Rudder pulley location on former #4/Rudder cable routing
Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2016 4:42 am
by ferstlesque
First-time poster here, hoping someone can provide some advice on the rudder cable system as it relates to the rear fuselage.
I’ve measured and drawn out the position of the two rudder pulleys (C-02-15) as they attach to the front of former #4 (http://www.sonexaircraft.com/documents/ … L_RevB.pdf), but the pulley on the right side of the fuselage (left side of photo and .pdf), when placed 1 61/64" from the center ref hole, does not jive with the other given measurement: that the 1/2" diameter cable routing hole be centered 1 5/64" from the right edge of the former. In order for the pulley to line up with the hole, I must shift the pulley assembly towards the center of the former about 3/16". Am I correct in assuming the 1/2" hole 1 5/64" from the edge is the most important of the two references? This distance probably sets the exit point out of the fuselage side for the rudder cable.
Keep in mind I have an early kit… these holes may well be cut out in later kits. If so, it may make more sense just to buy a new former!
Second question, would one (or a few) users be willing to post pics of the inside of their completed aft fuselage? I’m interested to see your rudder cable routing, particularly around former #3. The plans require a hole be cut out of former #2, but #3 has no such cutout…
Thanks in advance!
Re: Rudder pulley location on former #4/Rudder cable routing
Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2016 9:03 am
by dhogue
On mine (2014 kit) the cable holes and pulley bracket fastener holes were predrilled. The holes for the cables had to be opened slightly/per the plans.
One side is offset but less than your pic.
At work atm. Will post a picture tomorrow unless someone else gets there 1st.
Re: Rudder pulley location on former #4/Rudder cable routing
Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2016 11:17 am
by WaiexN143NM
Hi mark welcome to the boards! Good to see more onex people on here too. Not sure u need to order a new former. Relocating the bracket slightly if needed may do the trick! My father and i will be back to Tucson end of october for copperstate fly in.Would love to see your project again for a EAA tech counseler visit. Your project looks top notch! Keep building!
Waiex143NM
Michael
Re: Rudder pulley location on former #4/Rudder cable routing
Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2016 4:24 pm
by onex28
Mark, I sent you a PM, let me know if you want photos.
David
Re: Rudder pulley location on former #4/Rudder cable routing
Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2016 2:29 am
by dirkverdonck
Hi, I had to adjust the cable routing as well, kit #117. Do not worry to make small adjustments to make things work. The OneX kit is not a pure assembly kit but an assembly-build kit!
Later after completing your aft fuselage, you’ll probably will have to add another pulley to avoid the RH rudder cable touching the elevator control rod.
Dirk
onex #117
Re: Rudder pulley location on former #4/Rudder cable routing
Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2016 2:45 am
by ferstlesque
Thanks, all, for your replies. That’s great to know the newer kits have the pulley bracket pilot holes pre-drilled; shelling out some cash for a new former sounds very tempting and worth consideration. The positioning must have to be very precise to align the cable correctly through the fuselage exit hole, with the correct angle off the pulley.
David, I replied to your PM. Would definitely appreciate some pics!
Michael, you’re welcome to swing by and check out the project during the Copperstate weekend. The more folks that can offer advice on the project, the better! I will probably find myself leaning on the local tech counselors (one of which recently completed a Waiex) quite a bit more as I get further into the unknown territory of flight controls, rigging, and firewall forward.
Thanks again,
Mark
Re: Rudder pulley location on former #4/Rudder cable routing
Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2016 11:17 pm
by dhogue
Pic of each side of the rudder cable pulley and bulkhead. on pre drilled pulley holes part ( I opened up the cable holes in the bulkhead).
Re: Rudder pulley location on former #4/Rudder cable routing
Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2016 12:37 pm
by WaiexN143NM
Hi mark,
Yep that is me and my father that swung by for a eaa tech counseler visit, enjoyed meeting you and your project. Yes we completed a waiex a couple yrs ago now. We keep it out at KRYN. Will be back end of oct for copperstate (and for the winter) Hope don helped you w questions about the pulley brackets.
