchased it from British American Transfer in Florida http://www.batinc.net/aero.htm

Aircraft Spruce has some of the Aero line in their catalog.

What I like about this cap is the positive mechanical engagement when the cap is closed. After inserting the cap it's a quarter turn and a lever to seal the cap.

Here's a photo of the bottom of the cap before I installed it on my tank.


After the installation.


My two cents, your milage may vary.

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Bruce Finney
N18JF T-18C #262
Yelm, WA USA

That looks nice & clean Bruce... I really like the way you sealed the door too!

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John Evens
Arvada, Colorado
T-18 N71JE (sold)
Kitfox 7 SS N27JE

I'm going to have to take a serious look at that at Sedona. I think I may give up on a universal retrofit. Some guys have the cap mounted flush with the boot cowl. Others, like me, have a door. They require different caps.
Cubes

Yes, Spruce has them but I didn't see them on the ACS website. If you look up the cap Rich posted the drawing of on the ACS website it is referenced as "retrofitting it onto the older mounting ring (P/N 10455)" . http://acsproducts.co/?page_id=201

I liked the Aero 400 when I saw it. If I was building a new tank it would be at the top of the list of considerations.

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Thorp T18
O-320-B3B (160 HP)
68x74 Sterba Propeller

"The joke in aviation is, 'If you want to make a million, you'd better start with £10m.' " -Bruce Dickinson

I did a retro fit using the Aero 400 cap.


I removed the old mounting ring using a hacksaw blade and cutting flush with the top of the tank.


I really wanted to get rid of the old "thermos" bottle fuel cap.

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Bruce Finney
N18JF T-18C #262
Yelm, WA USA

check out A4NL on their page

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http://www.dixiefriedfabrication.com/