After installing the stabilator on my 12iS, I feel that it might be binding, and am concerned that I won’t be able to get it properly balanced. During installation, prior to inserting the two pivot bolts but with some temporary “space holders” to keep the bolt holes aligned, the stabilator naturally went trailing edge up (counterweights have not been trimmed). When the bolts were inserted and properly torqued, it stays in whatever position I put it in, although it doesn’t offer much resistance to either up or down travel. Loosening the bolts doesn’t change it. The cables are tensioned to 35# (KAI states 35-45#). Van’s builder support says the bolt torque doesn’t matter since the bearings are not affected by the bolt tightness. They went on to say that they would consider the stabilator to be balanced since it stays wherever it is manually moved, but I’m not so sure. The stick force doesn’t seem excessive. Any thoughts from the RV-12 crowd?
