Backcountry Pilot • Cessna 180/182 Control Column Mod

Cessna 180/182 Control Column Mod

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Tue Mar 16, 2021 8:39 am

Cessna 180/182 Control Column Mod

Does anyone know off hand how much vertical clearance the early model 180/182's have in the center stack for radios without doing the control column modification?

Other than resale appeal and ease of future modifications, is there any reason to do or not to do this mod? My best guess is that it will cost me about an extra $3,000+ for the mod between $1,800 in parts from Avion and install labor. There are other ways I would like to spend that money, but I don't want to be short-sighted either.

I'm hoping to put a PAR200B, GNS 530W and a GTX 330 in the center stack, but am unsure if it's possible without the modification. My hunch is it's not possible.

Does anyone have an insight on the subject? Current panel shown below:

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Nushi offline
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Tue Mar 16, 2021 12:47 pm

Re: Cessna 180/182 Control Column Mod

When we did the panel in my 1954 180 we got a Garmin audio panel, a 430 and an SL40 all above the control column. As I recall that left about 3/4” clearance between the radios and the column. We were extremely careful to insure that the radio stack was secured vertically and couldn’t slip down and bind the column. So, I don’t remember the measurements of those radios and the aircraft is no longer in my possession but I think that very representative of what you could fit. I was extremely happy to get everything moved up, it was definitely worth doing. We just left the transponder in the lower panel.
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Wed Mar 17, 2021 12:53 pm

Re: Cessna 180/182 Control Column Mod

You are full up right now, your audio panel slot can probably be cut a 1/2" higher, buts that's all. I had a radio tray sagged slightly in mine where your adf is and it was rubbing the column. I would utilize the rhs, lots of room there when you relocate transponder to lh glovebox.
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Wed Mar 17, 2021 2:16 pm

Re: Cessna 180/182 Control Column Mod

Here’s a ‘62 180 for example. These radios amount to 6” high; you could probably squeeze in another 1/2 to 1”.

I really like the original placement of the the MP and RPM gauges; they’re even positioned intuitively over the throttle and prop control. A rare bit of 50s/60s ergonomic success.

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Thu Mar 18, 2021 9:08 am

Re: Cessna 180/182 Control Column Mod

Nushi wrote:....I'm hoping to put a PAR200B, GNS 530W and a GTX 330 in the center stack, but am unsure if it's possible without the modification. My hunch is it's not possible. ...

Image


Are those three units going to replace all your existing avionics, or be in addition to (some of) them?
If the former, it looks like there's enough room to put them at the top of the center stack.
And if that is the case, do you really need an audio panel with only the one radio?
You could put an intercom underneath the 530 & the 330,
an intercom is shallow enough that there probably wouldn't be an issue with the control column.
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Thu Mar 18, 2021 12:11 pm

Re: Cessna 180/182 Control Column Mod

hotrod180 wrote:
Nushi wrote:....I'm hoping to put a PAR200B, GNS 530W and a GTX 330 in the center stack, but am unsure if it's possible without the modification. My hunch is it's not possible. ...

Image


Are those three units going to replace all your existing avionics, or be in addition to (some of) them?
If the former, it looks like there's enough room to put them at the top of the center stack.
And if that is the case, do you really need an audio panel with only the one radio?
You could put an intercom underneath the 530 & the 330,
an intercom is shallow enough that there probably wouldn't be an issue with the control column.


The PAR200B is a comm radio/audio panel and a bunch of other cool fancy stuff. Figured I could kill two birds with one stone in less space instead of keeping existing audio panel and old GNC250XL as my #2.

Sounds like if I sold the 530 and replaced it with a 430 or 650, it might all just fit.
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Thu Mar 18, 2021 5:51 pm

Re: Cessna 180/182 Control Column Mod

How about sell the GTX330, and buy a Trig TT22? I'd keep the big screen, especially if you already have it. Getting a 2 1/4" round transponder fixes that problem and keeps you legal for ADS-B as well.
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Fri Sep 03, 2021 8:27 am

Re: Cessna 180/182 Control Column Mod

Decided to go ahead and do the control column mod since I was redoing the panel anyway. The panel and control column mod was an all-in-one STC'd solution in my case through Avion. My biggest reason for doing this was so I could have a clean center stack with room for an auto-pilot down the road.

The big idea....we tweaked the layout a little bit from this initial rendering. JPI was moved up top with the clock underneath. Switches were moved to one removable panel on the left side of the panel. Breakers under the co-pilot yoke.

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Beginning of the tearout

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Everything gone but the old T style column....

