When taxiing my '78 T206 on uneven dirt ground it seems to make some pretty good squeaks and creaks from the windshield/wing root area, sounds a bit flimsy. She's a low time bird with about 2500 TT. I'm wondering if this is normal or if it's the sound of damage or strain to the airframe? I have Flint Tip Tanks, and although I only land with them empty, they add some extra weight out on the wing tips flexing up and down when out on a bumpy strip. I've seen the V brace in several Cessna's, would this remedy the noise? What other benefits do you get out of the V brace?

PS: Pardon the edits as the original post vanished into cyberspace when I thought I was replying to it. So I had to rewrite all this from memory...doh!

You've already guessed it, you need a v-brace or float-plane cross bracing. Operate a Cessna on uneven terrain and the windshield opening flexes like a parallelagram causing squeaks from windshield at wing roots where relative movement is greatest. The v-brace stiffens this portion of the fuselage and protects your windshield. The v-brace also gives you a great handhold during taxi (or takeoff if you are worried about seat movement) and is a good place to hang your headset when not wearing it. It may mess with your compass calibration but your plane will look cool, sorta like big tires or a lift kit on your muscle car.

Beeman
C170B and C180

Doesn't sound good...I would get rid of it if I was u How much do u want for it

Yeah, Don and I are kinda broke and don't have any money because most old Sled drivers don't have any money. But we'll give you a hundred bucks for it. Seeing how it's broken and all.

Gump

In my experience, they all do that. A V brace will help, but even that is probably not a total cure. I don't know if there is any lube that might help on the edge of the windshied. Maybe someone has found something.

Its a cessna thing ... Buy a better headset

I just installed a stainless V brace from Rob Air repair. I also reinstalled the windshield at the time and put sealant all around. No more creaking or rain from the front but now the wife squaks noises from aft of the cabin box. Not hard to install but I had the windshield out, wings off, radios out and bolted it in tight to the panel top. I have one 14,000 hour U206 that the cabin box moves all around you like its a cardboard box in the wind.

Gump and Don she ain't for sale!

Sounds like its a Cessna thing, but I don't remember the 182 or 180 Ive flown making much noise on the dirt. Anyone ever hear of any issues with BC Cessnas because they didn't have the brace?

Are there any good reasons not to have the brace? In my mind sturdier is better in the BC world.

What's the best V brace to get and how many hours to install?

Mine squeaked a little on rough stuff, the v brace stopped it.
1 day job, depending on how your panel is set up.
I was able to pull my Garmin dock mount out for easy access to bolt in the v brace.
Atlee Dodge makes a brace for (I think) $450. You will probably have to make a doubler so the bolts don't pull through the top of your panel.