The International Cessna 170 Association

My steering tabs are getting worn and I thought I would replace them while I have the rudder off for painting. The steering tab in the picture is #14 p/n 0433132. I am aware of the Scott instructions that show the AN42 eyebolt installed but I don't see many pictures of 170's with the eyebolt. Cessna wants $200+ for the tabs...

I even saw Georges photo that showed the tabs with some sort of clevis attached to the spring.

Looking for suggestions. Should I replace the tabs or go with the eyebolt method?

If ever there was a owner produced part begging to be made, this is it.

Eyebolts eliminate the tab wear problem AND you will have one of the few truly legal 170s as far as the tail wheel control is concerned.

However, the eyebolts but a twisting action on the control horn which, over time may cause problems on their own. You will find not benefit to the eyebolts installation such as improved control.

Using a clevis at the tab minimizes the wear the thinner spring causes cause the pin of the clevis is larger in diameter. Using a clevis will also slow wear already cause by the springs for the same reason.

Using clevises in the control chain is no more of a questionable deviation than not following the Scott I-168 instructions in the first place.

Yeah, thanks Bruce. My IA said we could easily make some new tabs which I agree with. I have never seen a 170 with the eye bolts so I wonder how many of them are around. I do have the Scott 3200.

I just ordered a new control horn which has the tabs so I may have two spares. Everything that Bruce says. Not to make others panic but AC spruce is OOS everywhere and Univair says available until present stock depleted. Sounds like a run on rudder control horns in the making.

I went the clevis route on my plane a couple of years ago. Everything Bruce said plus it allows better adjustment of the chain tension by the length of about a 1/2 chain link on each side. Without it, at best i can get the chains either slightly too tight or slightly too loose. With it, I can get the length about just right -- no slack but no tension.

Last year i decided to replace my steering tabs when I was doing a related repair to the rudder stops. I bought a pair of the tabs from Air Repair. I don't remember the exact price, but it wasn't anywhere near $200.

I can't help but feel the installations of the tailwheel which are contrary to the Scott I-168 instructions are just as legal...I.E., it's not necessary to follow I-168 to be legal. An example of one reason I feel that way is because the Scott instructions do not address SN's subsequent to 26505 (those aircraft which utilized addt'l steering cables.) Cessna utilized the tabs on the rudder horn with aircraft which included the pneumantic tailwheel on the original equipt lists, and as the OEM, Cessna had approval/authority to do so.
I believe the Scott instructions were only ONE method of skinning the cat. The type certificate mentions the Scott instructions but that also is not the exclusive method of meeting airworthiness in that matter, ...it's just the method mentioned in the type certificate (which, by the way, has an asterisk (*) on that note, indicating THAT method was obtained by someone other than Cessna. Cessna had their own methods. (Although the IPC is not an approved document, neither are the eyebolts listed or shown as part of the Cessna installation.)