Wing Walks

Since I had my Traveler apart, I had the luxury (?) of removing my wing roots, repairing cracks, "beefing" them up (so they don't crack at the forward screw), etc.

I stripped mine down bare, completed all repairs, used "gel coat" to build up the contours, primed them with a 2-part polyurethane primer, finished them in Imron, and THEN worried about wing walks .

Before all this work began, I had performed an experiment with a piece of adhesive "safety walk" material made by 3M. It is available at home improvement stores (we use Home Depot here in Florida), and it is used for traction on ladder rungs, steps, etc. Available on a roll (any length you want) in black or gray. The surface does NOT have "sandpaper" characteristics - no grit particles to come loose (and get ground into your paint).

I put a piece on the port side and did a dive test in the Traveler to REDLINE airseed (190 indicated) - NO PROBLEMS.

Since the material is available in various widths, I used two pieces (3 or 4 inches wide each, I forget), placed side by side, and custom cut / contoured to the wing walk area. The surface was prepared with a very light sanding and a thorough cleaning of residue. The 3M product has an adhesive backing, which I carefully applied.

Looks great - works great - very inexpensive.

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