Cable Tension

[Ewalk02]

Did anyone use a cable tensiometer to set a certain tension in their control cables? I don't see anywhere in the manual that it calls for a tensiometer or spells out tensions for that matter. I only bring this up because I'm about to have a DAR inspect things and I want to have an answer for him if he asks about cable tensions.

[danerazz]

The only cables that CAN be tensioned (in stock form) are the aileron cables. The rudder is an open loop, and the flap neutral is set by cable length. I have not heard of anyone using tensions meters on highlanders or kitfoxs for that matter. I have wondered about it as well. I guess they should be "tight enough"

[rmullins]

The only cables that CAN be tensioned (in stock form) are the aileron cables.

And that varies depending on where the stick is. Tight in the center, loose at the limits

[gkremers]

What about the empennage wires.

Gary

[danerazz]

What about the empennage wires.

Tight enough

[levyland]

I just put my airplane back together here in NZ after shipping it from the factory. For ailerons I left the loop relatively loose, made sure the stick was centered and used a long straight edge extending from the wing over the ailerons going back from wing to wing to make sure they were parallel. Once both of them were adjusted I tightened up the loop. Jak told me that in the extreme right or left position the turnbuckle should be a wee bit loose. I made them relatively taught but not super tight. I wanted the ailerons to feel precise. On the flaps I adjusted the turnbuckle whereas the flaps are just pulled into the retracted position. I would recommend that all of the roller bearings and tracks are well greased. Adam came up with an excellent idea. Once the turnbuckles are safety wired take a tie wrap and run it through the the end of the turnbuckle and through the loop on the swedge. This prevents the tang from becoming tangled for wing folders like myself. There is an issue with the flap assembly handle binding. It doesn't do it on the ground but up in the air their is a tremendous amount of pressure on the handle. The inner tube, binds in the outer tube, making pulling up on the handle very difficult. Flaps are deployed below 30 MPH. Troy made me a new inner flap assembly tube that had the proper tube diameter for the trigger and where the clevis pin assembly is, however the center of the rod is probably 1/4" steel tubing and will not bind on the outer tube. I will making posts in the next few weeks as to some ideas that I think will help everyone with their planes. Cheers John