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Sticky quadrant?

RVFan671

Well Known Member
Wondering if anyone has experienced a sticky throttle/prop/mix if you have wood separating the levers throws? I bought an RV4 earlier this year and it is parked outside in rainy seattle. A month ago when rain started I noticed levers getting a little stiff and sticky. Originally figured it was cables getting old since it was built in 91 and only has 400 hours but then tonight I looked closer and noticed i have wood spacers that align the throw for each lever and I'm thinking the wood is swelling up with the moisture. Going to dig in further shortly but wondering if anyone else who has wood between the levers has ever experienced more sticky levers in moist environments due to wood swelling.
 
Sticky leavers

I have had that on my RV 3, on mine it is not wood but a block of red material and at this time of year it can stick. This has happened on a couple of years. Easy cure I ease of the two bolts on the slider marginally until it frees up.

Rob
 
"The wood"/Phenolic

Most all quadrants have phenolic spacers, but I have seen some that were plywood, likely a home made quadrant. The phenolic spacers are just a guide and do not absorb water/moisture. Wood, likely would swell causing friction. The entire quadrant needs disassembled and shimmed out to give a little more clearance. Also, you should have a friction lock, which is simply a set of phenolic washers at the pivot which can be squeezed by the tensioning knob. I have attached a couple pics of mine, and you can see the phenolic guide plates. The gaps are set by the spacer thicknesses in the assembly through bolts. You may be able to set your gaps wider, or remove and sand down the guides. Mine is all home made and I used 1/4" phenolic sheet for my guides.
 

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The other picture

I didnt get this picture uploaded which you can see the phenolic guide blocks that the levers ride between.
 

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Found a picture from this summer that shows my quadrant. I didn't know what that material was so looked it up online and it looks kind of like wood (and my quadrant). I'll certainly loosen up the bolts and see about re shimming. When I loosen bolts that'll tell me right away if it is the quadrant or the cables themselves.
 

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