Door frame tubing size

[Pacer42Z]

I am starting on this year's project to re-skin and paint the doors on my Pacer. I need to splice in some length of the square tubing on the front door frame because of corrosion on the very front bottom. Looking at drawing 14655 I was hoping to find the dimensions of the tubing Piper used, but all I can find is a reference to part# 11653-7. Does anyone know the dimensions including wall thickness?
If not, then I just measure what is on the airplane and probably go with the smallest wall thickness.

Juergen
Pacer N3342Z
View attachment

 

[Smokey]

11/16”. Nothing out there. Made a mandrel that fits in a finger brake, like in the attached picture. Splice in a repaired section

 

[Steve Pierce]

The original is like Todd posted, an odd 11/16" hemmed seam tube like a towel bar. I use 5/8" x .035" wall 4130 square tubing to splice in making the outside edge flush with the 11/16" tubing so the door skin will lay flush. The 5/8" x .035" is thicker, thus heavier and on the next one if I have to use much of it I am going to drill vertical lightening holes in the tubing.

 

[Pacer42Z]

Thanks guys, I wonder why Piper went through the trouble of making (or having it made) the tube. Just for weight saving? Looking at the drawing it looked so strange to see the fold over seem. I’ll use 5/8” by 0.035” and drill the holes. There is a hole specified on the drawing for water to drain anyway.

juergen
Pacer N3342Z

 

[Steve Pierce]

It was probably readily available and cheap at the time in Lockhaven, PA.

 

[Smokey]

It was probably readily available and cheap at the time in Lockhaven, PA.

Its on the Vagabond drawings. 85161 Van Huffel Tube Corp. 1020 steel .025" .20lbs per linear foot. It was probably a weight and cost savings going to the 11/16!

I worked on some Enstrom helicopters that used carbon fiber square tubing for door frames. Enstrom made the door skin out of carbon fiber as well and bonded it to the frame. Always wondered if that would work on short wings.

 

[dgapilot]

Roll formed tubing wasn't hard to make if you needed a bunch of it. Once the demand died out the rolls likely were scrapped. I like the mandral on the brake idea for short sections. Like Steve, I've used the 5/8X.035 wall tubing to repair doors. I usually take a 4" grinder and score a groove to correspond with the seam so I can do an internal sleeve for a couple inches.