Screws in engine panel

[Juan]

Hi guys:

the screws in my engine panel (at the cockpit) do not keep the panel tight anymore. I cannot use larger (thicker) screws because they will not fit through the wholes of the metal panel. Any good ideas on how to fix this issue?

Thanks,

Juan

[mregan]

Maybe epoxy the holes then re-drill.

[Stu Jackson]

The panel may look like it's metal, but mine is simply aluminum colored plastic.  Tap it to see.

The real trick is what kind of screws.  If they're only sheetmetal screws, they dig into the fiberglass behind, and bigger ones would work.  If they're machine screws, it means there's a nut in the back, which tend to drop off when you remove the panel.  I haven't taken mine off in years, so I don't recall.  Get a mirror and look behind the panel to see what's there.

[Les Luzar]

When I had that problem, I epoxy glued some pieces of wood in the corners where the holes are located, drilled a starter hole, and used stainless steel wood screws and it worked like a charm. Just another idea.

[Clay Greene]

I had the same problem and replaced the (I think) #8 screws with #10s.  Worked perfectly and now it stays in place.  I did the same thing with the AC/DC panel in the salon. 

[Ron Hill]

Juan : A wood backing will work, but the best is to epoxy the holes and re-drill them.
Then do NOT use a screwdriver tip on a drill to re seat them - that's what the factory did to screwup the original hole!  
A regular screwdriver works perfectly, either way you go.  A thought

[Juan]

thanks guys. Very useful!

Juan

[Ken Juul]

My cure is to super glue a piece of wooden toothpick into enlarged holes and reuse the existing screws.