Correct pulleys?

[PA1195]

I'm wanting to replace some worn cockpit pulleys in my 1941 Taylorcraft. There's two sizes...large and small, and the parts info PDF I've looked at shows an A-228 large and A-229 small. Wag-Aero advertises large and small pulleys for a Taylorcraft, but there seems to be a question about their size being correct. Any help on what I'm looking for would be great, like part numbers and size info.

Gary

[woodmw]

Re: Correct pulleys?

Search:

doug pulleys

[PA1195]

Re: Correct pulleys?

Search:

doug pulleys

Thanks for the suggestion. Lots of info. I'll need to get dimensions from Wag Aero to see what they're selling, and contact other vendors as well.

Gary

[PA1195]

Re: Correct pulleys?

Here's the reply from the good folks at Wag Aero regarding the pulleys they have listed for the Taylorcraft:

"Gary,

The 4227 large pulley is SAR # 4227-1. The OD is 3", the hole in the middle
is 3/8, the groove for the cable is 1/4", the outside edge to the hole in
the middle is 1 1/2". The Ralmark p/n is 82927 and it is made of phenolic
material.

The 4228 small pulley is SAR# 4228-1. The OD is 1 3/4", the hole in the
middle is 3/8", the groove for the cable is 1/4", the outside edge to the
hole in the middle is 3/4". The Ralmark p/n is SAR 4228-1 and it is made of
phenolic material.

I believe these are for the Aeronca aircraft not the T craft.

If you have any further questions, please let me know."

?????

Gary

[cvavon]

Re: Correct pulleys?

Get the sealed roller bearing from the Luscombe guy they are pma and a direct replacement for the originals
.call him at 480 650 0883 or WWW.luscombesilvaire.info.To replace all of the pulleys you need 10 of the 3 in and 6of the 1 3/4 in when i bought them in 2012 they cost about $430.00 for the 16 pulleys.You won't be disappointed they make the controls SOOOOOO smooth.

[M Towsley]

Re: Correct pulleys?

The sealed bearing pulleys are fantastic and well worth the money. Check to see exactly how many you need of each as my numbers and Chuck's numbers weren't the same.

[PA1195]

Re: Correct pulleys?

Thank you everyone for the helpful replies. I'll pursue the suggested vendors. I can feel the wire grooves when rotating the pulleys and they have lots of side play. Time to renew them.

Gary

[M Towsley]

Re: Correct pulleys?

One other benefit, Gary, of the sealed bearing pulleys is no more lubrication required.

[astjp2]

Re: Correct pulleys?

The pulley is 1/4" thick for a 1/8" cable, uses a #10 bolt. The new ones are made by Ralmark. The new pulleys have ball bearings and not bushings, making for a real smooth cable system. I would also recommend that you get your yoke shafts rechromed and new phenolic bushings for those. I have pressed in bearings for some people and that was so much better than the bushings, but they still had cable wear in the grooves. My controls feel like a newer Cessna with these parts. tim

Here's the reply from the good folks at Wag Aero regarding the pulleys they have listed for the Taylorcraft:

"Gary,

The 4227 large pulley is SAR # 4227-1. The OD is 3", the hole in the middle
is 3/8, the groove for the cable is 1/4", the outside edge to the hole in
the middle is 1 1/2". The Ralmark p/n is 82927 and it is made of phenolic
material.

The 4228 small pulley is SAR# 4228-1. The OD is 1 3/4", the hole in the
middle is 3/8", the groove for the cable is 1/4", the outside edge to the
hole in the middle is 3/4". The Ralmark p/n is SAR 4228-1 and it is made of
phenolic material.

I believe these are for the Aeronca aircraft not the T craft.

If you have any further questions, please let me know."

?????

Gary

[PA1195]

Re: Correct pulleys?

The pulley is 1/4" thick for a 1/8" cable, uses a #10 bolt. The new ones are made by Ralmark. The new pulleys have ball bearings and not bushings, making for a real smooth cable system. I would also recommend that you get your yoke shafts rechromed and new phenolic bushings for those. I have pressed in bearings for some people and that was so much better than the bushings, but they still had cable wear in the grooves. My controls feel like a newer Cessna with these parts. tim

This is very useful info Tim...thank you. I need to order a set as soon as I get the floats on, some fabric patching done, and that paid for. The yoke shafts look good as far as chrome. I cleaned them and noted no flaking spots. They ride though UHMW or P-Tex blocks, the stuff we skin skis with. I lubed them lightly with Dow DC-4 and they seem ok.

