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Control Stick too high

Aussieflyer

Active Member
Dear builders, today I installed my instrument panel and discovered that the control stick hit the heater controls, the throttle and mixture controls, not to mention the lower panel switches.

I have installed the infinity stick grips and they do fit higher on the stick, however a number of other handle grips also make the stick height higher. I had to cut 2 inches off the sticks today it was a bit risky with all the wiring exposed to the cutting wheel. The other option was to spend hours pulling the stick wires out of the wiring loom.

It is not a real issue just inconvenient. I am just forewarning builders it might be worth delaying the installation of your sticks and wiring until you have your panels and engine controls installed.
 
Stick grip

What you did was about right. I too had to cut the stick down in order to install my grip.







Allan Stern
RV-8A flying
RV-12 in construction
2016 dues paid
 
Cutting sticks

My Rigid tubing cutter made a quick and easy cut on the stick tubing.


Don Broussard

RV 9 Rebuild in Progress
 
With the stick grip ultimately to be used by the build being an unknown, the sticks supplied in the kit are extra long to allow custom fitting.

If the pre-finished sticks available from Tosten are used, they will already be made to final size.

If builders have difficulty fitting a grip to their stick, I believe there is now an alternate shape (moved the upper bend point slightly lower) available that might help.
 
One thing to consider is making the passenger stick just a bit shorter. The pilot should have more leverage then the passenger. I have given control to passengers that were not prepared for the rapid response of the controls. Now, when I release control to someone I am not sure about I always leave my hand lightly on the stick, ready to stop abrupt movements.
 
Is the -14 like the other RV's in that the stick will hit the panel until all the controls are connected?

I cut my stick down so the top of my grip came out the same length as an uncut stick and I couldn't be happier.

Making the stick too short makes for a twitchy and difficult to control aircraft.
 
Sit in the seat and find out where the stick grip needs to be and make the stick go there. Cut/weld, bend, whatever it takes. Different plane, but I have found after three tries, the -8 stick needs a mitered offset (aft) just below the grip to have sufficient length and clear the panel and seat front edge. As mentioned, cutting it off to simply clear the panel low is not good.
 
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With the stick grip ultimately to be used by the build being an unknown, the sticks supplied in the kit are extra long to allow custom fitting.

If the pre-finished sticks available from Tosten are used, they will already be made to final size.

If builders have difficulty fitting a grip to their stick, I believe there is now an alternate shape (moved the upper bend point slightly lower) available that might help.
Scott,
At OSH Mitch said his Tosten sticks were the protypes and were about an inch too tall. Have the Tosten sticks been shortened yet?

Brent
 
If the pre-finished sticks available from Tosten are used, they will already be made to final size.

I did order the pre-finished sticks and I still have the same problem.

However, I was able to reconfigure my switch location so that the stick does not interfere with anything.

It may have something to do with the type of grip you choose. The grip I used was the CS-8 which seems to have more curve than the military style grip (visible in the picture at the top of Tosten's home page). My grip curves back toward the panel quite a bit and I believe that is the issue.

Toggle switches along the bottom of my panel would not be possible with the CS-8 grip on the supplied sticks.
 
The prefinished sticks were meant to have a specific grip. I'm not sure what # it was, or whether Tosten would go ahead and install any grip that a builder chose.
If so it is entirely possible for there to be some interference.
 
I'm a long way from a finish kit, but does it include a Tosten grip and/or stick? Is there a list of things that are not included in the kits, so I will know what I will have to find after-market?
 
I'm a long way from a finish kit, but does it include a Tosten grip and/or stick? Is there a list of things that are not included in the kits, so I will know what I will have to find after-market?

The sticks are kind of a personal thing, so they are not included. Most of what you need to build, will be included and won't keep you from progressing. Instruments, seats, carpet, things that you may want to pick out differently are not included. Although you can order an instrument package from Van's if you like their setup.

Edit, I didn't mean the sticks, I meant the grip. The sticks are included.
 
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