Need advice from a Mooney Mechanic: Flaps

[Oscar Avalle]

Guys, as many of you know by now I am currently outside of the country with my Mooney. In Guatemala there are 2 Mooneys (Hopefully 3 soon). So knowledge about how to maintain a mooney is not always available. That is why I post some many questions....Thus here goes another one:

 

My Mooney has electric flaps. When I put the Flaps in take off position (I know some would say simply don't do it) the flaps have to much play upwards and as soon as I start rolling they move up 5 degress. However when I put the flaps down to full flaps they stay in place. I asked my local mechanic (not a mooney expert) to look into it he said that everything looked OK. When I use the flaps for landing they stay in place (I guess because of the airflow)> . As you can imagine I don't think that this is right.

 

Thank you for any advice you can give me!!!

 

Oscar 

[N201MKTurbo]

5 degrees seems like a lot of slop in the flap system. Have you noticed if the position indicator is moving or just seeing the flaps looking out the window? The indicator comes from the flap torque tube, not the flaps themselves.

[Shadrach]

Seems like yo have slop in the system in the linkage somewhere.  I'm not that familiar with the elec flaps, but I would think the reason you have no play at full flaps is because the down limit stops the flaps in place while the motor take out the rest of the slop in the linkage. with out the opposing force of the down stop any partial flap position is going to have slop...  Have you tried 1/2 flap or 3/4 flap positions? Is the slop always present?

[Oscar Avalle]

Seems like yo have slop in the system in the linkage somewhere.  I'm not that familiar with the elec flaps, but I would think the reason you have no play at full flaps is because the down limit stops the flaps in place while the motor take out the rest of the slop in the linkage. with out the opposing force of the down stop any partial flap position is going to have slop...  Have you tried 1/2 flap or 3/4 flap positions? Is the slop always present?

Yes the slop is present.

[N201MKTurbo]

I've never seen this problem, but I've read about it.

 

If you fly too fast with the flaps down you can crack the bulkhead that the flap torque tube hinges are mounted to. I would have your guy check this.

 

My experience is that the flaps should not move more then 1/4 inch when you pull up on them in any intermediate position.

[thinwing]

The cracked bulkhead would it but you would also see play in ful down position....Once you remove aft belly panel the ball links should all be checked for play..wear in 3 0r 4 links upstream can add up to a lot of play....Also the Horn on the flap itself...but both at the same time???That would be unusual....k

[BigTex]

Might shoot Don Maxwell an email and ask him... Seems like I had some slop in my flaps and he made a couple of adjustments to fix them.

[Oscar Avalle]

Might shoot Don Maxwell an email and ask him... Seems like I had some slop in my flaps and he made a couple of adjustments to fix them.

Gary

Thank you! I emailed him yesterday and he responded right away with an idea of what may be going on. It seems that there are 4 rubber dampers that may be worn out. 

 

Oscar