Electric Elevator Trim Interference

Arrrrgg. I'm setting up my electric elevator trim and noticed that when the trim is beyond the neutral point and halfway into the 'nose down' range, the threaded rod is rubbing against the elevator skin. I cut the slot longer, but it is still rubbing. A couple options:

1) Make the rod shorter to bias towards a 'nose up' trim - won't eliminate the problem, but would help

2) Modify the attachment bracket on the trim tab such that the hole for the pin would be further away from the trim tab, increasing the angle of the rod - this would probably work, but would be a bit ugly to fabricate and would decrease the trim range

3) Grind off the threads of the threaded rod where it is rubbing to at least improve the situation

4) Give up, sell the project after 4.5 years of work and move to Tahiti.

What do you think? Has anyone else had this problem?

5) Put a little bend in the rod so that it clears the edge of the slot when it goes full out. Mine has a bend about 20 degrees - been working fine for 750+ hours....

Paul

Thanks Paul. I opted for your #5 solution and it worked like a charm. Now I wish that I didn't elongate the slot in the skin - oh well, it doesn't really matter.

While we're on the electric trim...

...I've got a simple question.

The clevis pins holding the two servo rod ends: what hardware goes with them. I figure one washer on the cotter pin side, but I also find 2 small nuts included in the hardware and I can't see a use for them.

BTW, for those wanting to delve into electrical issues with the Ray Allen servos, see these threads:

Connectors for trim servos?
Trim noise in Audio speaker
Capacitors for trim servos?

Jam nuts

Those two small nuts are jam nuts for the small black nylon push rod-end forks.