Q about the steering fork socket on bottom of rudder---

[fairchild1934]

so the steering forks I saw at Spruce---- have an aluminum shank that goes up into the end of the rudder tube and then has a couple of cross bolts through the rudder tube. I have a piper one and it has a 3/4 shank. The ID of the rudder tube is .775. The plans show welding in a short stub of tubing inside the very bottom of the rudder tube to connect to some kind of steering arm. i have a length of 3/4 od tube for that--- but when inserted ot seems to have an inappropriately sloppy fit (.750 vs .775 ) Does not seem like i would want to weld that in like that.

What kind of steering arm is everyone using on the bottom of the rudder ? If I was to use a 3/4 shank one from spruce I would need to fabricate a very thin bushing that had a .775 od and .750 ID. or a .013 wall.

what is everyone doing with this ?

Tim

[alaskabearhawk]

I bought an oversize steering arm and turned it down to size: http://www.mykitlog.com/users/displa...=180307&row=37

[fairchild1934]

ABH---- Yes I saw that on your build log. Kind of a P.I.T.Butt but it might be the best way to go for simplicity.
I see that if the tube in the rudder had been thicker-- the ID could have .745 -- the only .005 would have needed to be removed from a stock 3/4 one.
But that might end up being harder because centration would have to be much more accurate.

I was just wondering what Bob had in mind - as it does not seem obvious....

I guess another route would be to try using .015 stainless steel shim stock on the 3/4 shank of the stock arm. But I like turning down a 1 inch one better and get a snug wiggle free fit. with the constant battering that gets--- it may want to try to get looser anyway no matter what you do.

Has anyone tried just making a steering arm out of steel like the rest of the plane ? Maybe duplicate the same material size as the arms on the Bob tailwheel ? (on the other ends of the chain) could that be soooo wrong ??? Still have to turn down a chrome-molly stub in the lathe but that would be easy.

T