Rod ends difficult to thread into nutplates

So last night I rolled and riveted the leading edge of my rudder. I really wanted to pull down the vertical stab and temporarily assemble the two together, so that I could stand there, flap the rudder around, and grin like a madman. But it was 11:30, and my helper had abdicated for the evening.

As a kind of consolation prize, I decided to at least thread in the rod ends as a gesture of sorts. I was surprised when I threaded in the lower one...it went in a few turns and then bound up pretty tight. So I moved on to the other two, and got the same results; a few turns in, and then things get really tight.

Having had some bad experiences in the past that resulted from strong-arming threaded fasteners, I left things alone and quit for the evening. Well, almost...I had this horrible fantasy that there were two similar, but not identical, types of nutplates in the kit, and that I'd installed the wrong ones and thus done a real number on my rudder. A quick look at the parts list disavowed me of that notion. Whew!

As an experiment this morning, during some downtime at work, I strolled out to the garage, pulled out a spare K1000-6 nutplate and a rod end, and tried to thread the two together. Same result, a couple of turns and binding. (I had thought that maybe, somehow, assembling things might have deformed the nutplates a bit. Another kind of wild idea, but these are the things that go through my head)

So...has anyone else run into this? Is this expected? Do I need to run a tap through the nutplate or something? (I don't really like that thought, since it would likely end with bits of metal floating around in my rudder)

I know I don't really need to worry about these things for some time, but it would certainly help my peace of mind.

Don't run a tap through them!

Use some lubrication...I like the liquid Boelube...and it should go much easier (but they're still tight...and *should*be).

ETA: and get a good rod end tool. Someone here will post a link to one at Avery or ACS or someplace shortly, I'd expect.

They are supposed to get tight.

Nut plates are a locking device.

http://www.averytools.com/prodinfo.asp?number=408

You can make the tool above out of pvc pipe too (thick wall). That's what I did, I had to remake the tool a couple times because it wasn't strong enough but it was free and it did work.

OK, thanks all. I have this sort of persistent fear that something's going to happen to horribly hamstring this crazy undertaking, so I maybe worry a bit too much when something apparently minor like this pops up. Plus I didn't want to just strong-arm anything without being sure I wasn't making a mistake. Thanks for the reassurances.

N546RV said:

Plus I didn't want to just strong-arm anything without being sure I wasn't making a mistake.

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That is very wise! I learned that lesson the hard way a couple of times.

dmaib said:

That is very wise! I learned that lesson the hard way a couple of times.

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Most notably, I learned that lesson one time while trying to replace the belt tensioner pulley on my Camaro. (this happened at about 11PM in a bank drive-thru in the pouring rain, by the way) The bolt that held the pulley in place was also used to loosen the tensioner while installing/removing the belt. So it seemed logical that removal of the bolt would be the opposite direction one would twist to loosen the tensioner. (which would have made it reverse threaded) So I put the wrench on and proceeded to pull...harder...with all my might and body weight...no movement. Huh, maybe it's not reverse-threaded after all. So I reverse the ratchet, and this time with a little force I feel it move a touch. Hooray, it's loosening!

A little more force, and the bolt comes out...along with a big pile of aluminum shavings. Yep, I'd just reamed the hole out using the bolt. So I ended up having to replace the entire tensioner assembly. It wasn't that expensive, but for some unknown reason GM decided that this tensioner assembly should have coolant running through it, so I got to break a couple of crappy plastic "quick disconnect" fittings, and then figure out how to fix that as well.

They definitely are supposed to be tight. Here's an inexpensive rod end tool

I made a tool out of a socket and cut a slot with a cutoff wheel. I can't remember the socket size maybe 9/16". You want the socket walls to touch the outer rim of the rod end to not cause damage. I saw this idea somewhere here on VAF. Works great. I use a rachett, Boelube and I go slow. Craftsman sockets are about $4-$5. Oh and you want the 6 point socket.

I got them in this evening. I just took a pair of pliers, padded the jaws with a few layers of blue tape, and used those...being extra careful to only grab the outer edge of the rod end, NOT the bearing. Thus I was able to do a completely useless temporary assembly: