New rocker switches and panel overlay with glare shield

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callegro

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Callegro
I am sure this has been talked about before, but along with some other panel upgraded, I wanted to replace the rocker switches on my Cherokee 180D. The lettering is faded and wearing off, also with the addition to a strobe package, I need to add a strobe switch anyways.

Also, my panel overlay is cracked in a few places and would like to replace that. I have seen the new metal ones....I would assume that would be a pricey option rather than the standard plastic. Also my glare shield has seen better days. Do you guys recommend anything for these upgrades?
 
On my old cherokee i threw away the overlay, painted the metal panel, and put labels on it.
 
Cherokee rocker switches can be a bit of a problem. Best thing to do would be to repaint the lettering.

The story I've heard is that Piper had a jig to hold the master switch and the aircraft was built around it. Obviously that is a joke but it highlights the difficulty in removing/replacing the switch.

Plane Parts (planeparts.com) has replacement plastic for Pipers. A fair warning is that in general plastic aircraft parts require more fitting than the typical plastic car parts that most folks are used to buying. That said, I haven't replaced the instrument panel plastic bits so I don't know how those particular parts fit out of the box.
 
JHW said:
On my old cherokee i threw away the overlay, painted the metal panel, and put labels on it.
Click to expand...

On the 'kota that'd leave a lot of instruments unlit.
 
Modernize. Lose the plastic and the rockers. Powder coated metal panels look better. Toggle breakers and pull breakers are smaller and more functional than rockers. Better yet make a removable sub panel for all the switches that allows you to get access to them from the front.
 
The metal panels we make are actually cheaper than the factory plastic replacements. In addition, we don't use cheap silk screening, we laser engrave everything. But we don't powdercoat, we use a Polene Epoxy.
We just don't do any installs, that's up to you for FA sign offs.

If you want a badged plastic replacement, use Plane Plastics and then send it to us to laser engrave all your labels.
 
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You're opening up Pandora's box. I replaced my old plastic and carpet glareshield as one of the first projects on my plane 6 years ago. In order to do it "right" you must remove the windshields. Now you gotta decide if you want to replace the windshield with something with a little tint in it.

Not my panel but the glare shield is the same.

Glareshield.jpg
 
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