Waiex aft Rudder Cable Tension WIX-C04-02
Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2020 7:10 pm
by jeff0196
All Waiex pilots,
How do you set and check your WIX-C04-02 Aft rudder cable tension?
-Hand check, feels good
-Tension meter
-Other
If you set it with a meter, what value do you use?
Just to clarify, this is the cable between the WIX-C02-02 mixer assembly and the WIX-T03-01 Rudder. This tension is independent of how hard you push your feet on the pedals.
Due to the mixer assembly design/geometry, the tension also changes as you move the elevator control forward (nose down) and back (nose up).
When I put a tension meter on mine it only takes one turn of the adjustment clevis to make a big change in tension, example:
Stick forward - cables have 22.5 lbs
Stick aft - cables have 27.5 lbs
Then remove bolt, turn one half turn tighter on one cable only
Stick forward - cables have 27 lbs
Stick aft - cables have 35 lbs
Then remove bolt, turn one half turn tighter on one cable only
Stick forward - cables have 30 lbs
Stick aft - cables have 55 lbs
Re: Waiex aft Rudder Cable Tension WIX-C04-02
Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2020 7:44 pm
by Bryan Cotton
I did hand check, feels good.
Re: Waiex aft Rudder Cable Tension WIX-C04-02
Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2020 8:16 pm
by N111YX
“Fairly snug” has worked for me!
Re: Waiex aft Rudder Cable Tension WIX-C04-02
Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2020 11:51 pm
by Rynoth
I also just went with “fairly snug” by hand. I did notice some squeaking at my rudder piano-hinge at one point and discovered the rudder a bit difficult to move (lifted the tail, manually moved the stub-rudder by hand). I loosened the cable tension slightly to relieve pressure on the piano hinge and it moved much better (while maintaining tension in the cables.) Don’t over-tighten them.
Re: Waiex aft Rudder Cable Tension WIX-C04-02
Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2020 10:34 am
by N111YX
In order…
- loose 2) snug 3) fairly snug 4) tight.
My cables were between loose and snug originally and when I performed the swaged cable SB a few years ago, the new cables were installed “fairly snug”. I see no operational difference but I likely have a bit more rudder “response” because there is zero play in the cables from the mixer aft.
Rynoth wrote:I also just went with “fairly snug” by hand. I did notice some squeaking at my rudder piano-hinge at one point and discovered the rudder a bit difficult to move (lifted the tail, manually moved the stub-rudder by hand). I loosened the cable tension slightly to relieve pressure on the piano hinge and it moved much better (while maintaining tension in the cables.) Don’t over-tighten them.
Re: Waiex aft Rudder Cable Tension WIX-C04-02
Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2020 1:35 pm
by Rynoth
Indeed, to be clear I probably had them “tight” when I noticed the friction in the piano hinge, backed them off slightly to “fairly snug” and went with that, seems to work well.
Re: Waiex aft Rudder Cable Tension WIX-C04-02
Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2020 11:00 pm
by jeff0196
Thanks for the replies. Sounds like the most common thing is to feel by hand. If it helps anyone for reference, none of the numbers I posted when starting this topic feel loose or have any slack, and by the time it gets to 55 lbs it’s fairly tight.