Michael Burbidge
Well Known Member
I spent the first full day after moving to the hangar yesterday trying to accomplish one thing: mount the rudder. I thought it would take me an hour at most. It turns out I spent the whole day on it and still don't have a completely free moving rudder.
I had followed the directions when mounting the HS many months ago to make sure the brackets on the stab are aligned. I can run a straight edge along them and they are in line. I had also followed the measurement for the rod end bearings in the directions as starting point. The space between the rudder and the HS at the top is parallel.
I'm to the point where bolts can be dropped into each bearing easily. So that tells me the bearings are aligned with the brackets. Getting the bearings into the brackets is a wrestle.
After installing all three bolts and tightening them down, the rudder does not swing freely. I tried lots of stuff.
I have determined that the top two nuts can be tightened and the rudder swings freely. But as soon as I put the last little tightening twist on the bottom nut, it no longer swings freely.
I removed the center bolt, and have the same problem between the top and bottom bolts. With just the top and bottom bolts installed and nuts tightened, it does not swing freely.
I found that by putting a thin washer in the following two places, it almost eliminates the drag, but not quite. 1) Top rod bearing - between the top half bracket and the rod end bearing 2) Bottom rod bearing - between the bottom half bracket and the rod end bearing.
It seems like the problem is with the bottom bearing. I can hear the bottom bearing make a slight noise as the rudder stops swinging, going from dynamic friction to static friction that stops it.
Is it possible that the bearing is bad. I can move the ball smoothly with my hand.
I'm very discouraged and not sure what to try next. I was going to order a spacer from McMaster's just a little bigger than a thin washer and see if it gets better with that in the place of the thin washers.
Suggestions welcomed!
Michael-
I had followed the directions when mounting the HS many months ago to make sure the brackets on the stab are aligned. I can run a straight edge along them and they are in line. I had also followed the measurement for the rod end bearings in the directions as starting point. The space between the rudder and the HS at the top is parallel.
I'm to the point where bolts can be dropped into each bearing easily. So that tells me the bearings are aligned with the brackets. Getting the bearings into the brackets is a wrestle.
After installing all three bolts and tightening them down, the rudder does not swing freely. I tried lots of stuff.
I have determined that the top two nuts can be tightened and the rudder swings freely. But as soon as I put the last little tightening twist on the bottom nut, it no longer swings freely.
I removed the center bolt, and have the same problem between the top and bottom bolts. With just the top and bottom bolts installed and nuts tightened, it does not swing freely.
I found that by putting a thin washer in the following two places, it almost eliminates the drag, but not quite. 1) Top rod bearing - between the top half bracket and the rod end bearing 2) Bottom rod bearing - between the bottom half bracket and the rod end bearing.
It seems like the problem is with the bottom bearing. I can hear the bottom bearing make a slight noise as the rudder stops swinging, going from dynamic friction to static friction that stops it.
Is it possible that the bearing is bad. I can move the ball smoothly with my hand.
I'm very discouraged and not sure what to try next. I was going to order a spacer from McMaster's just a little bigger than a thin washer and see if it gets better with that in the place of the thin washers.
Suggestions welcomed!
Michael-