I post with trepidation alongside all you brilliant folks - for likely obvious reasons. And I get nervous when I keep thinking something that seems to go against the grain of all you smart folks! So I keep wondering if I am missing something as regards this topic -
This thread, the other one currently running titled "Cub Rudder Failure," and the older Sept. 2020 series on the same topic over in the "Oops, darn it . ." thread are all new info to me and are sufficient to have me headed at the paper work for my late-1940's PA-whatever to see if I can tell if my rudder was ever replaced with one built from 4130 steel. If so, I will smile and go about my business. If not, I will simply beat feet to Airframes Inc - give them the requisite $800 for a new rudder in 4130 steel - recover, paint, and install it - and sleep peacefully. I am not rich, and am in an apparent minority of folks here with a PA-whatever valued in only the mid-5 figures that I have to maintain with significant levels of my own sweat equity - and yet this seems to me to be an easily fixed issue without any worry over decimating the fleet or even my wallet. The threads have done what they ought - alerted me to a potential problem that I want fixed on my birds more than anyone at NTSB or FAA. I am headed at it irrespective of any potential AD. In other words, the info presented here is sufficient for my risk management philosophy to make me assure that I have a 4130 steel rudder.
But some of what's here has me worried that I am not worried enough! Is there an undercurrent of concern with this issue that it could cause the FAA to require complete replacement of all airframe components made of 1025 steel? What all would that be? And such an AD, if realistically approaching, would truly decimate lots of aircraft and wallets? What really at stake? I know some folks can only sing the "Be very very afraid" song where our largely intrusive and unhelpful government is concerned - but would some of you please post your thoughts that explain the worst we might really be facing as their bureaucratic approach to this particular series of structural "failures" marches on. Specifically, will my replacement of my old 1025 steel rudder with the new 4130 steel one be sufficient to preempt further AD demands for this issue.
Thanks, Steve