Elevator and horizontal stabilizer very tight fit

[N204jh]

I installed the horizontal stabilizers and elevators today. Maneuvering the elevator onto the elevator horn and bearings wasn’t too bad. Just followed Colby’s video.

But the outer elevator part is rubbing hard on the edge of the horizontal stabilizer to the point the elevator does not freely move. As the pictures show, it rubbing the full length of the edge. And that’s without any fabric. I leveled the stabilizer prior to installing the elevator. I’m planning on sanding off any primer paint on the two edges, but other BH5 pictures show a gap of about 1/8”.

Anyone experience this? Any ideas on a solution? I hate to grind out 1/16” on each edge.

Thanks, John

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[500AGL]

John, I can’t tell without seeing photos showing the whole thing but make sure your stabs and elevators are on right side up.
- flying wires installed and adjusted, bolts in holes , etc.

[U2fletch]

Are the stabilizer halves seated all the way on the fuselage tubes? Many kits seem to have one or both that want to flex away from the fully seated position. I had to use a ratchet strap to hold everything together when trial fitting until the upper and lower struts and wires were fully tensioned. Also, is there a 0.25" gap between the elevator horns? The plans show 0.25" bushings clamped between the control horn connecting bolts, and control cable eyes. Those two things could cause your gap to shrink between the elevator and stab.

[N204jh]

Thanks, Peter and Jeff, for your quick response. I have the stabilizer lower struts installed and the front stab bolt installed, but nothing else on the stab. The elevator horn is bolted with the 4 bolts and bushings providing the 0.25” gap. Left stab and left elevator on left side, and right stab and right elevator on right.

Per your suggestions, I will fully install everything and tension accordingly. Jeff, your recommendation to use a ratchet strap is great.

[dramsey]

For some reason the natural relaxed position of the horizontal stab causes a gap on the inboard end. It was suggested by someone early in my build to install a clamp to pull the inboard end of the horizontal toward the fuselage, That worked for me. the ratchet strap idea should work as well. You should not need to do any grinding.