Recently acquired a Ventus Bt that may need the rudder cables replaced. Are the cables available from the dealer or factory? Or can they be made up by an AI/AP?
Are there tricks for doing the replacement?

>Are the cables available from the dealer or factory?
Materials should be. Is (by heart) ISO 2020-A-32 steel core cable 3,2 mm
dia, Nicopress. But check that.

>Or can they be made up by an AI/AP?
That too.

>Are there tricks for doing the replacement?
Use the old cables to pull through the new ones. If you loose the cable in
the rear fuselage, or it gets jammed in the guides, it usually requires
holes to get to it. And replace any Tecalan guides in the S-tubes of the
pedals while you are at it. Significantly reduces future cable wear.

Standard 1/8 - 7/19 galvanised cable to spec M83420
Nicopress 18-3M swages
AN100-4 thimbles

Use the Nicopress 64-CGMP tool using the 'M' jaw

There is no adjustment on rudder cables on S-H gliders other than a few
twists allowed in the direction of the twist to effectively shorten it,
never the other way. So you have to make them up to as close to the correct
length as possible.

I removed the old ones on my Discus and laid them out on a long bench
covered in clean paper and measured at least 3 times and cut once! When you
pull out the old cables attach a cord as a pull through - just in case.

And I had a second pair of hands/eyes to make sure I didn't get it wrong!

The stress of doing it is much greater than the material cost but of course
if you get it wrong the only real damage will be to your wallet. Because
it's not expensive don't skimp on the cable and try and get exactly the
right length - it probably won't be!

If you Google 'Nicopress' there's plenty out there on the correct way to do
it.

Have fun

Pete

An A&P with Nicopress tool can do the job for you. I recommend 1/8" 7X 18 galvanized. Make the new cables the exact length as the old because cable length will change the angle of the rudder pedals and both cables must be the same exact length too. May want to solder or glue a puller string or wire to the old before pulling them out.Make forward end thimbles & sleeves and mark exact total length of rear fittings. Pull new cables in, the spring on the rudder pedals will pull them full forward and this allows sufficient cable extending out the rear to allow Nicopress tool. If rudder pedals don't assume the same neutral, you may have to twist the longer cable a bit to bring both pedals to neutral with rudder neutral (increase the twist, don't un-wind the cable). Lubricating the cables is not recommended, but I have seen some cable guide tubes that are not straight and light lubrication in deeded to reduce rudder pedal input force.
Have fun,
JJ

On Tuesday, March 10, 2015 at 8:11:59 AM UTC-5, wrote:
> Recently acquired a Ventus Bt that may need the rudder cables replaced. Are the cables available from the dealer or factory? Or can they be made up by an AI/AP?
> Are there tricks for doing the replacement?


Thanks for the responses. It helps to get input from those who have done it before.

Make the new cable exactly the same length, temporarily tape them around the insert, put a string perpendicular over them and spray over it with some paint to get exactly the right length by simply aligning the 2 stripes in the paint.