McFarlane Throttle cable

[Culver LFA]

Hi Everyone, I'm looking for some feedback on the McFarlane custom made throttle cable. 

This is a replacement for a '67 M20F and the throttle cable I removed was a 1/2"-20.  McFarlane responded that they normally produce a 3/4"-16 and the price will be high for a 1/2"-20.  When I removed the cable I noticed that the 1/2"-20 has zero clearance against the J-bar handle mount (which my airplane does not utilize, other than it has the intercom bracket mounted there), so I think I'll have to pay the higher price. 

Am I missing something, how are you all getting a 3/4-16 throttle cable in there?

Thanks!

Joe

[Browncbr1]

2 hours ago, Culver LFA said:

Hi Everyone, I'm looking for some feedback on the McFarlane custom made throttle cable. 

This is a replacement for a '67 M20F and the throttle cable I removed was a 1/2"-20.  McFarlane responded that they normally produce a 3/4"-16 and the price will be high for a 1/2"-20.  When I removed the cable I noticed that the 1/2"-20 has zero clearance against the J-bar handle mount (which my airplane does not utilize, other than it has the intercom bracket mounted there), so I think I'll have to pay the higher price. 

Am I missing something, how are you all getting a 3/4-16 throttle cable in there?

Thanks!

Joe

Throttle is 1/2-20 swivel is correct  

My experience dealing with macfarlane customer service wasn’t too great.   It seems they keep no documentation on vintage Mooney’s even through they produce them all the time.   Make sure they understand how to make the throttle switch cutout.  They didn’t even bother cutting mine, in spite of my instructions.  Price should be $275

Edited November 7, 2018 by Browncbr1

[Bob_Belville]

I've had great experience with McFarlane replacing all 3 cables. I did convert to the larger diameter panel shaft by reaming out the hole in the panel. (I have a '66E with JBar. The old smaller diameter cable was an (inferior) ACS that was part of a panel redo by a PO in 1997.) 

As to their customer service my experience has been good as well. When I discovered that the throttle cable did not have the slot for the gear warning limit switch I called. They called me back within minutes and advised that the shop had made the mistake and that a new cable would go out that day next day air. (The first cable is hanging in my hangar.)

[Culver LFA]

43 minutes ago, Bob_Belville said:

I've had great experience with McFarlane replacing all 3 cables. I did convert to the larger diameter panel shaft by reaming out the hole in the panel. (I have a '66E with JBar. The old smaller diameter cable was an (inferior) ACS that was part of a panel redo by a PO in 1997.) 

As to their customer service my experience has been good as well. When I discovered that the throttle cable did not have the slot for the gear warning limit switch I called. They called me back within minutes and advised that the shop had made the mistake and that a new cable would go out that day next day air. (The first cable is hanging in my hangar.)

Hi Bob,

Boring out the hole to 3/4” is no problem but the location of the j bar mount (2 small tubes welded to the structure) are in very close proximity to the throttle cable housing, if I go larger I’m pretty confident it won’t fit.  

I’ll take another look tomorrow, maybe the threaded portion will not interfere, but I seem to remember the housing making direct contact in this area.

Thanks for sharing your experience with McFarlane, Kelli has been helpful and quick to respond to me.

-Joe

[Bob_Belville]

Just now, Culver LFA said:

Hi Bob,

Boring out the hole to 3/4” is no problem but the location of the j bar mount (2 small tubes welded to the structure) are in very close proximity to the throttle cable housing, if I go larger I’m pretty confident it won’t fit.  

I’ll take another look tomorrow, maybe the threaded portion will not interfere, but I seem to remember the housing making direct contact in this area.

Thanks for sharing your experience with McFarlane, Kelli has been helpful and quick to respond to me.

-Joe

Joe, you should check it carefully as I am not at all sure our planes would be identical. It is crowded in that area, I recall getting creative to get wrenches on the nuts, may have had to scotch one with a big screwdriver.

Good luck! 

