[Greg Arehart]

I started noticing a bit of slop in the elevator portion of my stick. This is after about 500 hours on the airplane. Not much, but certainly noticeable. No slop in the copilot side (other than a very tiny bit because of the removable stick). Doing the annual, I traced it to the bushing/stick interface under the pilot seat - there is slight play between the stick tube and the brass bushing that translates into a bit of slop in the top of the stick. All of the bellcranks etc. are fine and very tight (no slop).

So, I'm wondering if others have experienced this and, if so, what was the fix? The obvious is to replace the bushing and/or the pilot side stick. I would expect that the bushing should wear before the steel stick, but?

Thanks for any insights.

Greg

 

[rich]

STICK SLOP

Greg,
I have noticed the same thing and came to the same conclusion.
Will replace the bushing next annual in Oct.

 

[BillL]

Yep - comes that way

Most likely it came that way. I ordered a new stick and bushing as it appeared to be a builder error. Not so - the hole is drilled, not reamed . My first one was .390" diameter and not round. The replacement was still sloppy and I made a new bushing from scratch. I have seen where others use shim stock, if it is round, not tapered etc, then try feeler gages, it is cheaper than hunting around for appropriate stock.

Actually, a slightly oversize piloted reamer and new, cylindrical, bushing would be the "engineering" fix. However, I took the path as follows. (too cheap to buy another one time use reamer)

Finally, you can custom make a bushing, cut the center is undersize and the ends (last 1/2") is the slightly larger than the desired diameter, like a dumbbell. You can fit the ends, and if like mine, each end is a little different. I did this and it is no slop and free moving. Don't make it too tight as a little swelling may occur in tightening (not torquing) the pivot bolt. ( yes I did that).

Your dimensions may dictate your path.

Good luck