tightness in control torque tube for aileron bellcrank on an XL savannah.

[Blueadventures]

A friend has an XL savannah and when flying it is very stiff to roll the control column for the ailerons.  Today I disconnected the pushrods from the control tube bellcrank.  (up behind the seats via underside of the fuselage.  With these disconnected it is stiff to move the bellcrank rolling up and down.  I have not built a savannah.  How do you adjust this sort of tightness.  Looking at the build manual there is a plastic bearing of sorts in there.  Only had about 15 minutes to look at things today for him. Any ideas appreciated.

[Marty_d]

Hi Mike,

 

Did you remove the upper pushrods from bellcrank to flaperon, or the lower ones from torque tube to bellcrank?

 

I must admit I haven't connected the flaperons yet, but have the torque tube from the Y stick to the bellcrank.  Where the lower pushrods connect to the bellcranks they move very freely and easily.  The bellcranks are greased where they rotate on the mixer tubes, and on mine there's a metal washer between the bellcrank and the mixer.  

 

Savannah torque tube is probably different from the 701, on mine it's just supported either end through holes in metal (seat front where the Y stick connects and the crossmember just forward of the hatch at the back).  Despite this it rotates freely.

 

If you haven't pulled the bottom pushrods off, I'd be doing that - that way you can isolate whether the problem is in the torque tube, the bellcranks or the flaperons.  AFAIK they're the only places in the system that could bind.

 

Cheers, Marty

[Kyle Communications]

I know what the issues will be...give me a ring Mike

 

The 701 is similar to the one he is looking it...they have changed it in the later versions Marty

 

 

[Blueadventures]

35 minutes ago, Marty_d said:

Hi Mike,

 

Did you remove the upper pushrods from bellcrank to flaperon, or the lower ones from torque tube to bellcrank?

 

I must admit I haven't connected the flaperons yet, but have the torque tube from the Y stick to the bellcrank.  Where the lower pushrods connect to the bellcranks they move very freely and easily.  The bellcranks are greased where they rotate on the mixer tubes, and on mine there's a metal washer between the bellcrank and the mixer.  

 

Savannah torque tube is probably different from the 701, on mine it's just supported either end through holes in metal (seat front where the Y stick connects and the crossmember just forward of the hatch at the back).  Despite this it rotates freely.

 

If you haven't pulled the bottom pushrods off, I'd be doing that - that way you can isolate whether the problem is in the torque tube, the bellcranks or the flaperons.  AFAIK they're the only places in the system that could bind.

 

Cheers, Marty

Disconnected lower, where they connect to the bellcrank at back end off control tube that goes longitudinally under the middle between seats.  I’ll phone mark at a continent time tomorrow as late evening now. Cheers.