The fabric on the leading edge of my elevator is starting to get damaged from debris kickup - what is the best type of tape or product to use?

There was a long thread on this on www.maulepilots.org. 3M makes the tapes but cannot remember the details.

When Langley Aero Structures rebuilt the horizontal stab on my 172 they used a glue on rubber edge that has a hollow D shape. It really absorbs nicely. The old edge protection was just a rubber piece but it did not really give good protection like this new one does.
KenW

Don't know if I've ever seen an "elevator protector" but I've seen many airplanes with something on the leading edge of the horizontal stabilizer. My own C180 has a rubber cuff glued on there.

There is an stc for a 206 I believe that makes the leading edge removable and easily replaceable with screws.

I bought this 3M product from Aircraft Spruce for my J3 horizontal stab leading edges. It has been on for about 2 months and so-far, so-good. Nearly invisible once applied.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cspages/8674_7.php

A full season of use including lots of sunshine will convince me fully but it wasn't that expensive and I wanted something on there sooner rather than later.

Note: this was simply based on my Spruce "browsing" and I didn't manage to find any other recommendations.

wagonflyer wrote:I bought this 3M product from Aircraft Spruce for my J3 horizontal stab leading edges. It has been on for about 2 months and so-far, so-good. Nearly invisible once applied.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cspages/8674_7.php

A full season of use including lots of sunshine will convince me fully but it wasn't that expensive and I wanted something on there sooner rather than later.

Note: this was simply based on my Spruce "browsing" and I didn't manage to find any other recommendations.

Are you intending that tape to protect it from the damage caused by gravel / rocks etc? At a glance it looks pretty thin....?

Stoddards in Anchorage sells something that is on a bunch of the planes up here. It is about a 2-3" wide strip of black rubbery material, and plenty thick to protect from dirt, rocks, birds, boulders even. My plane had it on the leading edges of just about everything but the wing and prop. It was stuck on there like nothing I have seen. You might give them a call and ask about it.

Battson wrote:Are you intending that tape to protect it from the damage caused by gravel / rocks etc? At a glance it looks pretty thin....?

Not really intended for heavy duty stuff. J3 is mostly grass strips so it is the random pick-up from the prop and tires. It will be effective in these "light" debris scenarios.

My 185 has the abrasion boots which obviously are more heavy duty.

Are you intending that tape to protect it from the damage caused by gravel / rocks etc? At a glance it looks pretty thin....?

I am using a 3M tape that looks to be the same as the Aircraft Spruce product. It is clear an is, indeed, pretty thin. The thicker tapes would be more difficult to conform to the curves of the stab. May not be an issue w/ Cessna.

The tape sheds gravel pretty well. Larger objects have a danger of bending the leading edge tube and paint dings are not the problem.

I have a number of "scars" on the tape that most certainly would have been at least a paint chip without the tape.

TD

I just bought a set of abrasion boots from Yingling/Cessna Direct for roughly $130 each side plus shipping. They are going on the recently aquired '55 180 that did not have them. Gramps had them on all of his 180's and they are on the '54. Boots are a horizontal stabalizer saver.

X2 what quickdraw1 said about the abrasion boots being a "horizontal stabilizer saver" on a Cessna. On gravel surface try to keep it rolling all the time, mag check/run up etc, and at low RPM during slow taxi. Treaded tires should be shitcanned if operating on gravel a lot, they grab rocks and fling them at prop which then get rocketed towards the horizontal. In other words ABW's are prolly the best horizontal protection IMO, better prop clearance and no tread.

Just ordered some for my 205. $138. Should have done it a long time ago. Can't wait to get them on.

cbfraser wrote:The fabric on the leading edge of my elevator is starting to get damaged from debris kickup - what is the best type of tape or product to use?

Everyone here seems to be recommending solutions for horizontal stabilizer leading edge.

Are you actually looking for horizontal stab protection, or are you actually looking for protection for the leading edge of your elevator??? Different surfaces, and other than perhaps the balance ears, I guess I can't see why you'd need elevator protection.....but maybe.

Clarification por favor.

MTV

Correct - leading edge of horizontal stabilizer and leading edge of elevator horn.
I went with 3M 8674 - which is 2" wide and available by the foot from Aircraft Spruce.

0.006 inch (0.15 mm) Film
0.002 inch (0.05 mm) Adhesive
0.008 inch (0.20 mm) = Total thickness

http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Aerospace/Aircraft/Products/Product-Catalog/~/3M-Polyurethane-Protective-Tape-8674?N=7577542+3294493120+3294493121&rt=rud

There is a thicker version 8673 available by the roll but I've seen one comment that it is harder to work with.

Total thickness 0.014 inch (0.36 mm)
0.012 inch (0.30 mm) Backing
0.002 inch (0.06 mm) Adhesive

Even with 8674 I could have had a few more radial cuts to reduce bubbles. Looks fine from a few feet
away, up close not so much but the fabric was starting to feather in spots where nicked so this should
stop that. Looked at the Cessna boots but aside from cost & weight they would not fit over tubing.

Even with 8674 I could have had a few more radial cuts to reduce bubbles.

Amen brother, applying this tape is truly an art and not a science.

I put this tape on the leading edge of my airplane's horizontal stabilizer: http://www.sportys.com/pilotshop/protec ... -4-in.html It's a 3M product, pretty thick, 8 mil, but pretty flexible, so it wasn't too hard to put on. I "drew a line" with electrical tape first, and then just butted it up against the electrical tape. It's been on there for about a year. It's hardly noticeable, and it appears to have taken a few dings that would otherwise have dinged the paint or even dented the stabilizer. Since my airplane is only outside the hangar for any length of time while flying or at a fly-in or OSH, I don't know whether it would tend to yellow much in the sun.

Cary

I use a base layer PVC tape on the leading edge of the horizontal stab. Then I put a layer of electrical tape over the leading edge on the PVC tape. I change out the electrical tape as it gets beat up. Surprisingly durable and no art to application.

Beware of the tape peeling the paint when it is removed. I had the 3M tape on the stabilator leading edge of our Cessna 150. it yellowed after a couple of years and when we removed it to apply new tape it pulled some paint off with it.

Quickdraw1 wrote:I just bought a set of abrasion boots from Yingling/Cessna Direct for roughly $130 each side plus shipping. They are going on the recently aquired '55 180 that did not have them. Gramps had them on all of his 180's and they are on the '54. Boots are a horizontal stabalizer saver.

Just checked today on the price of boots from Yingling and they are $972 apiece!!! We will have to see if we can save the ones on there.