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Control stick pushrod?doesn't fit

dbhill916

Well Known Member
Hi all,

I'm looking for some words of wisdom with respect to trying to attach the pushrod assembly to the bottom of the control sticks, pg 32-05 step 6. After spending many fruitless hours trying to get my hands in there to line up the steel washers and the control rod bearing, I realized that it's not going to fit.

The internal width of the fork is 1/2", but the width of the steel washers plus the bearing is 9/16". Following the maxim of "if it doesn't look like it fits, then you're doing something wrong", I'm looking for some insight as to what I'm doing wrong.

Just for my own curiosity, what is the purpose of those steel washers? If they are to make a nice tight fit, then are both needed? Specifically, if I omit one of them, then I get a pretty good fit without needing to scrape my knuckles excessively.

Thanks in advance for any insights,
-dbh
 
A different way

Take a look at this page step 06

http://www.joesrv12.com/Builder Log/bl_32_05.htm

They will install this way with a little thinking

This is a welded assembly

The washers are to keep the wings parallel ( wings of the welded assembly )

Sometimes you can change things vans requires in there instructions, however remember that a lot of engineering has gone into the design of their aircraft and in my opinion they have done a remarkable job. Make changes only if you have the ability to understand all things that the change will affect. Your best off to follow the plans to the T.



Hi all,

I'm looking for some words of wisdom with respect to trying to attach the pushrod assembly to the bottom of the control sticks, pg 32-05 step 6. After spending many fruitless hours trying to get my hands in there to line up the steel washers and the control rod bearing, I realized that it's not going to fit.

The internal width of the fork is 1/2", but the width of the steel washers plus the bearing is 9/16". Following the maxim of "if it doesn't look like it fits, then you're doing something wrong", I'm looking for some insight as to what I'm doing wrong.

Just for my own curiosity, what is the purpose of those steel washers? If they are to make a nice tight fit, then are both needed? Specifically, if I omit one of them, then I get a pretty good fit without needing to scrape my knuckles excessively.

Thanks in advance for any insights,
-dbh
 
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Your post dredged up an almost lost memory from five years ago. I had to "spring" the opening a tiny bit wider to make it go together. See picture here.
 
washers at the control rod bearing

John
I think he is talking about the washers at the control rod bearing

But it is the same type of thing as your post.


Your post dredged up an almost lost memory from five years ago. I had to "spring" the opening a tiny bit wider to make it go together. See picture here.
 
Funny...I was just faced with the same step yesterday. Fortunately I didn't have any issues as you described. For what it's worth, I determined that the push rods could be attached to the control sticks off the aircraft and then could be snaked in place. I also used a rod from a hinge and stuck the washer on the end of the rod with a tiny bit of scotch tape. It worked quite well in setting the 2nd washer in place. It was tight but both washers fit in my case. Good luck!

Gary Livesey
Kit#12399
 
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fixed 1 thing, broke another

gents, thanks for the advice. I finally ended up taking the sticks out and attaching the pushrods, then unthreading the pushrod from the bearing and re-installed everything in place.

I now have a new problem: with the stick full back and full roll (either direction) the pushrod rubs against the AN365 lock nut on the forward control blocks. Has any one else had this problem? I'm waiting for some half-height nuts (AN364, IIRC) to see if that permits free travel, but I'd like to find out why they are rubbing in the first place.

pushrod%20vs%20locknut.JPG


Thanks again for any insights!
-dbh
 
David,

Without seeing what's on the other side, this suggestion may not work. What if you flip that bolt? Will it clear the head of the bolt? Is the room for the nut on the other side?

I'll see you on Monday.

bob
 
Are the flight control devices and the stops in place? The throw will be reduced with flight controls installed.
 
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Without looking at mine I think that I did not have an AN365 in that place. If I remember correctly (and that is a BIG caveat), mine had metal locknuts called out which are much smaller than the AN365 or plastic insert locknuts in general.
 
gents, thanks for the advice. I finally ended up taking the sticks out and attaching the pushrods, then unthreading the pushrod from the bearing and re-installed everything in place.

I now have a new problem: with the stick full back and full roll (either direction) the pushrod rubs against the AN365 lock nut on the forward control blocks. Has any one else had this problem? I'm waiting for some half-height nuts (AN364, IIRC) to see if that permits free travel, but I'd like to find out why they are rubbing in the first place.

pushrod%20vs%20locknut.JPG


Thanks again for any insights!
-dbh
Having a bit of trouble with the picture but, if it's the bolt I'm thinking of, I had that problem and had to flip it around and put the nut on the other side as Bob suggested earlier.
 
Having a bit of trouble with the picture but, if it's the bolt I'm thinking of, I had that problem and had to flip it around and put the nut on the other side as Bob suggested earlier.

That would put the nut on the bottom of the belly of the airplane.
I am pretty sure MacPara has it correct.
The fastener in question is supposed to be a screw (head on the outside of the belly skin), with the small MS all steel nut (much smaller than the AN365 nut shown in the photo)
 
That would put the nut on the bottom of the belly of the airplane.
I am pretty sure MacPara has it correct.
The fastener in question is supposed to be a screw (head on the outside of the belly skin), with the small MS all steel nut (much smaller than the AN365 nut shown in the photo)
Ahhh, yeah, you're right - that's the top of the systems block under there ...
 
