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Permalink Reply by Jim and Amelia Isaacs on November 22, 2017 at 12:28pm

Do you plan to install it on the cabin side or engine side? With slits cut in the material also seems like a good way to address the rudder pedal slot openings.

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Permalink Reply by Don Morrisey on November 22, 2017 at 5:16pm

It is made to go on the firewall side.  It's very popular with the RV crowd.  I also have a layer of SS foil that will cover it on the firewall side. Primarily it's a fire barrier...so safety is the number one function.  I'll add some form of heat insulation on the cabin side. Typically firewalls are bare to start with but because of the Zenith nose-wheel, there are several additional pieces of aluminum that get riveted in place,as you probably know.  I'm curious if builders have added it on the engine side prior to adding those other pieces or afterward.  I would definitely add it prior to mounting all other FWF items that get attached to the firewall with the exception of the engine mounts....just wondering about those other items Zenith gives you with the kit.

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Permalink Reply by Bob Pustell on November 29, 2017 at 9:31pm

I am guessing on this, but it appears the material is not solid but a fabric kinda sorta. I would not want a compressible and flexible layer between metal components joined with rivets. That strikes me as an invitation for those parts to become loose down the road. If it was me, I would make all sttructural attachments metal on metal. Put you flexy stuff on once it's built. My two cents but only a guessing two cents, may or may not be good advice.

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Permalink Reply by Don Morrisey on November 29, 2017 at 9:53pm

Bob...you're right.  I was hoping for an easy way out but my gut was telling me there isn't one, so I have already figured out how to apply it after the fact...it won't be anywhere as neat and clean but after all its a firewall and functionality is more important.  Thanks for the input.

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Permalink Reply by John Austin on November 30, 2017 at 7:54am

Don,

I applied my material to the cabin side of the firewall after all metal-to-metal construction was completed. I fitted pieces in the recesses created by the L angle reinforcements and then carefully caulked around the edges with 3M "Firestop 2000+" caulk from Spruce.

John

N750A

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