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Need stick travel numbers.

S

SJordan

Well Known Member
Hi guys,
Can someone please measure the travel of the control stick on a -4. Maybe just hold a tape measure at the top of the front stick and give me total travel number for elevator and ailerons. Also how tall your stick is from the floor.
I don't have my wings or tail on yet and trying to figure some stuff out.

Thanks
Shawn
 
Shawn,
I can measure mine when I go to my hangar next time, but there are a few factors to keep in mind. Your a long way from setting the final position, which has variables created by the torque tube adjustment, center console/panel height variations and rear stick/front seat back clearance. On my -4, I installed a vertical center panel from the tunnel up to the bottom of the panel , but displaced forward a few inches. The stick must travel well forward of the panel bottom, and clearance for your hand must be considered. If you are not installing a center panel, you have no worries about forward restrictions. Also, the "neutral" position of the stick can be set FWD/AFT by adjusting the torque tubes. I would recommend keeping the sticks as long as possible until you sit in the seat and find the length best suited for you. I used a tubing cutter to do my final cut after the seats were done and I was installing the grips. Full left/right travel will likely be against your leg and can't be adjusted unless the geometry is changed. I know this sounds like a lot of bla bla bla, but you will soon understand it all. I have lots of pictures from the build and final product if you need.
 
fixnflyguy said:
Shawn,
I can measure mine when I go to my hangar next time, but there are a few factors to keep in mind. Your a long way from setting the final position, which has variables created by the torque tube adjustment, center console/panel height variations and rear stick/front seat back clearance. On my -4, I installed a vertical center panel from the tunnel up to the bottom of the panel , but displaced forward a few inches. The stick must travel well forward of the panel bottom, and clearance for your hand must be considered. If you are not installing a center panel, you have no worries about forward restrictions. Also, the "neutral" position of the stick can be set FWD/AFT by adjusting the torque tubes. I would recommend keeping the sticks as long as possible until you sit in the seat and find the length best suited for you. I used a tubing cutter to do my final cut after the seats were done and I was installing the grips. Full left/right travel will likely be against your leg and can't be adjusted unless the geometry is changed. I know this sounds like a lot of bla bla bla, but you will soon understand it all. I have lots of pictures from the build and final product if you need.
Click to expand...


Hi Bill,
Thanks for reply and great advice. You are absolutely right that I'm far away from setting my controls up, though I was trying to get my floorboards made and trying to figure out how big the stick opening are going to need to be. My -4 though is so far from standard with the dash 2" forward, roll bar 2" back, seat back bottom 4" back. My front stick I did leave tall but have put a 3" S bend in it to get it back to where I think my lap will be, the rear stick is going to require the same big S bend to clear the front seat back or maybe no stick at all. I think at this point I will just leave my floorboards as is and move forward and it won't take more than a morning down the line to trim the opening to clear stick travel if need be. I actually think I will be fine and the opening are big enough. I probably have been watching too many aerobatic videos and think my -4 stick will move way more than it actually does.

Thanks Again for the advice

Shawn
 
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