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Control cables

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wjones(at)brazoriainet.co
Guest

Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 9:22 am Post subject: Control cables

Hello group , I am getting ready to construct my  rudder control cables .Question : Since I am building my cables and will keep  close tolerances is there any need for the expensive turnbuckles .  Thanks

 Wade Jones    South Texas 

601XL  plans building

Cont. 0200

   [quote][b]

steerr(at)bellsouth.net
Guest

Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 9:49 am Post subject: Control cables

How will you maintain the required tension on the cables?  Also, if the 

cables stretch slightly over time, how will you compensate if you don't 

have turnbuckles?



Bill



do not archive

wade jones wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   Hello group , I am getting ready to construct my rudder control cables 

 .Question : Since I am building my cables and will keep close 

 tolerances is there any need for the expensive turnbuckles . Thanks

 Wade Jones    South Texas

 601XL plans building

 Cont. 0200

Jaybannist(at)cs.com
Guest

Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 10:12 am Post subject: Control cables

Wade,



Over time, your cables will stretch.  You need to be able to compensate for that to maintain the proper tension.  You could always build in idler pulleys to do that job, but that introduces a bunch of other problems.  Turnbuckles are the easy way.



Jay in Dallas



"wade jones" <wjones(at)brazoriainet.com> wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		  Hello group , I am getting ready to construct my rudder control cables .Question : Since I am building my cables and will keep close tolerances is there any need for the expensive turnbuckles . Thanks

Wade Jones    South Texas

601XL plans building

Cont. 0200

planejim(at)bellsouth.net
Guest

Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 10:28 am Post subject: Control cables

Wade,

  

 I built a 601HD 11 years ago. I used the pieces  of aluminum extrusion  and various  lengths of 1/4" diameter bolts -  all supplied in the kit, ( to set the tension). I'm an A & P with some  experience and was turned off by this at first. I even had certified A/C  turnbuckles on hand but decided to go with Chris' simple design. It worked fine,  11 years and 550 hours later - no problems. ( You still have to use safety wire  as a precaution).  Remember the cables will "stretch" very little in the  long run, because we will only have about 18 to 20 pounds tension on them  anyway. ( Just take the slack out! ) I've never had to re-adjust mine  yet.

  

 Of course the expensive "store bought"  turnbuckles look nice and certainly will work. But you still have to make the  cables the proper length even with them!

  

 Jim Hoak - 601HD - 912UL - 550 hours

 [quote]   ---

Jeyoung65(at)aol.com
Guest

Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 11:13 am Post subject: Control cables

Jim. I am building a 601 HD and saw the Zenith turnbuckles and  like you rejected them but sounds like they are the way to go. Also, never did  like to safteywire a turnbuckle.  Jerry of GA

  

 DO NOT ARCHIVE



See what's free at AOL.com. 

  [quote][b]

wjones(at)brazoriainet.co
Guest

Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 11:19 am Post subject: Control cables

Thanks Jim ,Jay & Bill for your responses .The  reason I asked this question is because my 48 year old Piper  Tripacer  & my 30 year old Sonerai do not use turnbuckles in this application .Don't  want to sound argumentative but if is OK on a certified aircraft why not on an  experimental .It would be the same amount of work and would save a little  expense.Thanks again and I give all responses consideration .

 Wade Jones    South Texas 

601XL plans building

Cont.  0200

 [quote]   ---

NYTerminat(at)aol.com
Guest

Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 12:10 pm Post subject: Control cables

Wade

  

 Cable stretch and want to be tightened after a while, much easier with  turnbuckles than the flat stock that Zenith uses.

  

 Bob Spudis

  

  

  

 In a message dated 7/5/2007 1:24:23 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  wjones(at)brazoriainet.com writes:

  	  Quote: 	
		     Hello group , I am getting ready to construct my    rudder control cables .Question : Since I am building my cables and will keep    close tolerances is there any need for the expensive turnbuckles .    Thanks

   Wade Jones    South Texas    

601XL plans building

Cont. 0200

	


 

  



See what's free at AOL.com. 

  [quote][b]

VideoFlyer(at)aol.com
Guest

Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 12:17 pm Post subject: Control cables

I'd use the turn buckles...for a number of reasons.   I have made  quite a few cables.....cut them to length...swaged the ends, etc.  I  can get them pretty close to the exact length that I want....but having the  turnbuckle lets you fine tune the tension.  It also lets you fine tune the  position of your stick..or pedals.  For example,  I decided that  I wanted the neutral position of my stick a little further forward than it was  initially.  Somehow, it just felt more comfortable having the stick about  an inch further forward.  With the turnbuckles, it's a snap.  Just be  sure to cut your cables so the turnbuckles are at a midpoint of their adjustment  range to start with.  

