January 11, 2009 - Hang Rudder ... Again

Got to the airport around 9AM.  The first thing I tried to do was put the rudder bottom tip on.  Right away I realized it wasn't going to happen.  The tailwheel steel gear was in the way.  Nothing to do but take the rudder off.  After all that work getting the washers and nuts on.  Sigh. 

I didn't take me too long to get the rudder off. 

 
I started working on the wiring that runs through the rudder bottom tip to the Nav/Strobe light. 
 
I crimped the molex connectors to the three strobe wires and slide them in the plastic housing.  I hooked up the power wire to the Nav connector.   
 
Here's a shot of the strobe wire bundle and the blue Nav power wire coming out of the tail area.  The Nav light gets a local ground.  I ran a wire from the Nav connector, through the same hole as the strobe bundle and blue wire, and anchored it on one of the elevator stop bolt/nuts.  It wasn't easy getting that nut back on, let me tell you. 
 
Originally I had thought to make the rudder bottom tip removable, so I used nutplates instead of pop-rivets.  I know know it's not removable unless I take the entire rudder off the plane.  Since it's not easily removable, I need to be able to pull the Nav/Strobe wires through the bottom tip and out the end.  I put draw strings in the bottom tip, then screwed it to the rudder. 
 
I mounted the rudder back on the plane and pulled the Strobe and Nav wires out the rear of the bottom tip.  The rudder is handled just like the wings with regard to the wire bundles. 
 

I connected the Nav/Strobe light to the connectors sticking out the back of the rudder and they tested 4.0.  Thankfully! 

I finished screwing down the rudder bottom tip. 

 
The RV looks much better with the rudder on.
 
Now it was time to hook up the rudder chains and springs.  I got all the materials together and studied the drawings.
 
About 30 minutes later I was done.  This was one of the few times I have been able to knock something out in a relatively short time.  The chains have about a 1/2" sag, per the drawings. 
 
I need to get some longer screws to hold down the Nav/Strobe light; that's why you don't see it mounted yet.
 
The chains and springs look good.
 
 
I didn't get everything done that I wanted to this weekend but I did make progress.  We're getting there....
 
 
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