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Bowden cable trim system questions

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Will Aldridge

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2009
Messages
997
Location
Northern Utah
For my elevator trim control I'm going to run a Bowden cable from the left console just behind the throttle all the way back to the tab on the elevator and have a few questions about the limitations of Bowden cables. I have consulted the Tony Bingelis books but they were kind of vague on all subjects I'm asking about below.

1. What's the longest unsupported distance they can span? The longest distance right now would be about 29" (i can add intermediate support if necessary). And is there a longest recommended length? From my trim lever to tab is about 11 ft.

2. How tight a bend can they go around? The only serious changes in direction would be from the bottom of the h-stab to the middle of the elevator spar, that is if i didn't go through the interior of the h-stab and come out through the middle of the spar. There is roughly 3.1" inches between the aft face of the h-stab spar and the forward face of the elevator spar and the spars are both about 4 inches tall so 2 inches from the bottom to the middle where the Bowden cable would go through ( elevator spar is full width).

Or could i just go under the elevator spar and leave enough slack to account for the elevator deflection? Don't like that idea btw.

3. When ordering from ACS how accurate do you have to be? How easy is it to trim it down if it's too long? Fyi i have a Bowden cable stretcher if i order too short (same principle as a lumber stretcher when cutting a piece too short). Do they leave a certain amount of cable extending beyond each end of the sheath?

4. Any other gotchas i need to know about?

Thanks
 
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