Sign in to follow this  
Followers 0

Installing elevator and rudder hinge pins

25 posts in this topic

Posted (edited)

Have you struggled with this?  It seems that when you stretch the fabric on the elevator and rudder, it slightly distorts things and makes it hard to get the pins in.  Last week I put those parts back on my Avid and this is what I came up with that made it much easier.  Took an old 3/16" bolt, cut the head off, and tapered the other end.  Drove the tapered end in first, then followed it with the hinge pin.  The taper helped line the hinge parts up, and the hinge pin followed through.  To drive the pins in I used a 2' long piece of 1/4" x 1" strap I had handy.  Held the strap perpendicularly to the pin and pounded on the edge of the strap close to the elevator or rudder.  JImChuk

PS  sorry I put this post in the wrong section. Should have gone into the technical tasks section.  Maybe someone can move it??? 

Photo08223 (2).jpg

Edited by 1avidflyer
4 people like this

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Posted (edited)

Looks like a good place for it to me.  Sounds a lot easier than getting the tubing into, or out of, the hinges.   EDMO 

Edited by EDMO

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Posted (edited)

Good stuff! I am not a fan of that task! Moved over to technical tasks. 

Edited by C5Engineer

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Posted

Great idea! About to need it as I pull and inspect each of my elevator and rudder pins, thanks! We used to call them "drift pins" or "fids" once upon a time.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Posted (edited)

Nick,  You may know this, but writing it for everyone's info:  I have read that some of the original elevator and rudder bushings were made from a "Poly" tubing which is a softer material than Nylon tubing.  I think that Kitfox may have issued a Service Letter on this?   I found wear on my KF2 bushings after only 75 hours of use, and replaced them with Nylon tubing.  This could have been caused by slight misalignment, and I don't know what kind of bushings were in it originally.  I am sure you will check the bushings for wear while you have the tail apart.  I doubt that you will find wear on the pins, but would be interested in hearing what you find.  Are you supposed to lube those pins?  EDMO 

Edited by EDMO
1 person likes this

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Posted

If anyone needs that bushing material let me know. I bought 25ft of it....lifetime supply for about 30 airplanes. It was the smallest roll I could find that was the right OD/ID

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Posted

EDMO, 

Thanks for the info, I didn't know but would have found out!  The pins all look good externally, but the bird is 23 years old so it's worth a peek.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Posted

Just a reminder guys that your rudder cables use this same material in the guides all the way down the fuse. I found mine were clear through at one point and the cable was rubbing on the metal tube. Also these ones are required to be split to get over the cable and they naturally tend to rotate to where the split goes around the cable. The ones right behind the doors have the most load on them due to the angle and are easy to inspect.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Posted (edited)

Just a reminder guys that your rudder cables use this same material in the guides all the way down the fuse. I found mine were clear through at one point and the cable was rubbing on the metal tube. Also these ones are required to be split to get over the cable and they naturally tend to rotate to where the split goes around the cable. The ones right behind the doors have the most load on them due to the angle and are easy to inspect.

One idea on splitting the tubing - cut it on an angle, so the slit will never completely line up with the cable.  My forward ones by the doors got completely worn into on KF2, so on my new build I changed those tubes to 3/4" in order to put thicker Nylon bushings there and to help with the misalignment that most of them have.   If you are replacing the cables, you don't have to split the tubes.  EDMO

Edited by EDMO

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Posted

Is the offer for tubing still open? I am working on my kit (third owner) and have found several pieces missing in the vertical stab and horizontal stab.

Thanks,

Rick

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Posted


Any box/Hardware store carry's it Very cheap stuff

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Posted

Is this nylon tubing like for a water line to the refrigerator. I measured a couple of metal tubes and the OD I would need is close to 5/16 with an ID of 3/16. Does that sound correct?

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Posted

That's exactly the stuff and size I used. 5/16 OD X 3/16 ID

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Posted


Same here 10' piece is a couple bucks

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Posted

Thank you both for the help.

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Posted

Sometimes the pins are very hard to get into the new bushings. I used a tip from a local builder who recommended heating the pin before inserting. Not red hot obviously, but hot enough to soften the bushing to the correct i.d. and conform perfectly to the pin.

2 people like this

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Posted

I am having a problem finding the 5/16 nylon tube with 3/16 ID. Anyone have a source?

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Posted


home depot... just about any hardware store..

I chucked mine up in a drill motor and used some sand paper to take a fraction off the OD so it did not squeeze down so tight when I was trying to put the pins in.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-5-16-in-O-D-x-3-16-in-I-D-x-10-ft-Pre-Cut-Polyethylene-Hose-HKP003-PE004/303132505

I have a bunch of delrin rod that I could turn down on the lather to make bushings with too. 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Posted


Here is a pic of mine any lumber yard/ Hardware store should have it.

0428202041_resized.jpg

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Posted

That's polyethylene tubing. He asked about nylon. They are not the same.  Nylaflow is one type of nylon tubing. Not sure exactly what you are looking for but nylafow is available at wicks and they have 5/16" OD.

 

https://www.wicksaircraft.com/shop/nylaflow-tubing/

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Posted

Hinge pins are 3/16"  or .1875".  This Wicks  5/16"  OD nylaflow  tubing is .242" ID.  JImChuk

SK8201-5/160.2425/16ft$0.89

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Posted

My bad. is nylon what is called for on the hinges? 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Posted

No it is just PE tubing used for swamp coolers and the likes.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Posted (edited)

I have not found Nylon tubing with the correct ID and OD yet. Polyethylene tubing is what is used for refrigerator water line. I didn't think this was going to be such a pain to find

 

Edited by Goldendale-flyer

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Posted

I got a 100' roll from a plastics company a while ago, who needs a couple feet?

 

2 people like this

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!


Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.


Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  
Followers 0