Control locks (yet again)

How to keep the Cessna 170 flying and airworthy.

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CloverCrusher
Posts: 14
Joined: Sat Apr 08, 2017 1:10 am

Control locks (yet again)

Post by CloverCrusher »

Just want to throw out a big thank you to the forum and your clever rudder gust lock design input. My plane is tied down at an airport in the DC area, and we saw sustained winds over 30kts and gusts just shy of 50kt for almost 24 hours last week.

About a month back I built and installed a slightly modified version of the rudder gust lock advocated on this site - hooks into the horizontal stab under the elevator horns, with rope and bungee connected to a leather cutout over the tail positon light. Great design. Thanks, guys!

It held up beautifully for over 12 hours of direct crosswind until I could get there to turn the plane more into the wind (also exciting). Can't recommend this enough, and the strong rubber bungee allowed some flex, but not full throw. Other planes on the line were getting their control surfaces all banged about, but not mine.

Since I have an A model, the flaps are vulnerable too. For those interested, I slid two 3' sections of 1" diameter dowels into foam pipe insulation (You could also use a pool noodle) to make two wood-and-foam "pigs in a blanket." Zip tied them fairly snug together and slid one pig on top, and one on the bottom of the trailing edge, spanning the aileron and flap gap. There's about 18" of overhang on each side of the gap which spreads the load of any tailwind out nicely. A 3' bungee cord from the lower pig to the wing tie down keeps them from sliding off.

Just thought I'd share, since something I read here definitely saved me from repairs and heartache. Hope it can help someone else too.
Jake
Hineywheel Bill
Posts: 93
Joined: Fri Feb 17, 2006 8:55 pm

Re: Control locks (yet again)

Post by Hineywheel Bill »

I'd like to see some pictures of that set up if you get a chance.
Owner of:
1954 C170B N1921C S/N 26066
Former owner of:
1948 C170 N3815V
1951 C170A N1490D
1946 C140 N76447
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Bruce Fenstermacher
Posts: 10313
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2002 11:24 am

Re: Control locks (yet again)

Post by Bruce Fenstermacher »

Jake, I highly suggest yo eliminate the bungee. They are only good for winds about 15-20 mph. I know this first hand. I had to replace a rudder control horn on a friends 170 after securing it outside so I could use his hanger. The bungee allowed the rudder to bang the stops till the control horn was destroyed and I was lucky I didn't have to replace the elevator and rudder skin cause they had already been dinged.
CAUTION - My forum posts may be worth what you paid for them!

Bruce Fenstermacher, Past President, TIC170A
Email: brucefenster at gmail.com
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