Archer stabilator jack screw play

Last week while changing the oil (owner maintenance) we took the upper tail
cone off to examine ours more carefully, since I had noticed some
significant looseness during preflight a few weeks ago. It had not been
changed at annual a couple of months ago, but now has major play. Once we
had the tailcone open, we could see that the jackscrew moves at least an
eighth of an inch fore and aft, changing its angle relative to the tail by
several degrees. On addition, you can move the screw laterally inside the
drum almost half of the thread depth. When we saw that it was not just a
bit of axial play, we decided to change it ASAP. We were a bit cross that
it wasn't caught at annual, but the A&P said that if they had seen that much
play, they would have replaced it. He speculated that it might have been in
a "tight" point in its travel when they checked it. I'm not convinced, but
it's not worth arguing about. We might try and get some relief on the labor
to put it in. I understand that the replacement comes as a kit with drum,
screw, and new cables. If they had done it at the annual, the floor would
already have been up. We haven't had a price yet, but I don't expect it to
be cheap.

--
Bob (Chief Pilot, White Knuckle Airways)

I don't have to like Bush and Cheney (Or Kerry, for that matter) to love
America

"Jay Masino" wrote in message
...
Mike Noel wrote:
I would like to survey the experiece of the group before ordering the
jack
screw. Is the screw more likely to wear than the cable drum, or do they
both tend to add equally to a loose fit?

I just did mine at the last annual. Mine had been wiggling for a while,
and my mechanic felt it had gotten too severe. I can't honestly remember
which parts had the most wear. I think everything had some. We basically
replaced everything, because my mechanic happened to have everthing in
stock. We even had to replace one of the steel plates that the bushing is
pressed into. It's a good feeling to know everything's perfect, now.

--- Jay (67 Cherokee)



--
__!__
Jay and Teresa Masino ___(_)___
http://www2.ari.net/jmasino ! ! !
http://www.oceancityairport.com
http://www.oc-adolfos.com

On Tue, 1 Jun 2004 09:46:14 -0400, "Bob Chilcoat"
wrote:

snip

play, they would have replaced it. He speculated that it might have been in
a "tight" point in its travel when they checked it. I'm not convinced, but
it's not worth arguing about. We might try and get some relief on the labor
to put it in. I understand that the replacement comes as a kit with drum,
screw, and new cables. If they had done it at the annual, the floor would
already have been up. We haven't had a price yet, but I don't expect it to
be cheap.

How does "missing" it during annual translate into a discount for
repair? Taking the tailcone off to access it for inspection or repair
takes about 5 minutes. Popping the rear seats and yanking the "floor"
could also be accomplished in about 5 minutes, but there is no reason
to remove it to change out the trim drum or screw.

Have never heard of a "kit" to replace a trim drum, doesn't mean it
doesn't exist, tho.

The oilite bushings that the drum rotates in/on are cheap, with the
drum out, I'd change 'em. Unless the cable is frayed, I'd leave it.

Very seldom is the steel screw worn, but it is quite common for the
aluminum drum to be worn both internally and where the aforementioned
bushings ride.

It takes about ten minutes to yank the screw and try it in a new drum.
Somebody that knows how to do it could swap out the drum and the upper
and lower bushings in about two hours. As others have pointed out,
somebody that doesn't know to do it is likely to screw it up.

TC