Improved RV-8 Rear Rudder Pedals ?

[F1Boss]

Originally Posted by DaAV8R

Nice job. Can we at least get a picture of the pedals? I installed ground adjustable pedals. Just saying Oh, and you guys are really thinking outside the box if you're going to do transition training in a -3

I caught the RV3 mention too.

I can see it now: a ground controller with an over-grown R/C sort of setup with some really big servos installed in the RV3. The pilot can be over-controlled easily! Great plan! How many libations did you fellas have before coming up with this idea? The normal amount, I would expect....

One favor I might ask: don't do this while I'm spraying in the area, please. I'm looking for towers while on that mission, not errant RV3s controlled from the ground....maybe I'll put a red box around 81D on my nav system so I don't go anywhere near that place.

Just sayin'!

Carry on!
Mark

[gear1]

Here are some photos of the pedals that I built for our RV8:













My wife took a "Pinch Hitter" course a while back. She is small, so her seat in the back is quite tall, resulting in a downward push on the pushrod pedal "buttons" making it hard to feel the pressure While practicing taxi from the back seat with the "button" type rear rudder pedals, she pushed hard to stop a turn, and the pedal shaft broke! So we built these pedals for her. They are installed in the rear seat foot well, using plastic clip-type grommets as a pivot point. The pedals are easily removable by sliding the outboard pivot pin inwards to release the pedal. The pedal and pushrod assemblies weigh 11 ounces each.

If you are interested in having a similar set made, I can supply the drawings.

Hopefully this is useful!

[humptybump]

Craig - how is the pivot portion fastened in the footwell?

[Ron RV8]

Drawings would be wonderful...

Would it be possible to post em online?

Thanks

[gear1]

Glenn,

The rudder pedal pivots are 1/4" nylon snap grommets which accept the 1/4" studs projecting from thr bottom tube of the rudder pedal. The outboard pivots are mounted in an aluminum plug that slides in the bottom tube. This in turn is held in the extended position by a spring. The overhead shot of the pedal shows the spring. The knob used to retract the outboard pivot is simply a 1/4" bolt threaded into the aluminum plug.

The pivots carry only a very light load, as the rudder force is taken at the top of the pedal at the point the force is applied.

The force is applied to the front rudder levers just below the pedal pivot through a -10 Clevis.

Hopefully I have answered your question, Glenn!

[Special Delivery]

Craig,

Elegant solution!

[scsmith]

These look great. Very clever. How close does the link rod come to the gear tower? I thought that would be a problem when I was considering similar.

Also, it looks like the pedal can not swing forward very far without hitting the front edge of the foot well.

It might not be too difficult to add a brake pedal to the top of the pedal, with a second link rod to the forward pedal at the same height above the pivot.

Do please post some drawings.

[gear1]

Ron and Steve,

I have not discovered how to post the drawings with sufficient size to be readable on VAF. So what I have done is created PDF files of the individual parts and assemblies that can be e-mailed.

If you can send me e-mail addresses that I can send the drawings to, I will be happy to send them.

Steve: The clearance to the gear tower is about 3/8". It comes very close to the triangular seat support at the forward side of the seat.

Ernie: Thank you for your kind words!

[scsmith]

I sent you a private message with my email, thanks Craig,

[bjconst]

I like the look of these rear pedals and would also like a set of drawings please. My e-mail is, bjconst@geneseo.net
Thank You, Bob Johnson