The chain and sprockets were cleaned, inspected, and lubed...still looked tight and serviceable w/o lots of wear. Same for the universal joints and general tightness of the assembly.

But the pulleys (mainly the large ones in the cockpit) are worn as evidenced buy the turnbuckles being quite short to take up slack. Those from the chain to aileron assembly in the upper rear cockpit are still the original woven ends. Amazingly no frayed strands were found so far. It'll be a work in progress I'm sure.

Gary

[astjp2]

Re: Correct pulleys?

I have phenolic if you decide to go away from the Ptex, I don't lube it either, it was sticky with lube but smooth when dry. It was weird. My original yoke shafts were worn so bad that you could see the actual bare steel, copper, nickel as it got to the chrome. There are 16 pulleys total, for around $500 (high estimate). I would also get new cables that go from the chain to the other chain on the H-column with swaged ends instead of Nicropress ends, the Nicropress rubs on the H-column. Cost from Spruce is like $40 for both cables and you can get them with the AN100 sprocket ends so all you do is undo the clip for the chain, back out the turnbuckle and install the new cable. Take this from experience, any other cable can use a nicropress except that one unless you are willing to accept the rubbing. Tim

[PA1195]

Re: Correct pulleys?

I have phenolic if you decide to go away from the Ptex, I don't lube it either, it was sticky with lube but smooth when dry. It was weird. My original yoke shafts were worn so bad that you could see the actual bare steel, copper, nickel as it got to the chrome. There are 16 pulleys total, for around $500 (high estimate). I would also get new cables that go from the chain to the other chain on the H-column with swaged ends instead of Nicropress ends, the Nicropress rubs on the H-column. Cost from Spruce is like $40 for both cables and you can get them with the AN100 sprocket ends so all you do is undo the clip for the chain, back out the turnbuckle and install the new cable. Take this from experience, any other cable can use a nicropress except that one unless you are willing to accept the rubbing. Tim

It would help if you could link an A Spruce P/N for the suggested cables. Then I can go talk to my I/A and suggest the upgrade. I assume the rest of the cabling if found defective at some point can be replaced after the new pulleys are installed with common materials. It may be late Fall before that happens when the plane is returned to wheels or skis.

If not already done somewhere maybe a quick drawing showing suggested P/N and source for the pulleys and new cables would help? I have the PDF prints for the cabling but that's for OEM Taylorcraft parts. Not being an A&P means it's somewhat of a mystery yet to me. I can now see that any suggestions I can provide my maintenance folks that's Taylorcraft specific will help them deal with upkeep. Most mainly work on Pipers and some Cessnas.

Gary

[astjp2]

Re: Correct pulleys?

Pulleys can be bought from Doug Combs from the Luscombe foundation or society, they are around $25ish each. Call him and ask for however many of each you want. The only 2 hard ones to change are the two small ones in the tail. I also installed every pulley with bolts and nuts that require cotterpins I also spaced the pulleys with a AN960-1032L washers where necessary..Cables need to be measured then spruce builds them to specs. Each airplane is a little different for cable lengths, a knowledgeable A&P can remove said cables and measure them up, get the turnbuckle thread size, thread orientation, and get them on order. Tim

[PA1195]

Re: Correct pulleys?

Pulleys can be bought from Doug Combs from the Luscombe foundation or society, they are around $25ish each. Call him and ask for however many of each you want. The only 2 hard ones to change are the two small ones in the tail. I also installed every pulley with bolts and nuts that require cotterpins I also spaced the pulleys with a AN960-1032L washers where necessary..Cables need to be measured then spruce builds them to specs. Each airplane is a little different for cable lengths, a knowledgeable A&P can remove said cables and measure them up, get the turnbuckle thread size, thread orientation, and get them on order. Tim

Thanks Tim. I'll call after payday and get the pulleys coming, and note the cables on the chains to I/A for inspection and order. Probably a pre-winter project as I have float work remaining this summer.

Gary

[PA1195]

Re: Correct pulleys?

Thanks Tim. I'll call after payday and get the pulleys coming, and note the cables on the chains to I/A for inspection and order. Probably a pre-winter project as I have float work remaining this summer.

Gary

Gee time flies, or is it flys?...finally ordered the complete set of replacement pulleys today from Doug as my Christmas gift. Nice fellow and very helpful. Maybe Santa can drop them down the chimney for Christmas...wiil make sure the fire is out beforehand.

Tim mentioned spacing them with washers. I'll have to see what room there is for that.

If I pre-buy replacement hardware spec'd by Taylorcraft in the fuselage prints will they fit/be long enough, or have those that installed the new pulleys had to adjust for actual pulley width as installed?

Gary