DanH

DanH

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Working on an RV-8 with two near-frozen push-pull cables, the usual overheated green ones from Vans.

Priced McFarlane...$1150 for two cables with no knobs. I like their stuff, but *#@&!

Who is using ACS cables? Any pireps after 500 hours?

Other sources? Push-pull cables are common, and quality is where you find it.
 
I use ACS cables exclusively. Replaced the mix and prop on the RV-8 with them and they were flawless at 300 hours. Have ACS prop on the Rocket - 600 hrs no issues. Same with Hiperbipe... ~250 hrs.
 
I found a company "Custom Control Cables" (cccables.com), and they gave me a really reasonable quote on a cable for manual elevator trim, custom length. But I have not seen it yet, it might be that they are the makers of the green ones? I don't know. Since it is for an elevator trim, I don't mind either way. Worth looking into, anyway.

Yes the McFarlane cables are expensive, but you install them once, and that's it. not having to do that job again is worth a lot to me.
 
I had ACS cables in my Lancair. 425 hours when I recently sold it. Worked great with no issues. I have a set of new cables to match (duplicate shipment). They need the rubber parts replaced with the new silicone parts.

They can be cut down as needed.

Email me at [email protected] for pics or questions. Plus shipping at cost.

Gordon


ACS Prop cable A-750-30-0600 60" Blue vernier new14070
ACS Throttle cable A-800BL-0600 60" Black new15080
ACS Mixture cable A-750-20-0600 60" Red vernier new15980
 
Mcfarlane 👍🏻.
Over 7 years and 1400+ hours. Smooth as silk. Infinitely adjustable. No panel lettering required.

IMG_6692.jpeg
 
We’ve had A-920’s in the RV-3 for 13 years and almost 900 hours of flying now - never a single problem….unlike the green ones in the RV-8 that got replaced several times. Note that the 920’s use a different way to capture the cable housing at each end, so you need to do some custom work on brackets….
 
ACS cables on all three...throttle, prop, mixture. ACS cables were what Van's was shipping (at least for the 6/7), way way way back when I purchased the firewall forward kit. Coming up on 1400 hours, all work fine. Prop and mixture have a vernier/push-pull control on them. The throttle is standard push-pull.
 
Ironflight said:
We’ve had A-920’s in the RV-3 for 13 years and almost 900 hours of flying now - never a single problem….unlike the green ones in the RV-8 that got replaced several times. Note that the 920’s use a different way to capture the cable housing at each end, so you need to do some custom work on brackets….
Click to expand...

ACS A-1550 cables are threaded for 7/16 bulkhead nuts, both ends. No knobs, the RV-8 setup.

Splurged on a new TIG machine. Brackets-R-Us!
 
DanH said:
ACS A-1550 cables are threaded for 7/16 bulkhead nuts, both ends. No knobs, the RV-8 setup.

Splurged on a new TIG machine. Brackets-R-Us!
Click to expand...
Good to know! What I really like about the “nut-less” ones at the quadrant end is that they take up a lot less room, and are easy to work with. But I do like the nuts on the engine ends….

Always a compromise!
 
Stock ACS.
17 years and 900+ hours. Prop cable as installed. Mixture and throttle changed out at about 500 hours, added heat shields where they pass near exhaust (+-2”)
Just checked them and they are still operating as new.
On my set up, it’s less than an hour to change out cables.
 
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Ironflight said:
We’ve had A-920’s in the RV-3 for 13 years and almost 900 hours of flying now - never a single problem….unlike the green ones in the RV-8 that got replaced several times. Note that the 920’s use a different way to capture the cable housing at each end, so you need to do some custom work on brackets….
Click to expand...
How do you 'capture' the housing on an A-920? Some kind of clamp? I can't tell from the picture on ACS.
 
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scsmith said:
How do you 'capture' the housing on an A-920? Some kind of clamp? I can't tell from the picture on ACS.
Click to expand...
There is a smooth metal ferrule swaged on the ends. This ferrule has a machined groove about mid length that is intended to key into a slotted bracket. I use an adel clamp without the cushion to secure the ferrule. At the groove, I use a flat screwdriver to form an indent that keys into the depression and locks it in place. Takes about 10 seconds to make a perfect clamp.
 
scsmith said:
How do you 'capture' the housing on an A-920? Some kind of clamp? I can't tell from the picture on ACS.
Click to expand...
At the quadrant end, I make a three-slot “comb” out of angle that the slots in the cable drop into - then a screw-secured top to keep the cables from jumping out of the slots. At the engine end, ACS actually sells a little bracket to secure the slotted end….but once you see one, you can make your own.
 
