Rocketman
Rocketman
- Joined
- Apr 16, 2012
- Messages
- 100
- Reaction score
- 7
I think there was a thread about elevator/rudder gap seals but I couldn't find it 
. Mods feel free to move this .
I just purchased the seals from Aircraft Spruce and thought I'd mention that they fit perfectly in every way shape and form. Took only about an hour to do both elevators from outboard to inboard and the rudder top to bottom. Just had to remove one strap hinge bolt for each surface. I lightly glued the forward 'c' sections the to fabric. I could 'feel' a little difference in the stick control harmony in the cockpit, it was a little unbalanced through the range with the pitch being a tad stiffer than roll. A little Pledge under the trailing edges of the gap seals quickly remedied that. I got tired of looking through the gaps in the surfaces every time I glanced at the airplane so, aestetically they really finish off the airplane (IMO). Haven't flown yet as the wx here in Ohio has been the 'pitts' for the last week or so but will report back if the wx ever clears up.
Oh yea....cost was just a little over a hundred bucks for 3 strips. I used one entire strip for the 3 sections of the rudder with none left over. I used all but 1/8" of each strip for the 2 sections of each elevator.
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/appages/gapsealtail.php
I made a slight (un-noticable to anyone but me) error in trimming around the lower rudder steering bolts on one side....if someone has a 3" section of the gap seal I'll gladly take it off your hands.
Here's a before and pic:
View attachment 1833
. Mods feel free to move this .I just purchased the seals from Aircraft Spruce and thought I'd mention that they fit perfectly in every way shape and form. Took only about an hour to do both elevators from outboard to inboard and the rudder top to bottom. Just had to remove one strap hinge bolt for each surface. I lightly glued the forward 'c' sections the to fabric. I could 'feel' a little difference in the stick control harmony in the cockpit, it was a little unbalanced through the range with the pitch being a tad stiffer than roll. A little Pledge under the trailing edges of the gap seals quickly remedied that. I got tired of looking through the gaps in the surfaces every time I glanced at the airplane so, aestetically they really finish off the airplane (IMO). Haven't flown yet as the wx here in Ohio has been the 'pitts' for the last week or so but will report back if the wx ever clears up.
Oh yea....cost was just a little over a hundred bucks for 3 strips. I used one entire strip for the 3 sections of the rudder with none left over. I used all but 1/8" of each strip for the 2 sections of each elevator.
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/appages/gapsealtail.php
I made a slight (un-noticable to anyone but me) error in trimming around the lower rudder steering bolts on one side....if someone has a 3" section of the gap seal I'll gladly take it off your hands
.Here's a before and pic:
View attachment 1833
Attachments
Last edited:
