Belly pan to firewall fastener

[Pacer42Z]

I started to take off the metal pieces on my Pacer covering the belly from the firewall to the gear legs. I need to re-paint them and also install nut-plates since some of the sheet metal screws have grown in size. The front piece is secured to the firewall with pop rivets (see picture). Is that suppose to be, or should there be screws.

Juergen
Pacer N3342Z

[walt.buskey]

Although my PA-22 certainly does NOT qualify --in any regard-- as a "pristine OEM" example (OK, you guys, stop laughing!)... it is held together down there with screws....

Transponder-1.jpg

On the front edge-to-firewall joint, however, that center bottom piece does appear to be attached with rivets there. (That piece I've never removed.)

DSC08492.jpg

[Pacer42Z]

Thanks for the reply. Same as mine, the front joint has rivets. I looked at the drawings last night, but couldn’t find anything on how that panel is attached to the firewall. I’ll drill out the rivets today so I can paint it and then reattach with rivets.

Juergen
Pacer N3342Z

[Steve Pierce]

Would installing nut plates and screws be doable. Would make that area more easily accessible which I think would be a good thing.

[Pacer42Z]

Nut plates are a good option. Then it will be easy to take the panel off in the future.

Juergen
Pacer N3342Z

[Subsonic]

My expensive ($10K+) 2019 annual involved installing nut plates for that area so to facilitate the inspection requirement.

[walt.buskey]

Anybody have a pic of what it looks like with that belly pan removed? That would be under the rudder pedals, right?

What's in there to check... besides maybe that screw I dropped...?

[Harold Kroeker]

You need to remove it to comply with AD 57-22-01 https://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_G...6?OpenDocument
which is also covered under Piper SB161A https://www.univair.com/content/PIP_SB0161A.pdf

[walt.buskey]

Thank you, Harold! I'll print up those regs and see that my A&P has them.

[Pacer42Z]

Here is a picture of what is behind the belly panel on my Pacer. I started stripping paint today. Hope to get the new paint on this week so I can put the Pacer back together.

Juergen
Pacer N3342Z