Thanks to all who have posted to the LML, responded directly to me, or called about a possible way to get into the LIVP after the screw sheared and the handle was pulled out.
On Monday morning I had an idea I thought would work, made a sketch of it, and took it to a local machine shop to have it made. In less than an hour I had the custom tool in my hand to take back to my shop to try out on the LIVP there before venturing to Chicago for the real test. The first version was a little weak and bent slightly so I went back to the machine shop for Rev A – making it a little beefier. The attached pictures show what I ended up with.
One picture shows the individual parts and the other shows how they assemble inside the handle cylinder (escutcheon – sp?) that is bonded to the door. The challenge is to engage the door actuating cylinder slot through the slot in the escutcheon. So, you insert the part with the .125 diameter pin on it into the escutcheon and line the pin up with the slots. Next you slip in the rest of the tube and the rod and line them up with the AN 3 bolt. Then I took a pair of vice grips and clamped around these parts sticking out the door and twisted until the latch released.
I jumped in the L360 and in less than an hour I was on the ramp in Chicago in front of N654P to try to get in. The tool worked perfectly. First try – 15 seconds and the front latch was open. Unfortunately the aft handle had been over-torqued also and the #6 screw had sheared off at a level inside the escutcheon. It took about 10 minutes to work the handle and shaft out of the door. Once we had the handle out the tool worked again in the same 15 seconds. I departed Cedar Rapids, IA at 3:00 PM, made the trip to Chicago, fixed the handle, and was back home at 5:30 PM. (I love fast airplanes.)
After hearing from many of you I believe this is a problem with the door design. In my opinion the screw should be at least a #8. For those of you who mentioned that you did size up to #8, were the slots large enough for the #8 or did you have the file or machine then wider? I also believe the allen head cap screw used is not of the highest quality metal and is prone to shear easier.
I am thinking of having some of these tools made up at the machine shop if anyone is interested. I have asked the machine shop owner to give me a quote for 20 to 50 of them. I will post the price when I get it. I have also asked the machine shop owner to incorporate a tee handle where the AN 3 bolt goes through so the vice grips can be eliminated. This tool can then be stored in the wheel well somewhere so it can be accessed from outside the cockpit when it is needed the most – on a trip and you are locked out of your airplane.
Thanks again to all those that made contributions. This is a great community.
Randy Hartman
Alpha Omega Aircrafters