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Turnbuckle Forks

Steve Pierce

BENEFACTOR
Graham, TX
I am making new cables for a Super Cub and have run into a problem and was wondering if anyone else has ever run into this. I ordered new AN161-16LS turnbuckle forks to attach the turnbuckle to the aileron horn. The problem is the fork is to short to get the clevis bolt in. From the center of the hole to the "Y" is 3/8" on the new ones and 1/2" on the old ones. I called Wicks A/C and asked about the MS21252 which uses a locking clip instead of saftey wire, he laid the two on top of each other and said there was no difference. I order some from another supplier to check for myself. Has anyone else run into this?
 
Does any one have a problem with using the turnbuckles with the locking clip instead of the type using safety wire? I am buying all new for my project. Jim
 
Both types work. The clip type are a little easier to work with in a tight place like the elevator horn in the tail. My new project has all clip type turnbuckles, my last one was all safety wire. Crash
 
cub forks

freeman aviation is the best place ive found to buy the cub forks they let you keep your airplane
 
cub forks

steve i stand corrected on this one. freemans cub forks part # sl260-16rs are 5.25 each i should have looked i thought theres were about 15 bucks if you dont have a copy of freemans catalog you should get one lots of hardware and good people. www.JustPlaneHardware.com
 
Yea, I used to buy stuff from them years ago and then the closed. I met the new owner but haven't ordered from them in a while. Real nice, helpful people.
 
Just an interesting story for the do-it-yourselfer. Way back, I flew two SC -150s, one was a '60, -18, S/N 18-7400, the other a '54, -18S, S/N 19-3666. The '60 performed beautifully, but the 54 was the laziest dog I've ever seen (yes, I'm going to go right now and wash my mouth with soap). Both were on the same kind of floats, same engine, same prop, much the same RPM, same weight (within 8 Lbs.). No matter what the mechanics did, no matter how many times the rigging (including float rigging) were checked and rechecked, the old dog took nearly twice as long to get out of the water as the 60. Finally the fuselage was checked in a jig, but seemed nice and straight.

To make long story short (I guess it's too late for that now), it turned out that new aileron cables were field-fabricated on the 54, but were not pre-stretched, so both ailerons, though they looked ok on the ground, were actually floating too high in the air (if that's possible). What's even more surprising is that the A&P kept his job.

S.F.
Nick
 
I fabricate cables all the time and don't prestretch them. You should check the tension once installed. If you tighten the cables as tight as Piper says it's like flying a Husky. You lose that light feel. You should look at the ailerons in flight and see where they are trailing.

An old Cessna rigging trick for more speed is to rig the ailerons up a little.
 
More power to you, mate. I only fly 'em: I don't know what makes 'em work! 8) But I can tell you, putting the ailerons back where they belong made a dramatic difference in T/O performance.

S.F.
Nick
 
That is interesting to know. I wonder if the Cessna guys who rig for speed notice a difference in takeoff. Good question for Jerry Burr.
 
"Don't try this at home, kids!" but, I have more than once been stuck on a lake too small to take off with a C-180. The unwritten remedy (a big no-no) was to take out the little toolpouch (3/8" wrenches, side cutters, etc), disconnect the rod-ends at the aileron end, shorten the pushrods, reconnect everything, and then fly off :eek: using rudder only for steering :( to the nearest bigger lake, where I'd put everything back the way it's supposed to be. (Oh, and of couse, praying non-stop). So much for my Cessna experience. :anon


S.F.
Nick
 
turn buckle forks

I put the Univair turn buckles n forks on my cub n safety wired them the old way. Does Univair carry the clip you speak of, if so does anyone have that part #? Also, how much difference in stretch between stainless cables vs. galvanized? Which is better? My cub is used on floats in MN., just curious?
 
What should the cable tension be for aileron's and does that change if stainless cables ?
garyh
 
garyh said:
What should the cable tension be for aileron's and does that change if stainless cables ?
garyh

i always over tighten cables and check pulley alignments and let them sit for a day or so, then back them off and set proper tension.... or else the seem to loosen up in a few days as they relax.....so as to avoid having to redo the safetying...
 
Piper said 35 lbs on primary controls but that makes them way to tight. Found some new old stock Piper 461-132 for $2 each still in the package however they are simple AN161-16RS. I guess Piper changed somewhere down the road.
 
Found this information on another thread on this topic.

MS21253-3RS is the same as 461-132 the longer fork. Will see what I can find.
 
sl260 16rs is still the current number at memphis bell, and i dont believe there is a ms number for this special part. univair, freemans, spencer, and cub crafters usually has these.
 
There is no equivalent MS number, was a special Piper part. Dakota Cub checked on having them made and it was expensive but might be worth it now that they have gotten this expensive. You can use the MS forks on the flap cable attach and save the Piper forks for the aileron and flap bellcranks.
 
Thanks Steve.
There is no equivalent MS number, was a special Piper part. Dakota Cub checked on having them made and it was expensive but might be worth it now that they have gotten this expensive. You can use the MS forks on the flap cable attach and save the Piper forks for the aileron and flap bellcranks.
 
Ordered some from Freeman in Griffin, Georgia at a relatively reasonable price. Their online catalog is AWOL but a phone call was all it took.
 
Somewhere in this forum I found a reference to the fork as part of a complete eye - buckle - long fork unit where you could get individual components (the fork was only $12 this way a month ago). Now I can’t find the reference.

maybe it was from this thread . Is this the same thing? Aircraft spruce

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