What was found
I DO NOT KNOW IF I OR THE MANUFACTURER NEED TO REPORT THIS. I BOUGHT A FEW COWLING FASTENERS AND THEY ALL FAILED WITHIN 30 HOURS OF INSTALLATION.
FEB 2022 I BOUGHT 4 SKYBOLT SK2003-42A COWLING MOUNT FASTENERS FROM THE MANUFACTURER. 3 WERE INSTALLED ON THE RIGHT LOWER COWLING MOUNT BY MY MECHANIC AS PART OF A FIREWALL REPAIR. TWO WEEKS AGO, CHANGING THE OIL, I NOTICED ALL THREE FASTENERS HAD FAILED (THE 4TH WAS PURCHASED AS A SPARE AND NEVER INSTALLED).
ALL HAD FAILED THE SAME WAY, THE RUBBER COWL MOUNT DETACHED FROM THE BACKING PLATE WHICH ATTACHED TO THE FIREWALL BRACKET MOUNT. I REPLACED ALL 3 WITH LORD MOUNTS.
I CONTACTED SKYBOLT AND SPOKE TO APRIL BRAUN WHO ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THEY HAD PROBLEMS WITH ONE OF THEIR MANUFACTURERS AND THE PROBLEM TOOK THE FORM OF A BONDING FAILURE RESULTING IN SEPARATION BETWEEN THE MOUNT AND THE MOUNT BACKING PLATE. SHE SAID THAT SINCE I HAD THE LOT NUMBER (4780) IT WAS EASY TO CONFIRM MINE WERE IN THE PROBLEM SET AND THEY WOULD BE REPLACED.
MY THINKING IS THAT THIS MIGHT BE A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM AND THAT IS WHY I AM WRITING. I HAVE A PICTURE OF THE PART BAG IN WHICH THE 4 MOUNTS ARRIVED. INSIDE THE BAG ARE THE 3 WHICH FAILED. SKYBOLT IS ASKING ME TO RETURN THE 3 FAILED AND 1 STILL COMPLETE PRODUCTS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
PICTURES ARE AVAILABLE.