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RV-10 Horizontal Stabilizer to Elevator Rigging Question

Everwild

Well Known Member
I'm attaching the elevators to the horizontal stabilizer and am at the point where I need to drill the elevator horn at the hinge line with the supplied drill bushing.

I started with Vans instruction to screw the bearing rod ends in so the center of the bolt inserted in the rod end bearing is 7/8" to the center from the rear spar web. I then needed to tighten the outboard rod end bearing one more full turn to square up the elevator counterbalance rib with the outboard HS edge.

It all looks good. I get 43 degrees of up elevator and over 27 degrees of down elevator before the elevator touches the trailing edges of the HS. The horn is hitting my workbench so I'm not totally sure my max down travel.

My question for the rigging / speed nuts is, should I screw those rod end bearings in to decrease the gap as much as possible and still allow for the recommended range of deflection without rubbing? Max listed is 30 degrees up and 25 down, and the minimum is listed as 25 up and 20 down.

Wasn't sure if a tighter gap is better here as long as I have room for paint with no rubbing and I meet the min 25 up and 20 down requirement?

Don't want to drill the horn to the bearing until I've got this figured out.

Does this gap make any difference as far as drag or should I just give myself more margin?

Thanks!
 

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Last edited:
Hinge line alignment

How does the alignment of the bearing centres look if you stretch a string line between the outer rod ends all the way through the centre bearing (obviously without the elevator on)?
 
How does the alignment of the bearing centres look if you stretch a string line between the outer rod ends all the way through the centre bearing (obviously without the elevator on)?

I remember sighting down all of the hinge brackets and the center bearing after finishing the horizontal stabilizer and they looked to be in alignment. I'll take off the elevator and run some high test fishing line and report back.
 
All the holes in the brackets will be pretty much spot on as there’s no variability introduction from the builder.
Leave the bearings at 7/8 (half a turn +/- is ok)
Don’t focus on how far in or out the elevators are, you want to focus on making them move as smoothly as possible.
There will be adequate deflection I can guarantee. The hard stops inside the fuselage will be what dictates the throw.
After you drill the center weldments and bolt it all together you’ll likely find that you’ll have introduced some deflection which manifests as stiffness when you tighten the center bolt (make sure you shim this properly per the plans) and will need to re adjust the bearings.
Tbh I would leave that final fine tuning until you have also drilled the bottom horn hole and bolted the pushrod on. Ie final rigging.
 
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