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Rudder cable guides missing

bbaggerman

Active Member
I am a relatively new owner of a Synergy built RV-12 N233VA Serial Num 12007. The airframe has about 1350 hours on it. After accomplishing SB-00053 I was inspecting control cables in the tail. To me operating the rudder pedals created more scraping noise than I thought was normal.

Upon inspection I found that there was no plastic insert (SB750-10) in either the left or right side rudder cable supports F-1238L and F-1238R. I found no evidence that SB750-10 was ever installed. They were not hanging on the rudder cable anywhere and they were not laying on the bottom of the tail cone. Also, the plastic sleeve protecting the rudder cable in this area was worn all the way through so that the rudder cable was rubbing directly against the F1238 support. It is clear that the cable has been rubbing a long time.

It is hard to believe these just fell out and disappeared but I could be wrong. Has anyone else had any issues with these plastic guides for the rudder cable? If you didn't build your -12 it may be worth a one time inspection. It is pretty easy to see this area with the top tail cone cover off.

Of course I plan on installing SB750-10. The bigger problem is replacing the 10" plastic sleeve in this area. It is worn all the way through. The rudder cable itself looks to be in good shape. I am not the builder so I am unfamiliar with this assembly. Can the rudder cable be disassembled to allow replacing this sleeve near the tail or will it require a new set of factory built rudder cables?
 

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If I remember correctly, the only way to get that 10" plastic tube on is from the cockpit-side of the cable.. It will take some time, but its pretty straightforward..

All you should need is a basic imperial ratchet and wrench set, #2 philipshead screw driver. To do it right, I believe you'll need to pull the cables back into the tailcone, put the snap bushings and 10" plastic tubing on, then thread the cables back to the front and re-attach to the rudder pedal assembly.

I don't believe you can get the tubing over the fork-end (end attaching to the rudder) of the cables.
 
Has anyone else had any issues with these plastic guides for the rudder cable? If you didn't build your -12 it may be worth a one time inspection. It is pretty easy to see this area with the top tail cone cover off.

Not a big surprise... A friend had Synergy build his RV-12 and build quality was extremely poor. Prop hub bolts not torqued and prop hub destroyed @ 40TT. Lots of other problems attributable to shoddy workmanship. You might want to look things over a little bit....
 
of course there is an easier way to get them in (there always is): Just cut a slit in the cable guide and slide it over the installed cable, push it in the hole - done. Turn the guide if you like, so that the slit doesn't sit there where the cable goes - just for certainty.
 
here's my plans excerpt...i think these are one piece cables...did we use a little heat to get them over the fat ends? I can't remember. I seem to recall that most did this early tho. i think it was easier to get the sleeve over the skinny ends.
 

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anyone get a rough sound when moving the rudder with both feet on the pedals? I cant tell if its the normal sound of the cable going thru the SB-750's or not.
 
conjecture

I had been concerned about the sounds associated with rudder swinging (either by hand or by the pedals).
So, after removing the stabilator during the ongoing Condition Inspection (to address SB 16-08-01), took a good look in the aft tailcone to try to figure out the reason for the rudder noise.
After spray lubing the plastic sleeve & snap bushing there's no more noise.
I can envision that maybe the F-1238 SNAP BUSHING BRACKET is "played like a cheap violin" when the rudder cable plastic sleeve is drawn back & forth ?
 
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