  

 Dave

 601XL/Corvair N618PZ 



See what's free at AOL.com. 

  [quote][b]

amyvega2005(at)earthlink.
Guest

Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 4:08 pm Post subject: Control cables

turnbuckle are a requirement in my opinion, as the cable over time is prone to streching.  you need to be able to abjust the tension on the cables to the apropiate foot Lbs.



Juan Vega

--

wjones(at)brazoriainet.co
Guest

Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 4:21 pm Post subject: Control cables

Thanks to all that responded to my control cable issue .Since I always fly  with my feet on the rudder pedals and this controls my cable tension I may  not use turnbuckles on the rudders. Due to the control stick torque tube having  no forward movement control stops and relying on cable tension only to keep  it in place . I think it best to use the turnbuckles on the elevator cables  .Do you guys think this will work out OK .

 Wade Jones    South Texas 

601XL plans building

Cont.  0200

 [quote]   ---

heatonhe36(at)msn.com
Guest

Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 5:16 pm Post subject: Control cables

Wade,



I think you will need turnbuckles on the rudder cables too.  Since the 

rudder pedals are connected to the nose gear strut with pushrods, you will 

have to have some way to balance the tension on the rudder cables.  If the 

cables are loose you can't take the slop out by pushing on the rudder 

pedals.



Herb

[quote]From: "wade jones" <wjones(at)brazoriainet.com>

Reply-To: zenith-list(at)matronics.com

To: <zenith-list(at)matronics.com>

Subject: Re: Control cables

Date: Thu, 5 Jul 2007 19:19:37 -0500



Thanks to all that responded to my control cable issue .Since I always fly 

with my feet on the rudder pedals and this controls my cable tension I may 

not use turnbuckles on the rudders. Due to the control stick torque tube 

having no forward movement control stops and relying on cable tension only 

to keep it in place . I think it best to use the turnbuckles on the 

elevator cables .Do you guys think this will work out OK .

Wade Jones    South Texas

601XL plans building

Cont. 0200

   ---

leinad

Joined: 19 Sep 2006
Posts: 283
Location: Central Virginia

Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 5:36 pm Post subject: Re: Control cables

Wade,

I'm a fellow plans builder and a bit confused by your plan.  Are you doing the standard tri-gear, or will it be a tail dragger?   On the tri-gear the rudder peddles are tied together through the front gear steering linkage, so it seams like feet on the peddles will have little if any effect on rudder cable tension.  My plan is to adjust the tie rod ends on the stearing gear until the rudder peddles are in the neutral  position with the front wheel straight ahead, then adjust the rudder cables to also put the rudder in the neutral position.  I wouldn't want them not to be coordinated.   Maybe you have some other adjustment mechanism in mind??  If you're doing a tail dragger  this may become a mute point.

Dan

XL/Corvair 



 	  Quote: 	
		  Since I always fly with my feet on the rudder pedals and this controls my cable tension I may not use turnbuckles on the rudders. Due to the control stick torque tube having no forward movement control stops and relying on cable tension only to keep it in place . I think it best to use the turnbuckles on the elevator cables .Do you guys think this will work out OK . 

Wade Jones South Texas 

601XL plans building

_________________
Scratch building XL with Corvair Engine

wjones(at)brazoriainet.co
Guest

Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 6:26 pm Post subject: Control cables

Good point Leinad ,I am going the tri-gear route but I was thinking the tail 

gear route .When I fly my Sonerai (tail wheel} I control the tension by my 

feet on the rudder pedals .My Tri-pacer is so easy to fly anything goes 

.Guess I will have to stop being so cheap and buy the turnbuckles ,case 

closed. Do not Archive

Wade Jones    South Texas

601XL plans building

Cont. 0200

---

bryanmmartin

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1018

Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 8:47 pm Post subject: Control cables

Sounds like you're building a tail wheel Zodiac. In that case you might 

not need turnbuckles in the rudder cables. In the nose wheel version, 

foot pressure on the pedals has little effect on the cable tension due 

to the direct connection of the nose wheel steering rods.



wade jones wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   Thanks to all that responded to my control cable issue .Since I always 

 fly with my feet on the rudder pedals and this controls my cable tension 

 I may not use turnbuckles on the rudders. Due to the control stick 

 torque tube having no forward movement control stops and relying on 

 cable tension only to keep it in place . I think it best to use the 

 turnbuckles on the elevator cables .Do you guys think this will work out 

 OK .

 Wade Jones    South Texas

 601XL plans building

 Cont. 0200

 


	


-- 

Bryan Martin

Zenith 601XL N61BM

Ram Subaru, Stratus redrive

Do Not Archive

_________________
--
Bryan Martin
N61BM, CH 601 XL, Stratus Subaru.
do not archive.

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