Tweet
There was a recent discussion about the knurled aileron pins and bushings but cannot locate it now.
I decided to buy six new knurled pins and six new bushings from Univair as Wag-Aero does not seem interested in making the knurled aileron pin. This is too bad as Wag Aero's knurled pins for the elevator/rudder are very reasonably priced.
My order was for six pins at $15.55 ea., (ouch), and bushings at $2.12, (I know I can source locally the bushings but a couple of bucks apiece is easier to deal with than searching locally). Total came out to $106.02 plus shipping, which was cheap at First Class postage. I think I am paying for their knurling machine at that price, and no, there is no one locally to me who does knurling.
The pins are nicely done, the bushings are just a hair long and need to be barely trimmed to fit. The pins fit the bushings until they are installed in the aileron hinge. Once the bushings are installed they need a ream, or in my case a drill bit run-through carefully by hand, to fit the pins perfectly.
I was lucky as the slop was in the bushings rather than the aileron hinge bracket. I was worried as the wrong, (plain) pins were installed way back when at time of restoration by prior owners. (My tail feather pins were the same plain pins when I changed them to knurled ones a couple of years ago). I think the Univair aileron pins may be just a hair larger in diameter than the pins installed in my plane. They are also a bit longer than the ones that had been installed. I will do a quick measurement between old and new next time I am at the hangar.
Anyway, I now have no slop in the ailerons. It is amazing how a little bit of slop shows movement in the control surface. I think the Univair pins are well-done and work well, as long as you can get over the price.
I decided to buy six new knurled pins and six new bushings from Univair as Wag-Aero does not seem interested in making the knurled aileron pin. This is too bad as Wag Aero's knurled pins for the elevator/rudder are very reasonably priced.
My order was for six pins at $15.55 ea., (ouch), and bushings at $2.12, (I know I can source locally the bushings but a couple of bucks apiece is easier to deal with than searching locally). Total came out to $106.02 plus shipping, which was cheap at First Class postage. I think I am paying for their knurling machine at that price, and no, there is no one locally to me who does knurling.
The pins are nicely done, the bushings are just a hair long and need to be barely trimmed to fit. The pins fit the bushings until they are installed in the aileron hinge. Once the bushings are installed they need a ream, or in my case a drill bit run-through carefully by hand, to fit the pins perfectly.
I was lucky as the slop was in the bushings rather than the aileron hinge bracket. I was worried as the wrong, (plain) pins were installed way back when at time of restoration by prior owners. (My tail feather pins were the same plain pins when I changed them to knurled ones a couple of years ago). I think the Univair aileron pins may be just a hair larger in diameter than the pins installed in my plane. They are also a bit longer than the ones that had been installed. I will do a quick measurement between old and new next time I am at the hangar.
Anyway, I now have no slop in the ailerons. It is amazing how a little bit of slop shows movement in the control surface. I think the Univair pins are well-done and work well, as long as you can get over the price.
Comment