Piper PA-28 question

I recently purchased a 1973 Cherokee Charger. So far, I am really enjoying
the aircraft, but I have a question that has gone unanswered. There is no
mention of it in the POH or the information manual that I have.

Beneath the throttle quadrant but above the fuel selector (on the right
side), there is a knob that I am unsure about. This knob rotates and turns a
marker that indicates "L" or "R". I believe that this may be a trim for the
vertical stabilizer but I am unsure of how and when to use it.

I could be totally wrong, so any advice on this would be greatly
appreciated.

Rudder trim. Use it to center the ball at cruise.


"GE" wrote in message
...
I recently purchased a 1973 Cherokee Charger. So far, I am really enjoying
the aircraft, but I have a question that has gone unanswered. There is no
mention of it in the POH or the information manual that I have.

Beneath the throttle quadrant but above the fuel selector (on the right
side), there is a knob that I am unsure about. This knob rotates and turns
a
marker that indicates "L" or "R". I believe that this may be a trim for
the
vertical stabilizer but I am unsure of how and when to use it.

I could be totally wrong, so any advice on this would be greatly
appreciated.

GE wrote:
I recently purchased a 1973 Cherokee Charger. So far, I am really enjoying
the aircraft, but I have a question that has gone unanswered. There is no
mention of it in the POH or the information manual that I have.

Beneath the throttle quadrant but above the fuel selector (on the right
side), there is a knob that I am unsure about. This knob rotates and turns a
marker that indicates "L" or "R". I believe that this may be a trim for the
vertical stabilizer but I am unsure of how and when to use it.

I could be totally wrong, so any advice on this would be greatly
appreciated.

I've never flown a '73 Charger, but I'm a little confused by your description.
The PA28s I've flown have the fuel selector on the side wall by my left knee,
not near the throttle quadrant. But OK, your fuel selector must be in the floor
in the center under the throttle quadrant.

It sounds like you are describing rudder trim. It should be several turns from
the stop in one direction to the stop in the other direction. Turn it to the
right during takeoff and climb to relieve the rudder pressure otherwise required
to keep the ball centered. At level off and beginning of cruise, turn it to the
left to center the ball with your feet on the floor.

The rudder pressure required isn't that great in a Cherokee anyway, so if you
don't want to fool with it, just adjust it for cruise and use right rudder as
required during climb.

Dave

In article ,
"OtisWinslow" wrote:

Rudder trim. Use it to center the ball at cruise.

Assuming it works. From what I've seen of various Cherokees, as often
as not, they're pretty much inop. It connects into the rudder cable
system with springs. The springs eventually wear out or get out of
adjustment, and people tend not to bother fixing them.

Simple enough.

Do I turn it toward "L" if I want the ball to go left or is it opposite?


"OtisWinslow" wrote in message
...
Rudder trim. Use it to center the ball at cruise.


"GE" wrote in message
...
I recently purchased a 1973 Cherokee Charger. So far, I am really
enjoying
the aircraft, but I have a question that has gone unanswered. There is
no
mention of it in the POH or the information manual that I have.

Beneath the throttle quadrant but above the fuel selector (on the right
side), there is a knob that I am unsure about. This knob rotates and
turns
a
marker that indicates "L" or "R". I believe that this may be a trim for
the
vertical stabilizer but I am unsure of how and when to use it.

I could be totally wrong, so any advice on this would be greatly
appreciated.

Mine works but just *barely*. It takes quite a bit of turning to budge the
rudder. Can anyone give me an idea of how much the getting a new set of
springs will set me back? I hope it's not as ridiculous as the cylinders for
the seat vertical adjustment...

Marco


"Roy Smith" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"OtisWinslow" wrote:

Rudder trim. Use it to center the ball at cruise.

Assuming it works. From what I've seen of various Cherokees, as often
as not, they're pretty much inop. It connects into the rudder cable
system with springs. The springs eventually wear out or get out of
adjustment, and people tend not to bother fixing them.

In a previous article, "GE" said:
Do I turn it toward "L" if I want the ball to go left or is it opposite?

Hold your foot on the rudder pedal to center the ball. Trim in the
direction of least resistance until there is no resistance. Release your
foot from the rudder pedal. It should now be trimmed.

--
Paul Tomblin http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/
"As Canadian as possible, under the circumstances"

If the Charger is a PA28-235 predecessor to the Pathfinder predecessor
to the Dakota (PA28-236), then the Charger may have a four tank system
akin to the Cherokee Six, in which case the fuel selector is on the
floor as indicated.

Dave Butler wrote:
GE wrote:

I recently purchased a 1973 Cherokee Charger. So far, I am really enjoying
the aircraft, but I have a question that has gone unanswered. There is no
mention of it in the POH or the information manual that I have.

Beneath the throttle quadrant but above the fuel selector (on the right
side), there is a knob that I am unsure about. This knob rotates and
turns a
marker that indicates "L" or "R". I believe that this may be a trim
for the
vertical stabilizer but I am unsure of how and when to use it.

I could be totally wrong, so any advice on this would be greatly
appreciated.


I've never flown a '73 Charger, but I'm a little confused by your
description. The PA28s I've flown have the fuel selector on the side
wall by my left knee, not near the throttle quadrant. But OK, your fuel
selector must be in the floor in the center under the throttle quadrant.

It sounds like you are describing rudder trim. It should be several
turns from the stop in one direction to the stop in the other direction.
Turn it to the right during takeoff and climb to relieve the rudder
pressure otherwise required to keep the ball centered. At level off and
beginning of cruise, turn it to the left to center the ball with your
feet on the floor.

The rudder pressure required isn't that great in a Cherokee anyway, so
if you don't want to fool with it, just adjust it for cruise and use
right rudder as required during climb.

Dave

Mine works but just *barely*. It takes quite a bit of turning to budge the
rudder.

The trick is to give the knob a turn, then kick the appropriate
rudder pedal. Always works for me. I presume the kick ovecomes the
friction or "stickiness" in the system.

vince norris

Yes, Charger = Pathfinder

"john smith" wrote in message
...
If the Charger is a PA28-235 predecessor to the Pathfinder predecessor
to the Dakota (PA28-236), then the Charger may have a four tank system
akin to the Cherokee Six, in which case the fuel selector is on the
floor as indicated.

Dave Butler wrote:
GE wrote:

I recently purchased a 1973 Cherokee Charger. So far, I am really
enjoying
the aircraft, but I have a question that has gone unanswered. There is
no
mention of it in the POH or the information manual that I have.

Beneath the throttle quadrant but above the fuel selector (on the right
side), there is a knob that I am unsure about. This knob rotates and
turns a
marker that indicates "L" or "R". I believe that this may be a trim
for the
vertical stabilizer but I am unsure of how and when to use it.

I could be totally wrong, so any advice on this would be greatly
appreciated.


I've never flown a '73 Charger, but I'm a little confused by your
description. The PA28s I've flown have the fuel selector on the side
wall by my left knee, not near the throttle quadrant. But OK, your fuel
selector must be in the floor in the center under the throttle quadrant.

It sounds like you are describing rudder trim. It should be several
turns from the stop in one direction to the stop in the other direction.
Turn it to the right during takeoff and climb to relieve the rudder
pressure otherwise required to keep the ball centered. At level off and
beginning of cruise, turn it to the left to center the ball with your
feet on the floor.

The rudder pressure required isn't that great in a Cherokee anyway, so
if you don't want to fool with it, just adjust it for cruise and use
right rudder as required during climb.

Dave