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Removed T Style

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Newer U style in....

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New panel going in...

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New switch panel...

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More to come.
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Fri Sep 03, 2021 8:56 am

Re: Cessna 180/182 Control Column Mod

Wow! Just, wow!

MTV
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Fri Sep 03, 2021 9:36 am

Re: Cessna 180/182 Control Column Mod

Nushi wrote:
New switch panel...

Image

More to come.


Looks nice! Do the tips of those lights switch light up red when they are on?
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Fri Sep 03, 2021 11:19 am

Re: Cessna 180/182 Control Column Mod

mtv wrote:Wow! Just, wow!

MTV


I'm not sure how to take that MTV! Wow, that looks nice or wow you're an idiot for putting that much time, effort and resources into a nosedragger! Hahaha.


corefile wrote:
Nushi wrote:
Looks nice! Do the tips of those lights switch light up red when they are on?


They do light up. Honestly, I was kind of torn on whether to use these or go with a standard non-lighted toggle. Part of me thinks the ambient light will be distracting at night. They are pretty dim when they are on, so we'll see once I get the plane back and into the real world.

As I near the end of this project, all the little details are coming together. These push to talk mounting plates got fabbed up at lunch today. Now the yokes and plates can head off to paint...

Image

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Fri Sep 03, 2021 11:40 am

Re: Cessna 180/182 Control Column Mod

Just curious, are those the metal yokes or fully plastic? I've seen the plastic ones break and I'd say it'd be worth finding metal ones with this scope of project.
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Fri Sep 03, 2021 11:59 am

Re: Cessna 180/182 Control Column Mod

A1Skinner wrote:Just curious, are those the metal yokes or fully plastic? I've seen the plastic ones break and I'd say it'd be worth finding metal ones with this scope of project.


Plastic....I have hemmed and hawed over this. I would really like a set of the new style 182/206 yokes but need to spend what I have left over on this project on a new or overhauled prop. Hoping it all works out as planned so I can spring for a 2-blade MT. New style yokes will hopefully come next annual after my bank account recovers slightly.
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Fri Sep 03, 2021 2:03 pm

Re: Cessna 180/182 Control Column Mod

Nushi wrote:
mtv wrote:Wow! Just, wow!

MTV


I'm not sure how to take that MTV! Wow, that looks nice or wow you're an idiot for putting that much time, effort and resources into a nosedragger! Hahaha.



Oh, no question there....you are a BRAVE man, but you will have a gorgeous panel when you are done! I'm really impressed. And, jealous, of course... :D

Nice work, in any case.

MTV
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Tue Oct 26, 2021 3:16 pm

Re: Cessna 180/182 Control Column Mod

Inching along….firewall and older wiring has been cleaned up considerably. Engine sensors are in, most of the wire has been pulled and harnesses made….

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Yokes turned out nice until I can find a better set. Hoping to be flying again in November.

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Wed Oct 27, 2021 1:15 am

Re: Cessna 180/182 Control Column Mod

Very Nice. Are the ptt tabs epoxied in place? I might steal that idea for my 175 project.
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Wed Oct 27, 2021 9:35 am

Re: Cessna 180/182 Control Column Mod

Have you ever gotten any flack about the N numbers?
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Wed Oct 27, 2021 10:07 am

Re: Cessna 180/182 Control Column Mod

175 magnum wrote:Very Nice. Are the ptt tabs epoxied in place? I might steal that idea for my 175 project.


Drilled and screwed in place.

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corefile wrote:Have you ever gotten any flack about the N numbers?


Nope. That would be my luck though!
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Thu Oct 28, 2021 6:47 pm

Re: Cessna 180/182 Control Column Mod

I know it's too late for this comment - but in this day and age you can do remote mount coms and xponders. It looks like you are mounting some of that in the back. Was the control column mod really necessary? You could sell that 530 and get a lot of money back for it - and do smaller avionics with a G3x based system - with a GTN650, or 375, or even the tiny 2" 175 and remote mount all the nav/com/xponder stuff.

Regardless - nice work on this project. Are you going to rip out all that firewall insulation? What are the cool kids using to replace that stuff these days? Is there an aviation equivalent to dynamat?

Also, is there a solution to internally routing the PTT cables without drilling in the yoke push rod? I'm thinking about drilling in the center and covering my yokes with leather.

Please keep posting pics!
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Thu Oct 28, 2021 7:15 pm

Re: Cessna 180/182 Control Column Mod

soyAnarchisto wrote: Are you going to rip out all that firewall insulation? What are the cool kids using to replace that stuff these days?


Image
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