Horizontal Stabilizer Play

[storied180]

I have seen other threads on this but mostly PA18. My 180K horizontal stabilizer has a bit of play that we are looking into. I've read that time on floats can add to the wear back there, interesting the forces that are put on it. Mine if you grab the end of the stab and move it for and aft rotating about the tail you'll see it move up to 1/2 inch I would estimate. We are opening it up now. I bought the Kenmore upgross kit, figured might as well since it's open. The dorsal AD is current. any information on this movement is appreciated, thanks!

 

[bob turner]

Not good. The 180 should be nice and tight back there.

Back in the olden days folks here told me about oversized bolts, saving my buddy about ten grand worth of rebuilding in that area. All it cost was the bolts and some precision reams.

Sadly, I don’t think you can buy oversized bolts any longer.

 

[storied180]

Not good. The 180 should be nice and tight back there.

Back in the olden days folks here told me about oversized bolts, saving my buddy about ten grand worth of rebuilding in that area. All it cost was the bolts and some precision reams.

Sadly, I don’t think you can buy oversized bolts any longer.

thanks!

I read about this AD but the play it refers to is vertical play not fore and aft

Federal Register :: Request Access

 

[FatCub300]

Definitely time to remove and go through it with a fine tooth comb. Bushings, bolts all that fun stuff...

 

[hotrod180]

The stab on my 53 had some play, as I recall both fore-and-aft & up-and-down, aka "it wiggled".
When we did the tail inspection, per the "hockey stick" AD,
my IA pointed out that the bolt were oriented incorrectly--nuts were on the inside instead of the outside.
After reinstalling the bolts correctly, that play was gone.
I suspect that the bushings the bolt goes through were installed crooked somehow.

 

[storied180]

The stab on my 53 had some play, as I recall both fore-and-aft & up-and-down, aka "it wiggled".
When we did the tail inspection, per the "hockey stick" AD,
my IA pointed out that the bolt were oriented incorrectly--nuts were on the inside instead of the outside.
After reinstalling the bolts correctly, that play was gone.
I suspect that the bushings the bolt goes through were installed crooked somehow.

mine sounds similar. the play started to woller out the holes on the tail cone structure at the hinge so i am not sure it can be repaired or if bushing is allowed, might have to replace the structural element. also dealing with a couple broken ribs in the horizontal