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Tosten Grip Interference with Panel Fix (I think)

Mark Dickens

Mark Dickens

Well Known Member
Patron
I know this came up a few years ago, but I just wanted to put this out there for any others who have installed a Tosten grip on the RV-14 and found that due to the forward tilt of the grip full forward throw wasn't available. I have one military style grip and one CS-8 and both slightly touch the panel and switches at full forward throw. Kevin has an offset bushing available that tilts the grip back 17 degrees and eliminates (at least that's what I was assured) the problem. $25.00 + shipping (at the time of this post) each and in my opinion well worth the price. If you order one, put "offset bushing for RV-whatever" in the comments....I haven't received mine yet and once I do, I'll post a photo.
 
On my -10 I bought the Tosten offset bushing but it still didn't give me what i wanted.

I ended up buying a decent tube bender at Northern Tool (capable of bending steel tube) and tightened the arc of the control sticks just a bit. Doesn't take much and you will get the clearance you need.

David
 
DCBrown198 said:
On my -10 I bought the Tosten offset bushing but it still didn't give me what i wanted.

I ended up buying a decent tube bender at Northern Tool (capable of bending steel tube) and tightened the arc of the control sticks just a bit. Doesn't take much and you will get the clearance you need.

David
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He said that this issue was a particular issue for the -10...I hope it works better for the -14...I guess we'll see!
 
Mark Dickens said:
I know this came up a few years ago, but I just wanted to put this out there for any others who have installed a Tosten grip on the RV-14 and found that due to the forward tilt of the grip full forward throw wasn't available. I have one military style grip and one CS-8 and both slightly touch the panel and switches at full forward throw. Kevin has an offset bushing available that tilts the grip back 17 degrees and eliminates (at least that's what I was assured) the problem. $25.00 + shipping (at the time of this post) each and in my opinion well worth the price. If you order one, put "offset bushing for RV-whatever" in the comments....I haven't received mine yet and once I do, I'll post a photo.
Click to expand...
Wait until your controls are rigged. A buddy first thought he would have interference only to learn after making changes they were unnecessary. I watched him thrash and didn’t make any changes to mine and everything is fine. 🤗
 
I had already rigged the controls and the stick grips barely touch the panel switches now, but if you push the stick a little they interfere. The stick interferes with the heater controls more, so I'm hoping these bushings work
 
Mark Dickens said:
I had already rigged the controls and the stick grips barely touch the panel switches now, but if you push the stick a little they interfere. The stick interferes with the heater controls more, so I'm hoping these bushings work
Click to expand...
Are your wings on? My buddy’s stick hit the heater controls initially, so he replaced them with shorter ones. Not even close to his or mine after everything was finally and properly rigged. YMMV
 
Mark,

I had the same problem/concern. In addition, I used fairly robust toggle switches for my e-mag/mag which made the problem worse. On the advice of many on this board, I waited to panic until the wings were on and I was doing final rigging. I also ordered the angled bushings in the event I still had an issue. In the end, after rigging, my sticks clear by roughly 3/8".

Note: I shorted the stick before it was ever installed. How much? I'm not sure, but I cut it so that the tail of the grip would barely fit before having to "go around the corner" of the stick.

Hope that helps.
 
MED said:
Are your wings on? My buddy’s stick hit the heater controls initially, so he replaced them with shorter ones. Not even close to his or mine after everything was finally and properly rigged. YMMV
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Wings are on. I'm going to add the bushings and if that doesn't solve the problem, I'll look at shortening the sticks
 
Mark Dickens said:
I know this came up a few years ago, but I just wanted to put this out there for any others who have installed a Tosten grip on the RV-14 and found that due to the forward tilt of the grip full forward throw wasn't available. I have one military style grip and one CS-8 and both slightly touch the panel and switches at full forward throw. Kevin has an offset bushing available that tilts the grip back 17 degrees and eliminates (at least that's what I was assured) the problem. $25.00 + shipping (at the time of this post) each and in my opinion well worth the price. If you order one, put "offset bushing for RV-whatever" in the comments....I haven't received mine yet and once I do, I'll post a photo.
Click to expand...
I used a tube bender to reshape the stick a little bit. I was able to eliminate the interference with all panel switches, and the heater controls just barely interfere when fully extended. The RV-14 has so much heat, that the heater knobs are never fully extended so it's not a problem.
 
To close this out, I received the bushings and they did the trick. I now have about 1/2" clearance from the toggle switches on my panel. Frankly, I think that anyone ordering a stick from Tosten should just go ahead and have him substitute the angled bushing for the standard one. It might cost more because he has to outsource the manufacturing of it, but it's worth it in my opinion...
 
Mark Dickens said:
To close this out, I received the bushings and they did the trick. I now have about 1/2" clearance from the toggle switches on my panel. Frankly, I think that anyone ordering a stick from Tosten should just go ahead and have him substitute the angled bushing for the standard one. It might cost more because he has to outsource the manufacturing of it, but it's worth it in my opinion...
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Mark, do you have any pictures you can post?

Thanks.
 
Wish I knew this was an option when I bought my grips. No mention of this online. I ended up cutting my sticks down. Oh well.
 
