What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

RV-8 Stick Bending

Have a drawing or specific dimensions?

Here is one set of dimensions - be sure to look at the second drawing and not the first:

http://www.kit-plane-advice.com/front-control-stick.html

I would need to make measurements to be certain that works in my -8

The web page owner cut and welded his stick. Not sure I'd like that.

That's only one set of dimensions I've found.

This thread shows a ruler next to a bent stick near the top of the thread.

Variations in people's -8's as well as grip differences being what they are, I'd imagine each customer would want to make measurements and also tell you which grip they are using.
 
Last edited:
Tosten Stick

I ordered one as well. It is 7/8 in. The plan is to cut the base of the stock stick, and use a slip joint with a pin similar to the rear stick.
 
Last edited:
Youse guys that are trying the Tosten stick, please keep us updated here on how it works out; I'd love to have a bent type stick in my -8, but it appears the only way I could realistically do it is to take my current stick to a welding shop to have it cut and new tubing welded in to reshape it...
 
I've always wondered why no one miter cuts the stick and welding back together with an offset in it. I assume it's made out of aircraft grade tubing and a certified welder should be able to do a fine job with it. Missing something?
 
Youse guys that are trying the Tosten stick, please keep us updated here on how it works out; I'd love to have a bent type stick in my -8, but it appears the only way I could realistically do it is to take my current stick to a welding shop to have it cut and new tubing welded in to reshape it...

I have a bent stick that I tried out for a few hours. I could not get the Tosten grip to work with it as you need to cut the stick down too much to fit the mounting hardware in, and then the hardware is halfway in the middle of the top bend. I had to go with a different grip that just slipped over the stick. You might be able to make it work with a cut and weld setup if you measure carefully.
 
Tosten makes a nice looking stick for the 14. Has anyone asked them to consider doing one specifically for the 8? Seems like they have the capability.... I would be interested.
 
Stick bending

We did the cut and weld procedure on my RV-8 stick with the Tosten grip. It works well, but the stick is so far back in the flare that my cuff deficient shoulder doesn't work as well to control the flare as it did with the short stick. I still think it's an improvement but might require some fine-tuning. Will try to post some pics. We used a PVC dummy stick to plan the cuts.
 
Pack it with sand, cheap pipe bender. No cuts or welds.

I did the same thing, only I didn't have sand. Filled with water, froze it and then bent. Ended up with a little bit fewer wrinkles than you have there.
 
I did the same thing, only I didn't have sand. Filled with water, froze it and then bent. Ended up with a little bit fewer wrinkles than you have there.

Interesting. I'll keep that technique in mind if I ever do another.

I'm more comfortable with wrinkled bends than welded miters.
 
Stick Bending service available again

I have passed the torch to Karlo Gatdula, [email protected]

I have provided him the die and equipment I use to bend the sticks.

Please send him an email if you would like your RV-8 front stick bent.

Thanks,

Mike
 
How much did you have to bend?

I have an RV-8 and the stick is too low for me. Also I'd like to install an Infinity Grip.

I've started on this project and I made a stick out of 3/4" PVC to get an idea of about how much the stick has to be bent.

The centerline of the present grip is about 2" beyond the edge of the instrument panel.

I found with my PVC mock up that to get the infinity grip higher and fully in front of the instrument panel, I need to bend it such that the new centerline (above the two bends), is a full 4" aft of the main stick centerline (below the two bends).

This seems like a lot. Is that what everyone else, who has implemented the bent stick has found?
 
You probably don?t want a 4? offset, unless you?re incredibly skinny - your belly could be in the way attempting to get the stick all the way back. My first RV8, I cut and welded a 2? offset and found this to be about right with an Infinity grip. My current RV8 will be offset too, probably just like before, although I wish I could find someone to bend it.
 
You probably don’t want a 4” offset, unless you’re incredibly skinny - your belly could be in the way attempting to get the stick all the way back. My first RV8, I cut and welded a 2” offset and found this to be about right with an Infinity grip. My current RV8 will be offset too, probably just like before, although I wish I could find someone to bend it.

When fully forward, was the top of your Infinity Grip in front of the instrument panel and higher than the lower edge of the panel?
 
Last edited:
No. The bend in the stick allows you to keep it a little longerand avoids contact with the gear tower cross brace, but it still goes under the panel - just slightly in my case with my infinity grip. If you want to make it long enough so that it?s above the bottom of the instrument panel, you?ll need that greater (4??) offset, but you will probably need to also move your seat back a little. A long stick is good, but you?ll need to pay attention to geometry and other related consequences. Whatever you change, make sure you have full unobstructed control movement and authority.
 
No. The bend in the stick allows you to keep it a little longerand avoids contact with the gear tower cross brace, but it still goes under the panel - just slightly in my case with my infinity grip. If you want to make it long enough so that it?s above the bottom of the instrument panel, you?ll need that greater (4??) offset, but you will probably need to also move your seat back a little. A long stick is good, but you?ll need to pay attention to geometry and other related consequences. Whatever you change, make sure you have full unobstructed control movement and authority.

I already checked the belly clearance ;)

Thanks!
 
Battery location

I noticed the battery is located where the fuel pump is normally located. Where is the fuel pump now? Injected or carburated engine?
 
I have passed the torch to Karlo Gatdula, [email protected]

I have provided him the die and equipment I use to bend the sticks.

Please send him an email if you would like your RV-8 front stick bent.

Thanks,

Mike

Any PIREPS from RV-8 guys who have purchased a bent stick in the last year or so, from Karlo? Was considering this option and a Tosten or Infinity grip to replace the stock straight stick and Ray Allen grip in my 8. Or as an alternative, sticking with the straight stick and just going with the Tosten or Infinity and cutting to fit as necessary.