WaiexN143NM
Michael
Re: Rudder pulley location on former #4/Rudder cable routing
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2016 6:54 am
by ferstlesque
Don,
Thanks for the pic, it’s very helpful to see it all together. Looks like you’re going with the flush rivet option as well.
In discussion with some other users and studying some reference material (including similar threads on this site), I’ve decided to install cable guides, made out of large cotter pins, at each pulley station to keep the cable from working its way out of the pulley. They’ll be mounted so the contacting edge of the cotter pin is 1/16" from the end of the pulley.
Cable guides don’t seem to be mentioned in the Onex plans anywhere.
Mike,
I was a little slow on the uptake there identifying you correctly here, thanks for stopping by a few months back. Just talked to your father Friday, I look forward to checking out your 750 progress when you get back in town.
Mark
Re: Rudder pulley location on former #4/Rudder cable routing
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2016 10:19 am
by paulonex
Just my opinion, not directly on topic. It takes very little load on these brackets to cause “Oil Canning” in the former. I have no good way to calculate the load but could “Oil Can” with one finger and that is “NOT” strong enough for a control bracket in my opinion. To help this problem I added a small angle that attaches “spans” the two brackets using the top holes in the brackets . Now ten times as strong. Added .01 pounds.
Re: Rudder pulley location on former #4/Rudder cable routing
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2016 10:29 am
by dhogue
Paul,
That is a Good idea.
Could you post a picture or sketch of one of the Angles you added?
Thanks,
Don
Re: Rudder pulley location on former #4/Rudder cable routing
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2016 9:36 pm
by paulonex
it is a 3/4" by 3/4" angle made from scrape elevator material.
Took photo but do not know how to insert
Tried several things but no joy.
If somebody can tell me the procedure I will post
Re: Rudder pulley location on former #4/Rudder cable routing
Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2016 1:48 am
by wlarson861
viewtopic.php?f=39&t=385#p2864
this is in the photo category.
Re: Rudder pulley location on former #4/Rudder cable routing
Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2016 12:02 pm
by paulonex
reinforcing angle shown — pulley brackets do not “Oil Can” at all now
Re: Rudder pulley location on former #4/Rudder cable routing
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 11:53 am
by dhogue
Paul,
Thank you for the picture.
I will make the addition to my former.
Re: Rudder pulley location on former #4/Rudder cable routing
Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2016 5:02 pm
by Don_P
Thought I’d throw in my two cents on this one. Getting the Onex rudder pulleys aligned correctly on my project was a major challenge, especially at former #4. The most important aspect of this is getting each pulley wheel in the same plane as that formed by the entering and exiting cable; otherwise, the cable will rub against the sides of the pulley grooves. I ended up re-positioning most of the pulleys (at former #4 and elsewhere). At former #4, to achieve the proper alignment and to beef up the area where the pulleys mount, I fabricated some additional channel-shaped brackets as shown in the photo. These entirely eliminate oil-canning of the former. For those who have not drilled up and mounted the Onex rudder pulleys, my advice would be leave them clamped in place until the cables can be strung from the pedals to the rudder horn, then go back and adjust or preposition each pulley until the entire system works smoothly.
Re: Rudder pulley location on former #4/Rudder cable routing
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2020 1:05 pm
by Txairmale
Thank you for the photos. I simply attached the pulley brackets on the predirlled holes (kit 186) and now, much later as I rig the rudder cables I am having to make significant modifications. I wish I had read this forum post earlier 
The cable that runs forward from the left rudder horn approaches the pulley on the #4 former upward at an angle of maybe 15-20 degrees so it does not run correctly on the pulley. It looks like I will have to rotate the pulley bracket significantly to get it near the correct plane. I have also considered adding a pulley on the aft side of that former to “lift” the cable up to the same plane as the existing pulley.
Any thoughts from the group?
The run on the right side is a little better although I had to trim away material from the right side fuselage skin where the cable enters the tailcone. I will need to add a pulley though to keep the right side cable away from the elevator push tube.
Is anyone else having these issues?