Rudder/Elevator Platenuts

[bmurrish]

I finished my -8 rudder tonight and was checking out how it lined up with the VS after reading TShort's earlier post. I grabbed the rod end bolts and tried to install them into the platenuts. They were tight going in and almost felt like I was cross-threading them. I made sure I wasn't, but they are still tight. I looked at the platenuts for the elevators and noticed the openings are not perfectly round. Are they screwed up or are they intentionally manufactured like this. I figure they may be made like this since it is a softer metal and can give a little making for a tight finished product.

[arffguy]

They do come slightly out of round. Yes, they are very tight at first. Make sure you use the proper type of tool to install the rod-end bearings so that the bearings aren't damaged. Once they are in all the way they will seem slightly easier to adjust but will still be tight. Don't forget to put the big nut on each of them before you screw them in or you will be taking them off and doing it over again.

[mustang]

I took mine out and lubed them with ACF-50. They went in easier after that. I made a socket wrench (to install/adjust them) out of PVC pipe leftover from my compressed air system. I heated up one end of a short length and squished it down over a rod-end bearing. I let it cool then drilled holes through the other end and inserted a steel rod through to turn it. Works fine and does not mark or damage the bearing.

Cheers, Pete

[captain_john]

Yes, they are tight. The PVC socket wrench is the way to go.

The are designed tight so they don't wiggle loose in a different application. Obviously there isn't much wiggle room in this application.

JUST WAIT... until you thread the little 6-32 platenut screws in on the trim control system!

Tip:

Get a long STAINLESS 6-32 screw, chuck it in your cordless drill and lube it up with Boelube. Start the screw in the platenut by hand and start the drill spinning SLOWLY! Even at a slow speed, this is WAAAY better than trying to force a softer phillips screw in by hand!

Lather, rinse, repeat for the rest of the platenuts.

THEN install the regular screws. MUCH easier!

CJ

[bmurrish]

Great info here guys. I figured the platenuts were like that for a reason, but just wanted to make sure before I cranked then in. Bring on them elevators.

[Guest]

just a little boelube on the threads before being installed worked out great for me. I noticed by taking one out that the feeling of cross threading is actually the anodized coating being removed as they are threaded in