[ArtVandelay]

Throttle is 1/2-20 swivel is correct  
My experience dealing with macfarlane customer service wasn’t too great.   It seems they keep no documentation on vintage Mooney’s even through they produce them all the time.   Make sure they understand how to make the throttle switch cutout.  They didn’t even bother cutting mine, in spite of my instructions.  Price should be $275

Did you send them your old cables? Seems that would eliminate any problems.

[CWM20f]

I sent the cable in to them for my 67 F model.  I didn’t pay much attention to thread size but they produced same cable with cutout for around $275.  Works perfect and I had great experience communicating before and during process. (Had mixture and ram air cable done at same time).  Will use them again when needed. 

[Bob_Belville]

New controls (red button on the mixture.)

The close up is the older ACS cables.

 

[Browncbr1]

1 hour ago, Bob_Belville said:

I've had great experience with McFarlane replacing all 3 cables. I did convert to the larger diameter panel shaft by reaming out the hole in the panel. (I have a '66E with JBar. The old smaller diameter cable was an (inferior) ACS that was part of a panel redo by a PO in 1997.) 

As to their customer service my experience has been good as well. When I discovered that the throttle cable did not have the slot for the gear warning limit switch I called. They called me back within minutes and advised that the shop had made the mistake and that a new cable would go out that day next day air. (The first cable is hanging in my hangar.)

I wish I had the same experience.  I paid for overnight deliver ($180), and their shipping department didn’t get it out that day before a holiday weekend..., then when it actually shipped, it went ground, though I paid for overnight.  Never got a credit.  When I called about the switch slot, they said sorry.  No replacement cable.  I was pretty disgusted, so pulled out the dremel.   My last 4 emails and two phone calls to them went unreturned.  ;(

[Browncbr1]

17 minutes ago, Bob_Belville said:

New controls (red button on the mixture.)

The close up is the older ACS cables.

 

Hey bob, did you ever have problems with your prop cable vernier migrating in cruise?   My new one from them does and I often just have to hold it.   They don’t have silver buttons like your though.  

[Culver LFA]

26 minutes ago, CWM20f said:

I sent the cable in to them for my 67 F model.  I didn’t pay much attention to thread size but they produced same cable with cutout for around $275.  Works perfect and I had great experience communicating before and during process. (Had mixture and ram air cable done at same time).  Will use them again when needed. 

No, I removed the cables yesterday and completed their forms. 

They are quoting $325 each for the mixture and prop, $525 for the 1/2” throttle or $375 for the 3/4”.

[Bob_Belville]

4 minutes ago, Browncbr1 said:

Hey bob, did you ever have problems with your prop cable vernier migrating in cruise?   My new one from them does and I often just have to hold it.   They don’t have silver buttons like your though.  

The vernier feature on both the prop and mixture hold their position very well. 

Perhaps there is a way to tighten up the tension... @AGL Aviationor @M20Doc or ... may know off whether tightening the nut would snug it up. You might call Tim Paine or Matt Sharpton at McFarlane. Or DMax. 

[Browncbr1]

2 minutes ago, Bob_Belville said:

The vernier feature on both the prop and mixture hold their position very well. 

Perhaps there is a way to tighten up the tension... @AGL Aviationor @M20Doc or ... may know off whether tightening the nut would snug it up. You might call Tim Paine or Matt Sharpton at McFarlane. Or DMax. 

Thanks, I thought the button could be twisted to increase or reduce friction on the vernier, but it doesn’t seem to be able to turn.  

[Bob_Belville]

9 minutes ago, Browncbr1 said:

Thanks, I thought the button could be twisted to increase or reduce friction on the vernier, but it doesn’t seem to be able to turn.  

This is a video showing the guts of a vernier throttle. As I suspected there's a spring inside. The video seems to cover a newer design than we have so I'd want to verify how to increase the tension. There is no doubt a simple way to do it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=6&v=5RcjEd7lR4Q

[Bob_Belville]

11 minutes ago, Bob_Belville said:

This is a video showing the guts of a vernier throttle. As I suspected there's a spring inside. The video seems to cover a newer design than we have so I'd want to verify how to increase the tension. There is no doubt a simple way to do it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=6&v=5RcjEd7lR4Q

I have a bad habit of over torquing stuff which may explain why I don't have any creep...  

