aileron bellcrank slop

[bobgoodman]

i searched the archives for this topic, but came up empty. sorry if it's another repeat but

i was working on a 71 cit this afternoon and we were trying to address a slight aileron slop issue. we isolated the slop in the left bellcrank. the bellcrank has a lot of up and down travel, unlike the other side, and is so loose it will rock slightly in it's axle (bolt and bushing), and this seems to be the source of the slop. i read in the service manual on how to remove it, but stopped when i got to "cut the fabric enough to remove the bellcrank assembly".

so i have some questions.

is half an inch of slop in the trailing edge of an aileron excessive?

is there any other way to get the bellcrank pivot bolt out without the cutting fabric on top of the wing. there is an inspection/access ring there but it has never been cut out.

the bellcrank will never come out the inspection hole, but could you fish it down the wing and get it out at the wing root?

if i could get the bolt out i believe i could work it around and get the bushing out, but i'm not sure. im also not sure it would do any good, as the hole in the bellcrank itself may be the issue. however, that "might" be addressed by fabricating an oversize bushing.

so before we start cutting fabric, i thought i would ask the experts.

we are hoping for a miracle fix.

bobg

 

[wbecker]

I would cut the inspection plate hole and remove the bolt and add thin washers top or bottom to take up the vertical slop. Then decide if you need todo something with the bushing. If the bellcrank does need to come out the fabric repair is not at all difficult, if you know what system was used.
Bill B

 

[bobgoodman]

that's what i'm thinking. that bolt has to come out and there is just no way without cutting that top inspection hole. or access hole. i think it's paint, which is problematic for fabric repair. a lot more complicated than dope. i'll take some mek and see, in an inconspicuous spot. if it's dope, we could just cut a very small hole where the bolt head comes out and patch it with fabric, and i think we could somehow get to the bellcrank. we could hire a 10 year old kid to reach up in there and align things for re-assembly.

there'll probably be no aiplane work for a couple of days, the weather here is cold and wet.

bobg