EFWD Build

[efwd]

Well, I have a good dimmer then. Dim first then bright. That's a first. Problem with LED lights is that they don't dim to off. There is a certain level of energy required to get them lit and honestly minimum intensity is not that dim. My Pic earlier was full on with a 9volt battery as the power source.

[David47]

This turnbuckle thing keeps coming up year after year and IMHO it seems like extra work for reasons that don't make much sense to me. If it floats your boat and you are cool with it then it certainly doesn't hurt anything. Cable tension is set ONLY by the springs on the rudder pedals, ......

So if I'd paid a bit more attention to looking at, and thinking about the cable system, I would have seen this. Thanks Jim and Phil for your comments - totally agree. A mea culpa

[efwd]

When you hook up the spring/chain to the rudder horns, what is a "normal" tension? With the rudder neutral, do I leave a link of slack or do I pull some load into the spring? The manual mentions adjusting it to your liking depending on what kind of ground handling I prefer? Maybe I recall it incorrectly.
Eddie

[jiott]

Eddie, Here is the best instructional video I have seen for tailwheel steering chain/spring adjustment: www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtokU8mIDQk

Too loose and the steering is sloppy. Too tight and it binds up the free castering detent.

[jrevens]

I like a little bit of spring tension with my Matco tailwheel, but that's just me Eddie.. it still "breaks" to free- castering easily. I also prefer "compression" to "tension" springs. Keep in mind that the tension on the springs will relax some as the airplane is loaded and the tail spring flexes

[efwd]

Thank you gentlemen.
I had seen that video awhile back and forgot about it, Thanks
Eddie

[efwd]

Well, we have all seen the pool noodles on some of our Kitfoxes flapperons. After walking around wings for weeks it only took about 5 days after installing the flapperons to do this. Damn, not deep enough to scar. Those are always fun to recall forever how we got em. Off to get noodles Tomorrow. Heads up Carl.
Eddie

[mr bill]

Been there, done that several times, some worse than others. Fortunately, I heal well.

[jrevens]

Man, that must have really hurt... to bend your neck 90 deg. sideways like that!!

Seriously, me too... I've done that a few times (quite a few!).

[PapuaPilot]

Ouch! That must have hurt.

BTW I also put a short piece of noodle on the corners of the doors during maintenance. Those corners are just waiting to get you.