Are the flight control devices and the stops in place? The throw will be reduced with flight controls installed.

The throw is not reduced with the flapperons in place. The throw is limited by the flapperon mixer.

At page 31-13 you can see the hardware to be used. It calls for an AN365-832. From what I remember I installed very small all metal locknuts. The hardware in the picture looks too big.
 
I have the same issue. I think the flap handle is to far forward. I am continuing with the build because I don't think this is a problem. I think it will not be an issue once the flaperon control is completed.
 
The throw is not reduced with the flapperons in place. The throw is limited by the flapperon mixer.

At page 31-13 you can see the hardware to be used. It calls for an AN365-832. From what I remember I installed very small all metal locknuts. The hardware in the picture looks too big.
Oh, sorry! The point I was making is that the throws are going to be different when the DEVICES are connected. I think the mixer is considered a device.
 
I have the same issue. I think the flap handle is to far forward. I am continuing with the build because I don't think this is a problem. I think it will not be an issue once the flaperon control is completed.

I know of instances where builders have installed the the flap handle with the UHMW bearing blocks positioned / oriented incorrectly and it does cause the flap handle geometry to be incorrect and induce some strange issues.
 
Flap pushrod

Have seen this when the flap handle to mixer pushrod are too long. If you haven't drilled the flap torque tubes, I'd try screwing the pushrod in further.

Good luck
 
Don't be changing lengths of ANYTHING on the RV-12. Recheck the plans. Follow the plans. Make the control rods the exact lengths that the plans say. Use the exact parts and hardware the plans say. Mantra: If something does not fit, STOP! The likelihood is that the problem does NOT lie with the kit!

And check the RV12 forum thoroughly using search. Check the blogs for that kit section like Schmetterling Aviation and Marty Santic's and Tony Tessitore's picture set.
 
Don't be changing lengths of ANYTHING on the RV-12. Recheck the plans. Follow the plans. Make the control rods the exact lengths that the plans say. Use the exact parts and hardware the plans say. Mantra: If something does not fit, STOP! The likelihood is that the problem does NOT lie with the kit!

And check the RV12 forum thoroughly using search. Check the blogs for that kit section like Schmetterling Aviation and Marty Santic's and Tony Tessitore's picture set.

Please listen to what Bill is saying, and go back and read my post # 18.
If the flap handle to mixer pushrod seems too long, though it is made to proper dimension, the cause is the position of the flap handle. The UHMW flap handle blocks are not symmetrical (look carefully at the drawings). if they are installed incorrectly, the flap handle will be mounted in the wrong location, and cause a number of other problems.
 
which page?

I must be blind. Where is the drawing which indicates the UHMW flap mounting blocks are not symetrical as rvbuilder2002 states? If they are not symetrical, then why do they have the same part number....
 
Correct Joe.
For it to be a symmetrical part it means the part has a shape that it wouldn't matter how the part was oriented.
This particular part has the two mounting bolt holes offset from center axis of the pivot tube on the flap weldment so if they are installed incorrectly, the flap handle weldment will be in the wrong position.
 
on page 32-04 you can see that the only way they could be mounted wrong is if they were up side down. The way they are mounted, they are reversed, the mounting recess faces each other so they have to be symmetrical fore and aft. However vertically they are not symmetrical. So if installed wrong side up, the flap handle base height will be incorrect.

Paul LeDoux
120495 :)
 
mystery solved

I figured out why the control rods are touching the lock nuts. I didn't have the flap control handle in the proper position. I had put it all the way down, not into the lowest detent. In other words, the flaps would have been reflexed up, not in trail (as discussed on other threads.) With the flap handle in the proper detent, there is no interference. Viola! problem solved:)
 
Priming Pushrods

Don't forget to prime the inside and outside of all pushrods (per Section 5 update 10-2-14)

REVISION DESCRIPTION:
05-01: Added text: "To prime the inside of pushrods with liquid
primer, pour primer into one end and swirl it towards the other end,
coating the entire inside surface. Alternatively, spray primer into one
end of the pushrod, turn the pushrod around and spray again from
the other end."
 
I have the exact same problem as David but I’m not so lucky as not having the the flap handle in the detent. After much investigation, turns out my flaperon handle pushrod is 5/32 too long. Don’t know how that happened but it did. I discovered all this during PAPs when I had definite grinding at full aft stick, full left or right aileron. Guess that’s why its important to exercise the PAPs.

So....what now! If I shortened the pushrod, flaperon droop increases accordingly. Right now I’m at the prescribed 1/4 inch on both wings.

What do you think of just using the smaller metal lock nuts (versus 365s mentioned above) and recessing them slightly in plastic system block. Have already tried using the metal nut alone; doesn’t quite clear.

Otherwise I would be forced into correcting the flaperon handle pushrod, then adjusting the main flaperon pushrods to maintain correct wing droop. What a nightmare.
 
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My philosophy is, do what it best in the long run, not what is easiest. Sometimes it is easier to go ahead and do it the hard way to start with.
 
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