PIPER WINGSPAR BOLTS - NEED ADVICE

Lotto boat: Amel 54

Reality boat: a Flying Scot for local sailing when I retire.

Used to sail the Flying Scot at the local club. Nice boat. I let my membership lapse when I got back into flying in 2010 but it might be time to pick it up again.

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My cousin was on this ship
Damn!
Keel losses are uncomfortably common.. and unlike aviation the owner of a boat can largely due with it whatever he or she pleases. How many weekend warriors run aground, leave the bilge wet, don't check the keel bolts, etc.

My dad checks and replaces keel bolts every winter during haul out and ensures they're all properly torqued. BTW, if you have ever spent on a big-ish sailing boat (30 ft or greater) and compare the keel bolt size and arrangement from an older boat to a newer one the difference is shocking
 
Why the borescope? When you can actually put your own eyeballs on those parts, enough to tell if there's any corrosion. Unless the warrior is different than the other Cherokees.
 
So I just purchase a piper warrior - with a recent annual completed. Upon inspection with a borescope I found out that the bolts are rusted. Knowing that these are stressed structural supports. Id feel comfortable getting them replaced.
I got into aircrafts knowing the expense involved - but I was just quoted $12,000 per wing to get wingspars replaced. spending 12,000 on a wing on top of what I had planned for an avionics upgrade and engine overhaul puts me right at $84,000 - purchased the aircraft for 36k and I'm thinking what the **** did I get myself into.

If anyone out there has any advice on how to most efficiently rectify this - that would be awesome.
 
Alot of PA 28 Piper's have evidence of old paint stripper from repaints that get into the spar carry thru. It can be clean up & zinc chromated then coated with dintrol or lps 3. Avoid removing the bolts or wing if possible just the very heavy rusted ones if they don't clean up. Bolts are close tolerance & you could scratch the hole bores causing stress rises in the spar. You can actually clean & inspect the carry thru & spar from the lightning holes & see it with a mirror & light. Pull the foam plugs out first so you can look in, they only hold water & cause corrosion don't put them back.
 
I am curious as to how this all played out.
 
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