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Thread: Fuselage mods for higher HP

  1. #1
    cook11's Avatar
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    Default Fuselage mods for higher HP

    What are the required fuselage mods needed when adding 180+hp to a Pacer if any? Is the main area of concern the strength of the tail area "fin/rudder/stab/elevator" when operating a O-360 on a Pacer?

  2. #2
    Jim's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fuselage mods for higher HP

    Hi,

    I have the dynafocal 180 mount Univair sells holding my 0320. It's quite a bit beefier than the stock mount Piper used. It wouldn't surprise me if there were other areas of concern too.

  3. #3
    andya's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fuselage mods for higher HP

    I know Eddie trimmer's STC for the 108 hp requires a new mount no other structural changes, I think Univair's conversion is similar.
    "Progress is our most important problem"

  4. #4
    SuperPacer's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fuselage mods for higher HP

    Hello Cook11,

    As Jim mentioned, the main change to the Pacer to accommodate the O-360 is the addition of the UniVair dynafocal engine mount. When I installed the Steve's Aircraft 180 Pacer STC, there were no additional fuselage "enhancements" required. One place to check though would be the tail post, to insure that the through hole that the original tail skid used was properly welded / reinforced per the drawing in the tail wheel STC modification (assuming you have a PA22-20 XX). Sometimes this was overlooked and tail post cracking is the result. As for the tail surfaces being subjected to additional stress, they do shake a bit in the prop wash of a 180, but they are up to it. Good pre-flight item!!
    Enjoy the day,
    John
    Arizona Pacer

  5. #5
    JPerkins's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fuselage mods for higher HP

    Was the performance increase as expected for you gents that have done the upgrade to the O-360?

  6. #6
    SuperPacer's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fuselage mods for higher HP

    The performance increase was as expected, it is a blast to fly and to use the extra "kick" when hauling heavy loads out of the out back country strips. In my case the engine mod was augmented by the MTV Constant Speed Prop on the nose. So, short field performance is great, rate of climb is awesome and you have a bit of performance safety margin when dealing with high altitude / high density altitude situations. Having said that, trying to justify the cost (and time involved) is probably a bit more difficult. These planes are really great just the way Piper built them, and they are also great starting points for the many performance mods that have been developed for them. I really enjoy my version of the Short Wing Piper Pacer/
    John

  7. #7
    CamTom12's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fuselage mods for higher HP

    I'd love to put an MT on mine. Maybe someday. I've been thinking about an IO-340 as my next engine, but that's at least 1,800 hours away for me!

  8. #8
    cook11's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fuselage mods for higher HP

    Thanks for your information! Mine is a scratch built copy of a Pacer. My concern is the horizontal stabilizer and trim jackscrew handling the abuse of the extra trust of a 0-360 or larger motor. I have been eyeing up ACE engines modified light weight 0-360 as a viable option along with the MT prop. That reversible MT propeller is sure interesting....

    Also didn't Bill Pipers son Pug have a 0-470 mounted on a stock Pacer fuselage at one point for his own personal cross country machine? Thought I read that somewhere......

    Cook11

  9. #9
    mmoyle's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fuselage mods for higher HP

    Charlie Centers Crosswind STOL tail strut support for the 180 hp conversion.


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  10. #10
    cook11's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fuselage mods for higher HP

    Quote Originally Posted by SuperPacer View Post
    The performance increase was as expected, it is a blast to fly and to use the extra "kick" when hauling heavy loads out of the out back country strips. In my case the engine mod was augmented by the MTV Constant Speed Prop on the nose. So, short field performance is great, rate of climb is awesome and you have a bit of performance safety margin when dealing with high altitude / high density altitude situations. Having said that, trying to justify the cost (and time involved) is probably a bit more difficult. These planes are really great just the way Piper built them, and they are also great starting points for the many performance mods that have been developed for them. I really enjoy my version of the Short Wing Piper Pacer/
    John
    Would you mind sharing some of the performance specs you are experiencing with the O-360?

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