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Lubing the stabilator cable


ibjet

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I made a tool to remove the spring a few years ago.  Took a 3 foot piece of 1" water pipe, cut a slot in it with my die grinder with small cutoff wheel.  The diameter of the pipe allows it to push on the washer while the slot on one side allows compression of the spring past the ball attachment.  Recall needing to "lean in" to the spring to compress it and then holding it compressed while another person installed the wire to keep it compressed.  Reversed the process to install the spring.  Sounds like the repair procedure is basically what I describe.

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I'm going to use a short length of 1" dia alum bar, but I will connect it to a long skinny piece of hardwood trim that I can clamp to a stationary table (once I get the Stabilator held down into neutral position). I will drill a .50 dia hole thru on center line (that will just clear the head of the ball joint). Then I will mill a flat along the side of the bar until I have a .300 wide opening that will clear the post of the ball joint. That way I will have a pretty big foot print to push the spring forward with, but I can also reach in with a 7 mm open end wrench to turn the post (mine is either Loctited in or just threaded in to the Trim actuator arm. When I try to loosen it, I'll hit it with my little heat gun first to soften the Loctite. Posting a picture showing the foot print of the tool that I will make (in red).  

Rear View of CT 1.JPG

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  • 2 weeks later...

I finally got the spring assembly removed. Thought I'd share some pictures. I see a problem already - the spring assembly is not held in place on the FWD end except by a thru hole in the composite material (see bottom hole in pict 4). The center shaft of the spring assembly is way smaller diameter than that hole. I think there needs to be a bushing there of some kind. The parts and assembly manual does not show anything there. Tomorrow I will hook up the elevator cable and trim cables again and see if the binding is still there (without the spring assembly). If so, I will next check into the trim tab and it's linkage. Final chaper yet to come, ha  ha, . . . 

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Yes, thanks Roger,  I have the newer version spring assembly with the guides. Hopefully I will make it out to the hangar and continue my evaluation today.

It just doesn't seem right that the front end of the spring assy is located by a small shaft which travels fwd/aft and it goes into a much larger hole. I actually ordered some 1" dia Teflon rod to make a bushing for that spot. Not sure if I will follow thru. 

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You shouldn't need anything extra. That's quite a rig you have setup. I had to do 4-5 with just a piece of aluminum pipe with that slot cut in it. When you put it is put the spring with the internal guide in a vise and squeeze it way down and then safety wire it in that position. Once installed and secured just cut the safety wire and pull it out.

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I don't think I will need to do that pre-compressing thing, my set up allows me to compress the spring and go hands free. I'm chomping at the bit to remove my horizontal but by the time I was home from chores, it was 41 degrees, and I just could not force myself to go. Sitting at home in front of my fireplace, ha ha. It'll be warmer here tomorrow and I'll make more progress. 

 

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Removed the horizontal yesterday and it looks like Roger was right once again!!! I had not noticed but the rod end that connects the elevator cable had a very light coat of rust! One of the 2 trim tab actuators has a very tight rod end (I'm betting it is totally dry inside). The full width trim tab (not sure if they have another name for it) is fairly hard to move. And, yesterday I got the iNox MX3 that Roger recommended. I got the non-spray with a drip needle, think that makes the best sense (to avoid getting lanolin on the structure). I drilled a hole thru a 1x4 about 30 inches long and and mounted it as a counter balance for the counter balance, ha ha. 

So, my plan is to clean and lube everything (I'll have to peal off the nylon tape to get to the trim tab hinges) but I have new tape. And, as I reconnect things I will check for binding each time. I will also lube the connections in the cockpit. I will have to do one more final post here to confirm.

But, Roger or anyone who has removed the horizontal tail: What the heck is that extra ball joint for? I removed it from the control arm and it fell out, ha ha. Is this just a spare ball joint? Nice of them, ha ha.

Evening update: I cleaned the spring assembly in acetone and then I re-lubed it with the iNox. When I re-lubed the ball joint, I was amazed. It had been very stiff, it now tilts and rotates MUCH freer. I don't think all the moving parts in the tail have been lubed in many years!  

And, by the way Roger - I also decided to safety wire the spring assembly together, thought about trying to thread the rod end post into the control arm and decided it would be worth giving the wiring a try. It's gonna be real fun getting the wire back off the assembly, but,  say la vie!

Again Roger, thank you for your great help so many times on this forum!!! 

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Still had the binding when I hooked up the elevator cable rod end to the bell crank again! There is a spherical bearing at the rear cable mount bracket. It will not swivel at all. I lubed it with the iNox, but no luck. I also noticed that the cable rod end is not lined up well with the hole in the bell crank. When I force the rod end down during connection, that is when the binding happens. I did a little search (because the parts manual says it is a GE 12 E bearing, and I found it pretty cheap on eBay and bought it (SKF GE 12 E made in Germany). 

In a bit I will go back out to my hangar and try to disconnect the front and rear cable mount brackets and see if I can move the whole cable assembly back far enough to get to the rear cable mount bracket assembly and work on it (free up the spherical bearing or remove it). 

Anybody had this issue?

Anybody move the whole elevator cable assembly back?

 

 

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