Hey guys,

I've been searching through the internet trying to find information, I know that the complete SE71-5 kit is discontinued, but is it true that you can still get the individual components? I'm finding a lot of mixed information. My engine will be due for overhaul in a couple hundred hours, I'm thinking about accumulating parts and having them installed while the plane is apart.

From what I can tell based on a post on the Cessna Flyers forum, it's 0713290-3, 07132900-4, 0713671-3 and 0713671-4. But they may not be available, however, 0753102-1, 0753102-2, 0753600-11 and 0753600-12 which are the braces for new 182's are available. Can anyone confirm that this is the case and can they be installed on the 60's 182s?

Thanks

Hey CParker,
Did you ever figure this out? I will have the engine off this week and am putting together SK182-44c for a 182A which has similar parts as the kit you listed. I cant find both of the stiffeners but did just find this salvage piece that I could take them from but the plane model and year isnt marked on the firewall... Sooo I have no idea if theyre the right parts.

Did you piece together the kit? What model is yours?

The Seaplanes West float kit is available even if you only want it for reinforcement.
Not inexpensive but well engineered and built.


View of the inside

I’ve got a 182G and am planning on beefing up the firewall and there seem to be a lot of possible ways to go. I’ve been struggling with finding those two diagonal braces, 0753102-5 and 0753102-6. One of them is currently available but the other isn’t. I keep checking Air power and hoping the other will show up. They are also about $1500 each.
Paul at Accorn Welding has been super helpful in educating me in regard to the kits they offer. I wish somebody would write a nice 182 firewall tutorial. If anybody finds those braces available, please let me know!

Mine is a set of doublers for the parts the drop light is shown resting on in the photo above, including matching the rivets through to the other side of the firewall, with a top plate as well added to the tunnel.

Never certified. The Denver FSDO said they wanted people to use the existing STC designs instead of looking at something that was new, easy to install without the yard sale required for the existing STC's, and effective.

There is a photo of the engine side stiffeners in this thread.
https://backcountrypilot.org/forum/182- ... 9?start=80
Page 5

Kind of seems like after adding the material to theinside of the firewall, the SK182 44c (hat stiffeners), and the SPW motor mount, there isnt much else you can do. Would be great if Paul or someone made some of those pieces for the straight tails that attach the lower engine mount to the gear attachment point.

Well it looks like my 182A (#51212) doesnt fit for SK182-44c. Do you guys know anyone who has beefed up the firewall on a straight tail? Acorn sells a kit that I believe adds some more material on the inside of the firewall, but is there a service kit Im not seeing to reinforce the tunnel/ firewall on an early 182? Im not finding anything and Ive searched all corners of the web. Finally have the engine and mount off for the PPonk install but now at a roadblock. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I’ve always been under the impression that 182 built before 1962 which share the fuselage of a 180 are much stronger at the base of the firewall due to the “tunnel” incorporated into the floor. There’s a big casting at the firewall which ties the nose gear strut into the structure of the tunnel and helps carry stresses back into the cabin floor.

Later wide body 182 have a flat floor and give up some of this inherent strength. I think that’s why Cessna started beefing up the firewall in the wide body airplanes.

Really interesting. Id never heard that before but it would explain why Cessna never released any reinforcement kit for the straight tails. Thanks for the insight.

I’ve got most of the parts for SK182-44 and will be adding those. I’m seriously debating adding Accorn’s kit or not. Has anybody added it for wheels only? I can’t make up my mind whether there is clear benefit or not if I’m never going on floats. Thoughts appreciated.

I guess another way to look at this for me and others with 182’s is, do any of you have info on how many actual 182 firewall damage issues there are? I know those things that get attention can get quickly distorted (sorry for that pun).
Chris