9A question on elevator horns

[MrNomad]

We're building a 9A and have a question.

Right now we're attaching the elevators to the horizontal stabilizer. To operate the elevators, a long tube runs thru the fuse. That tube has a bearing on both ends. At the tail, it attaches to the end of the two elevator horns. That's how the elevators operate.

Great so far.

The plan calls for an AN3-10A and no shims between the horns and the bearing at the end of the tube. The gap we have between the horns is much too wide to install an AN3-10A and no shims.

Please look at the attached picture & comment.


http://www.arizonaairparks.com/horn

Barry
Tucson

 

[ge9a]

Barry:

I'm not at home so I can't check the drawings, so this is from memory, but I am 99% sure the plans call for a shims. I didn't use washers - I cut shims from tubing, I believe.

Look around on the drawings. I'd bet you'll find the note or something that calls for shims to be fabricated. I know every time I look for something, it takes me a while to find it!

 

[MrNomad]

Reread, reread....

Barry:

I'm not at home so I can't check the drawings, so this is from memory, but I am 99% sure the plans call for a shims. I didn't use washers - I cut shims from tubing, I believe.

Look around on the drawings. I'd bet you'll find the note or something that calls for shims to be fabricated. I know every time I look for something, it takes me a while to find it!

Thanks, you're right. I read that page a million times and missed it. Sorry to bother you.

Barry

 

[victor]

I think you will find the plans calls out washers as needed, probably 2 to 3 on each side of bearing, and bolt torqued properly. That bolt holds both halves of elevator in alignment, and needs to have the horns parallel for proper fit. The extra diameter of the steel washers carries the compression better than aluminum tubing shims.

 

[Robert M]

The plan calls for an AN3-10A and no shims between the horns and the bearing at the end of the tube. The gap we have between the horns is much too wide to install an AN3-10A and no shims.

Please look at the attached picture & comment.


Barry
Tucson

Hello Barry!
I was looking at my preview plans for the RV-9 (not as far along as you) and mine shows the use of an AN3-12A bolt at both rotation points, (the hinge for the elevators and the push rod connection point). Also, on Drawing number 27A, there is mention of using washers as spacers. "(Use washers as req'd to make spacers from AT6-058X5/16 to center and fill space between rod-end and elevator horns)".

Hope this is what your'e looking for.

 

[captainron]

The rear spar appears to be notched at the top, and not at the bottom. The HS isn't installed upside-down, is it?

 

[MrNomad]

We used round, solid, 3/4 stock for spacers

Hello Barry!
I was looking at my preview plans for the RV-9 (not as far along as you) and mine shows the use of an AN3-12A bolt at both rotation points, (the hinge for the elevators and the push rod connection point). Also, on Drawing number 27A, there is mention of using washers as spacers. "(Use washers as req'd to make spacers from AT6-058X5/16 to center and fill space between rod-end and elevator horns)".
Hope this is what your'e looking for.

Thanks Robert, but my plans DO NOT MENTION AT6-058X5/16 spacers. When I called Vans they said it was on sheet 27A too, but it "ain't".

Given the small face that spacer material would present against the horn(s), we instead took a piece of round, solid, 3/4 stock, drilled it, sliced off what we needed for spacers on both sides of the center bearing, and installed it.

It worked perfectly. Even if the AN3-12A (my plans call for a 10A) were to loosen, the larger face of the stock would preclude any rocking motion between the two horns.

If you don't have solid stock, glue some washers together to achieve the larger face to bear against the horns.

Thanks again for your help. If not for this website, I doubt many of us would get these planes in the air. Now, all that's left for our 9A is the windscreen, paint, FAA process, then bye bye Mother Earth.

Barry
Tucson