Liking this
The green vans one on my prop is intermittent after 2 years. It was frictionless when new and nowhere near any heat source
 
Toobuilder said:
There is a smooth metal ferrule swaged on the ends. This ferrule has a machined groove about mid length that is intended to key into a slotted bracket. I use an adel clamp without the cushion to secure the ferrule. At the groove, I use a flat screwdriver to form an indent that keys into the depression and locks it in place. Takes about 10 seconds to make a perfect clamp.
Click to expand...
Ironflight said:
At the quadrant end, I make a three-slot “comb” out of angle that the slots in the cable drop into - then a screw-secured top to keep the cables from jumping out of the slots. At the engine end, ACS actually sells a little bracket to secure the slotted end….but once you see one, you can make your own.
Click to expand...
Judge me. I have non-aviation, commercial grade (zero temper) aluminum in my aircraft for the reasons stated above. Before anyone #@$s themselves, the associated structure deforms before the cheap aluminum does but feel free to judge me anyway. Will add a pic if I can find one on my phone.

Edit = pix added. No motivation for the control cables to migrate upward especially with such a tight slot; but, I'll run a piece of safety wire over the pair to be extra sure.
Edit2 = SCSmith was typing while I was editing. @S^2, see if the pix answer your questions. Obviously lots of ways to do this. Thought this one was pretty simple/elegant.

control clamp1.jpg

control clamp2.jpg
 
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Ironflight said:
At the quadrant end, I make a three-slot “comb” out of angle that the slots in the cable drop into - then a screw-secured top to keep the cables from jumping out of the slots. At the engine end, ACS actually sells a little bracket to secure the slotted end….but once you see one, you can make your own.
Click to expand...
So I gather that the ferrule has slots cut perpendicular to the axis of the cable, not parallel like a keyway. Your bracket, or comb, is the right thickness and the slot is the right width so that the slots in the ferrule lock into the slot in the bracket. Then you just need something to close your bracket slot so the cable doesn't come out of the slot. Is that correct?
 
I have the ACS cables in my 7 with a quadrant. No issues in just under 800hrs. Still as smooth as when installed and so much less expensive than the others. They have the teflon liner but no covering over the spiral outer sleeve. I am using them again on my under construction 8.
 
scsmith said:
So I gather that the ferrule has slots cut perpendicular to the axis of the cable, not parallel like a keyway. Your bracket, or comb, is the right thickness and the slot is the right width so that the slots in the ferrule lock into the slot in the bracket. Then you just need something to close your bracket slot so the cable doesn't come out of the slot. Is that correct?
Click to expand...
Spruce sells a bracket for locking the end of the cable if you want to pay the price.

Slotted Bracket Control Mount #10465
 
RV7 To Go said:
Spruce sells a bracket for locking the end of the cable if you want to pay the price.

Slotted Bracket Control Mount #10465
Click to expand...
Keep in mind they won’t work/can’t be installed as intended for close spacing without some creativity on the applier’s part.
 
Freemasm said:
Keep in mind they won’t work/can’t be installed as intended for close spacing without some creativity on the applier’s part.
Click to expand...
I think that's how Paul's "comb" works. You can cut the slots pretty close together, as long as the remaining portions are stiff enough to support the cable sheath.
 
scsmith said:
So I gather that the ferrule has slots cut perpendicular to the axis of the cable, not parallel like a keyway. Your bracket, or comb, is the right thickness and the slot is the right width so that the slots in the ferrule lock into the slot in the bracket. Then you just need something to close your bracket slot so the cable doesn't come out of the slot. Is that correct?
Click to expand...
Yes - mine look like FreeMasn’s pictures, but with three cables
 
DanH said:
Working on an RV-8 with two near-frozen push-pull cables, the usual overheated green ones from Vans.
Click to expand...
I've restored push/pull cables by clamping a length of clear hose on the engine side. Fill the hose with penetrating oil, then cap off with an air fitting. Hook the air fitting up to a compression tester, turn it up a few psi and let the oil run out the other end. Obviously you'll need a pan under the other end to collect the oil.
 
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