Mark do you have contact information for Kevin? I haven't done a full rig yet (wings aren't installed) My tosten grips hit the heater knobs at this time.
 
TASEsq said:
I emailed him a week ago requesting these bushings but haven’t heard back. If someone is talking to him, mention there’s a bloke on the other side of the planet who emailed him for a pair!
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Did you send an order? If you do, make sure and put "offset bushing for rv-14" in the comments field...they are (at least when I bought them) $25.00 each + shipping, which in your case would be a bit more than mine. Use the cell phone number instead of emailing
 
Mark Dickens said:
Did you send an order? If you do, make sure and put "offset bushing for rv-14" in the comments field...they are (at least when I bought them) $25.00 each + shipping, which in your case would be a bit more than mine. Use the cell phone number instead of emailing
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What a nice bloke! chatted for ages about his -6.

The answer is to order using the “repair” order form. $25 each as you say.
 
Mark Dickens said:
Here's a photo of the bushing from the side. Kevin says it's a 17 degree tilt.View attachment 100443
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I revived my bushings only a week after ordering them! Awesome.

The only issue is the hole in my stick for the grub screw. I have the pre-wired sticks from tosten - and the hole is on the front side of the stick. This means the bushing angles the grip toward the panel, not away!

Your hole seems to be on the aft (pilot) side of the stick.

I think I have two options:
1. Mark the existing hole in the stick into the opposite side if the bushing, tap drill a new hole and then tap 10-32.

2. Somehow blind drill the stick on the forward side, to match where the threaded hole is on the bushing.

I’m thinking option 1 is going to be more achievable.
 

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TASEsq said:
I revived my bushings only a week after ordering them! Awesome.

The only issue is the hole in my stick for the grub screw. I have the pre-wired sticks from tosten - and the hole is on the front side of the stick. This means the bushing angles the grip toward the panel, not away!

Your hole seems to be on the aft (pilot) side of the stick.

I think I have two options:
1. Mark the existing hole in the stick into the opposite side if the bushing, tap drill a new hole and then tap 10-32.

2. Somehow blind drill the stick on the forward side, to match where the threaded hole is on the bushing.

I’m thinking option 1 is going to be more achievable.
Click to expand...
Yep, because of the angle of the bushing, the set screw has to be aft...and #1 is the way to do it. You don't need to tap the hole. Just drill #12 1/2" down from the top edge of the stick. The bushing is already tapped
 
Mark Dickens said:
Yep, because of the angle of the bushing, the set screw has to be aft...and #1 is the way to do it. You don't need to tap the hole. Just drill #12 1/2" down from the top edge of the stick. The bushing is already tapped
Click to expand...
So you reckon I’ll be able to drill the stick and somehow land the hole in the right spot above the already tapped hole in the bushing?!

I’m not so sure I’m the good! 😇
 
TASEsq said:
So you reckon I’ll be able to drill the stick and somehow land the hole in the right spot above the already tapped hole in the bushing?!

I’m not so sure I’m the good! 😇
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I've done it four times so far. Two for the original bushing and two for the angled bushing. Measure 1/2" down, put a punch mark there, drill a pilot hole with a #40 bit, and finish it with the #12. Easy
 
Mark Dickens said:
I've done it four times so far. Two for the original bushing and two for the angled bushing. Measure 1/2" down, put a punch mark there, drill a pilot hole with a #40 bit, and finish it with the #12. Easy
Click to expand...
A new hole in the stick it is. This is from Kevin:

Because of the angle of the hole if it was drilled in front of the bushing it wouldn’t leave enough material for threads. You will need to drill a hole aft of the stick. Clearance for a 10/32 screw a half inch from the top.
Kevin
Tosten mfg
Click to expand...
 
So I went ahead and drilled the hole in the front of the stick, installed the angled bushing, but the stick is still *majorly* hitting the panel. It’s around 1.5” too tall.

I feel like I’m missing something.

To get it to miss, I would need to remove more than an inch - close to 1.5”. If I cut the top of the stick, the angled bushing is unlikely to fit, as I would be into the curved part of the stick.

That means cutting the bottom off and removing the bases from the fuse to redrill them all over again.

Also, with the grub screw tight, there is fore and aft play in the sticks.
 

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In fact, on one of the sticks I won’t be able to cut it down at the top *at all*. The bushing is already starting to hit when the bend begins in the tube; I can’t get the busing to seat all the way down as it is. Will need to trim the bushing.

These are the sticks I purchased direct from tosten. They seem to be bent identically to the stock vans sticks.
 

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I worked out I needed to move the front of the grip aft by about 1” so traced the stick onto some cardboard and then angled the stick back around the middle of the lower bend radius.

Worked out to be about a 6 degree bend.

I bit the bullet and took the sticks to a local engineering shop who has a hydraulic bender and some 25mm dies. 5 mins and a slab of beer and the job was done. It needed to be bent about 15 degrees and it sprung back to the 6 I needed. We just kept going until it aligned with the template.

It stuffed the powder coating so I’ll need to sand that off and get it done again.

The wobble in the grip went away with the use of a lock nut.
 

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