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05-28-2018, 10:47 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Nevada City Ca
Posts: 198
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RV7 Rudder
My RV flies fine except the ball is about 1/2 out of the cage. I have to fly with constant right rudder to keep it straight. Its not a big deal but on long flights my leg gets tired. My Husky has a trim tab to correct the problem and the RV does not. Whats the best way to deal with it ? I don't want to add a trim tab as it will look like ****.
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05-29-2018, 12:23 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Elk Grove, CA
Posts: 411
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Most RVs have a trim tab. Nobody is going to care except you. Some guys have added a trim system to the rudder cable (I don't know the details), others have made a moveable tab with a servo to move it. Do you happen to know Keith at Grass Valley? Maybe he can help. Good luck.
__________________
Mike F
RV-6A wings/fuselage
RV-3 empennage (extra thanks to Mr. Zilik)
RV-4 Plans only S/N 2938
Cessna 152
Elk Grove, CA
VAF #744 Exempt but paid anyway
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05-29-2018, 05:33 AM
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Central IL
Posts: 5,516
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Gear Fairing Alignment is really sensitive!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Robb
My RV flies fine except the ball is about 1/2 out of the cage. I have to fly with constant right rudder to keep it straight. Its not a big deal but on long flights my leg gets tired. My Husky has a trim tab to correct the problem and the RV does not. Whats the best way to deal with it ? I don't want to add a trim tab as it will look like ****.
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I am no expert, but now 18 hrs into Phase I and have been fiddling with the same. I jacked the plane and rechecked all the alignments, wheel pants, gear fairings. I tweaked the gear fairings maybe a 1/32" and the pants were within 1/16" One pant was rotated about it's axle 2 degrees (a lot). It did make a difference, a significant improvement, but still off a tick in cruise. 1/2 ball (G3X) would take two feet on the rudder to correct at 150 kts, so that is a lot.
Full disclosure, I also am progressing with a heavy wing correction, and moved 3 of 4 of the aileron hinges at the same time. I must have neutralized the changes as it still had about the same left heavy, so I don't think it had anything to do with the rudder issue.
In a dark hangar I might just tweak the gear fairings another 1/32" on the TE to avoid a rudder wedge. 
__________________
Bill
RV-7
Lord Kelvin:
“I often say that when you can measure what you are speaking about,
and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when you
cannot measure it, when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge
is of a meager and unsatisfactory kind.”
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05-29-2018, 06:43 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Charlottesville, Virginia
Posts: 1,230
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The manufactured plastic trim tabs painted to match and installled with professional double faced tape is not bad looking.
Trim tabs are very common on RV's.
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Bob Martin
RV-6, 0-360 Hartzell C/S, Tip up, 1200+TT
James extended cowl/plenum, induction, -8VS and Rudder. TSFlightline hoses. Oregon Aero leather seats.
D100-KMD150-660-TT ADI2- AS air/oil seperator. Vetterman exhaust with turndown tips.
Louisa, Virginia KLKU N94TB
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05-29-2018, 06:59 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Kennesaw, Ga
Posts: 825
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The hanger gremlins must of have visited my hanger in the past year. I've been flying my -7 for over 4 years now and the first 3 years I flew it, there was no need for rudder correction in cruise. Over the past year or so I can definitely see a need for about a 1/4 ball of R Rudder. It's very strange.
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Amir
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RV-7
RV-10 - Sold
Supporting VAF since the first visit
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05-29-2018, 07:35 AM
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Join Date: May 2013
Location: Sherman, CT
Posts: 794
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I had the same problem on my -6. I installed rudder return springs on both my -7 and -6 mainly to keep the slack out of the cables. I found that on my -6 that if I used a slightly tighter spring on the right rudder cable it would compensate for the need for right rudder in cruise, sort of a rudder trim. Served the same purpose as an external tab, worked great.
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Jake
RV6 #20477 completed 1991 sold.
RV7 #72018 N767T first flight 11/21/2017 350+ hrs.
IO-360M1B MT 3 blade, Dual AFS 5600 QUICK Panel.
Manual Flaps. (KOXC)Oxford, CT, (0NY0)North Creek, NY.
1941 J3 Cub skis,floats.
2020 dues gladly paid.
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05-29-2018, 09:16 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Peachtree City, Ga
Posts: 1,040
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Rudder tab
Clear silicone will attach a modest tab on your rudder and it can be easily removed.
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Vern Darley
Awarded FAA "The Wright Brothers 'Master Pilot' Award"- for 50 years safe flying
RV-6A N680V / RV-10QB N353RV
Luscombe 8E N2423K 50+years
Hatz Biplane N2423Z soon to be birthed
Falcon RV Squadron Founder
KFFC Hanger D-30
Peachtree City, Ga
770 310-7169
EAA Technical Counselor #5142
EAA Flight Advisor #486336
ATP/CFI/A&P/DAR
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05-29-2018, 11:16 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Navarre, FL
Posts: 385
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vern
Clear silicone will attach a modest tab on your rudder and it can be easily removed.
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Be careful with silicone and aluminum. Acetic acid is released on some types while curing which can lead to corrosion. Easiest way to identify is if it smells like vinegar, don't use it.
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Shane
RV-6 IO-360 Angle valve, G3X touch
Murphy Moose M14P flying
Aero Engineer, A&P
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05-29-2018, 12:04 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Richmond Hill, GA (KLHW)
Posts: 2,189
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Mine was the same. I simply used my hands to tweak the rudder trailing edge very slightly. Took a couple iterations (went too far at first) but it now flies straight in cruise and requires less right rudder in climb. You would not know by looking at it that I did anything.
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Ray
RV-7A - Slider - N495KL - First flt 27 Jan 17
O-360-A4M w/ AFP FM-150 FI, Dual PMags, Vetterman Trombone Exh, SkyTech starter, BandC Alt (PP failed after 226 hrs)
Catto 3 blade NLE, FlightLines Interior, James cowl, plenum & intake, Anti-Splat -14 seat mod and nose gear support
All lines by TSFlightLines (aka Hoser)
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05-31-2018, 08:12 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Nevada City Ca
Posts: 198
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Thanks for the info
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