My RV-8 with the lower and more forward stick (no aft bend) is really nice for maneuvers and landings due to the body mechanics of the normally straight stick but it does lack a little comfort in straight and level as the stick seems just a bit too forward and low. I understand what some of the guys in this thread were talking about regarding too much of a stick bend - while being more comfortable in straight and level flight, for some it might not be as nice for aerobatics and 3 point landings due to arm and shoulder body mechanics. I flew Bruce Bonnahan's RV-8 for a transition course and it has a very tall, very aft bent stick in it. It was actually just a bit too tall for my liking, so I held the stick on the lower part of the grip to mitigate that issue... while it was still OK for 3 pointers I could see the trade off being a disadvantage in aerobatics and full aft movements. In cruise it was great. Thanks again if anyone has some recent experience with this.
 
Any PIREPS from RV-8 guys who have purchased a bent stick in the last year or so, from Karlo? Was considering this option and a Tosten or Infinity grip to replace the stock straight stick and Ray Allen grip in my 8. Or as an alternative, sticking with the straight stick and just going with the Tosten or Infinity and cutting to fit as necessary.

My RV-8 with the lower and more forward stick (no aft bend) is really nice for maneuvers and landings due to the body mechanics of the normally straight stick but it does lack a little comfort in straight and level as the stick seems just a bit too forward and low. I understand what some of the guys in this thread were talking about regarding too much of a stick bend - while being more comfortable in straight and level flight, for some it might not be as nice for aerobatics and 3 point landings due to arm and shoulder body mechanics. I flew Bruce Bonnahan's RV-8 for a transition course and it has a very tall, very aft bent stick in it. It was actually just a bit too tall for my liking, so I held the stick on the lower part of the grip to mitigate that issue... while it was still OK for 3 pointers I could see the trade off being a disadvantage in aerobatics and full aft movements. In cruise it was great. Thanks again if anyone has some recent experience with this.

Eddie, have you tried sitting lower. After flying a -4 for 20 years I have felt Van's never got the ergonomics right for the -8. Straight stick too low and too far forward. I kept lowering my seat height until I found a comfortable position I could live with wrt arm/hand but could not quite see over the nose in a 3 pt stance. A few days ago with 200 hrs on it I put a folded towel under the seat cushion so I could just see over the nose and flew for a few hours. Didn't like it and went back to my original position. I am only talking an inch or so in change. Also might experiment with the thickness of your seat back cushion.
 
Last edited:
Thanks Jim, great ideas to consider.

My sitting eye height feels absolutely perfect right now, in that I can just see over the nose in a 3 point attitude - makes for ease in maintaining exact runway alignment for me during flare in gusty mountain conditions on 3 point landings. However, with more seat time, perhaps I’ll find I don’t need such a commanding view over the nose.

As you mention however, a relatively slightly higher and less forward hand position would be nice to try and that may in fact involve a combination of things. I have adjustable rudder pedals so it’s relatively easy to sort out the fore and aft part... maybe just a tad lower eye height would not be too much to ask and it might just about make for a good combination.

PS I hope I have not over stated any “discomfort” with the present stick. I still love the 8 and even if I kept it as is, there would be zero regret or hesitation at any point. It’s just that I think it could be slightly better “for me” since this is an Experimental aircraft - and in some ways it can be slightly modified for fit and finish!
 
Last edited:
After 3 iterations over 19 years, I have found that the best configuration for the forward stick is an aft offset with mitered joints. A bent stick cannot physically reach the best configuration due the radiuses and height/geometry limitations. I also use an Infinity grip.
 
After 3 iterations over 19 years, I have found that the best configuration for the forward stick is an aft offset with mitered joints. A bent stick cannot physically reach the best configuration due the radiuses and height/geometry limitations. I also use an Infinity grip.

About how much is the offset aft from the stick centerline?
 
After 3 iterations over 19 years, I have found that the best configuration for the forward stick is an aft offset with mitered joints. A bent stick cannot physically reach the best configuration due the radiuses and height/geometry limitations. I also use an Infinity grip.

Low Pass,

Can I get a couple pictures of your setup? Looking to do something like that on my airplane.
 
Scott Hersha did a miter and weld offset, so I borrowed his design. Here is Scott's jig and notes, and my jig.
Note that the miter cut is not 45 degrees, rather 65 degrees.
In my installed photo, the instrument panel is shifted down one set of holes, so that is not the bottom of the panel in the normal installed position. I will trim the stick to clear with the Tolsten grip. The cut will probably be just above the weld.

Scott's:
kef40i.jpg

Scott's notes to me:
"The dimensions for making the cut are at the bottom of the page. There are two cuts about 2.2? apart and that piece is used as the offset piece - rotated 180 degrees. This gives you about 2? offset. The grip referenced is the infinity grip. The bushing boss on the stick goes into the hole at the bottom of the welding jig, drilled straight through the board (on a drill press). There is a mirror image of the jig on the flip side so you can tack weld one side, flip it over and tack weld the other side. This assures a straight parallel alignment between the upper and lower sections of the sick with no twist.
The first cut is 5.5? above the top edge of the bushing boss. The second cut is at 7.7? above the top edge of the boss. Mark both lines before you make a cut. I just used an angle finder and a sharpie to mark my lines. I made the cuts with a cut off disc in my die grinder. Then I cleaned up the cuts on my disc sander using a 65 degree line drawn on a board laid on the disc sander table. It fit together in the jig very well with a couple pieces of tape to hold it there temporarily for my welder. Hope this helps.
Scott"

Mine:
6f1mvl.jpg


2hzjwb4.jpg
 
Back
Top