Aileron push rod

[sjt]

I like the way Paul Minelga did his

http://www.mykitlog.com/users/display_log.php?user=yeeeha&project=527&category=7248&log=180443&row=2

I still think I need to get a hexagon shape on the end. There is a lock nut for the rod end, and I think I need to counter twist against something.


So, I would like to do what Paul did, but I want a hexagon on the end.
As far as I know, they do not make 4130 nuts. The zinc nuts make a terrible mess when welding. Even grade 8 nuts seem to have some coating. Unless someone can give me a better idea, I am going to drill out a grade 8 nut, sand blast it, and add it to Paul's idea.

[BTAZ]

I don't know if the Patrol is the same dimensions as the LSA but I center drilled a bolt with a shank that was a slip fit into the end of the tube and had about a 1" long shank. Slit a pair of about 1/8" wide slots around 7/8" long down the tube end and welded the bolt in place down the slots and around the end. Finish drilled and tapped the bolt which didn't leave a bunch of bolt wall thickness left but if you achieved good penetration with the weld you were drilling/tapping into the weld as well.

I didn't trust my ability to weld the nut on the end without simply melting the nut away.

[sjt]

Do you recall whether it as an AN bolt, grade 8,grade 5 bolt? I hate zinc

[dedgemon]

you can buzz the zinc or cad off very easily with a wire wheel on a bench grinder. a little acetone wipe and it welds just fine.

[BTAZ]

It has been a while, but I believe it was a plain grade 5 that I cleaned of plating. Note I cut the threaded portion off which left me about an inch of unthreaded shank to put into the tube. So the bolt was probably about three inches long to start and with the threads cut off it was the head plus about 1" of shank.

[sjt]

One last question - hopefully - since I am running a tap thru the bolt head, I wonder if one side should be reverse threaded. I do not know whether having one side right and the other side left will allow for the aileron to be setup faster. A reverse 1/4-28 tap is not that expensive.

I can not see any obvious safety hazard.

[dedgemon]

no need, just assemble it with a touch of blue loctite and the jam nut.

[marcusofcotton]

One last question - hopefully - since I am running a tap thru the bolt head, I wonder if one side should be reverse threaded. I do not know whether having one side right and the other side left will allow for the aileron to be setup faster. A reverse 1/4-28 tap is not that expensive.

I can not see any obvious safety hazard.

The safety issue is how many people are slapping themselves upside the head now! Good idea.

[Zzz]

I did something similar to Paul for my trim pushrods. My dad machined some receiver ends our of some roundstock and drilled/tapped for these 3/16 rod end bearings. I cross drilled them, slid them on, the did a butt weld inside the hole. Circumferential welding would probably be a nice finishing touch but not necessary IMO.

[dedgemon]

Out of curiosity, has anyone had any problems with the pushrod built per the plans?

[sjt]

My only concern was far in the future. When it comes time to tighten the lock nut in position. If I did it like the plans, and I wanted to twist the lock nut, I would have to hold the tube with a pair of pliers. If I make one side right thread, and the other side left thread, and if I had a way of holding tube fixed, I could tighten both lock nuts while tube is in airplane.

My guess- if it is done by the plans - would be that I would have to take it off airplane, adjust, lock ,and finally reinstall. Probably it would not take that long to do.