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Kyrilian,
It's almost imperative to install the firewall strut brackets
with the threaded end of the bolts going forward through the firewall.
Otherwise the nuts will interfere with the cross bolt through the cylinder end
clevis. Here's another neat suggestion: On the engine side of the
firewall where the bracket bolts come through the fire blanket I have cut some
aluminum angle about one inch wide and long enough to have the bracket bolts go
through them. The aluminum angles forward toward the center of the
plane. This not only serves to distribute the bolts loads over the
blanket, like area washers would, but the part that angles forward will later
make a dandy place to attach the tailpipe hangers. Works
well.
Yes the small end of the strut goes down. Another
suggestion: don't attach the firewall end strut clevis too tightly to the
strut. That is, don't use locktite or a jam nut. That way if you
have to replace the strut later, and we have had to, the canopy end bolt is
removed and the strut can be unthreaded from the bottom clevis, reversing the
procedure to install the new one. Try to visualize on a finished
plane the removal and reinstallation of the lower cross bolt with the panel,
rudder pedals, etc. in place. You can barely see the bolt let alone get to
it with wrenches.
Hope this helps.
Leighton Mangels
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