[CWM20f]

1 hour ago, Culver LFA said:

No, I removed the cables yesterday and completed their forms. 

They are quoting $325 each for the mixture and prop, $525 for the 1/2” throttle or $375 for the 3/4”.

I’m not positive at all about price I paid (been sometime). Think it was around the 275 - 300 range but I did have three made so could be mixing prices.  Didn’t do much filling in of forms I just sent cables in and let them do it. 

[carusoam]

Look for the words friction lock related to push/pull cables... there is a way to twist the housing to compress the friction material to increase the friction...

Vernier cables might have it too, I just haven’t noticed the need quite yet... 

PP thoughts...

-a-

[Culver LFA]

Here is a picture from behind my panel, throttle cable hole being on the right. 

3/4” isn’t going to work in my airplane.

Hopefully this will help others get the correct cable for their airplane in the future, it really is true that every one of these airplanes are different!

 

[Andy95W]

That's a really good picture, it probably wasn't easy to take.

I still think it may be worthwhile to investigate whether the hole could be reamed larger, upward and outward, so that it cleared the end of the bolt and stop nut.

Another option that you could investigate with your A&P would be to use a shorter bolt and a low profile stop nut:

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/hapages/an363_1.php

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/hapages/ms21042.php

[Bob_Belville]

21 minutes ago, Andy95W said:

That's a really good picture, it probably wasn't easy to take.

I still think it may be worthwhile to investigate whether the hole could be reamed larger, upward and outward, so that it cleared the end of the bolt and stop nut.

Another option that you could investigate with your A&P would be to use a shorter bolt and a low profile stop nut:

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/hapages/an363_1.php

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/hapages/ms21042.php

I agree that it is possible the standard, larger, cable might work. You'll note that the prop cable has a similar situation with the structure. The nut on the back side of the panel is thin and there's space between the panel and the structure.

[Yetti]

Are you sure that bolt is in the correct way?  maybe flip it over?

[Nokomis449]

On 11/7/2018 at 7:00 PM, Browncbr1 said:

Hey bob, did you ever have problems with your prop cable vernier migrating in cruise?   My new one from them does and I often just have to hold it.   They don’t have silver buttons like your though.  

Here's my CB fix for my prop vernier that likes to gradually increase RPM when I'm not looking:  I keep a pony tail holder on the adjacent vernier.  When I'm ready for the prop to stay put, I loop the pony tail holder over both.  It provides just enough tension to keep the RPM from creeping, and doesn't interfere with subsequent adjustments of either.

TIP:  Make sure your wife knows what you're doing BEFORE you get one.   Explaining a rogue (to her) pony tail holder in the plane can get expensive, especially when she doesn't sport a pony tail.

[milotron]

56 minutes ago, Nokomis449 said:

Here's my CB fix for my prop vernier that likes to gradually increase RPM when I'm not looking:  I keep a pony tail holder on the adjacent vernier.  When I'm ready for the prop to stay put, I loop the pony tail holder over both.  It provides just enough tension to keep the RPM from creeping, and doesn't interfere with subsequent adjustments of either.

TIP:  Make sure your wife knows what you're doing BEFORE you get one.   Explaining a rogue (to her) pony tail holder in the plane can get expensive, especially when she doesn't sport a pony tail.

I use one of those wider elastic bands to keep my prop vernier in place. Less drama involved!  I have enough things to explain to the wife.

[Ragsf15e]

I have same prop vernier migration... gonna try the pony tail holder, thanks!

is that a mooney thing or is there an adjustment?  I asked a mechanic once and was told to replace the cable.  I decided to just hold it in cruise.

[carusoam]

Check for an AD on prop vernier knobs...

Some have been swapped out because of a tendency to fall apart with age...

I believe mine got swapped at engine OH.

There should be lots written on that topic..

A few Mooney pilots have lost control of their engines along the way...

Losing  prop speed control can make a go around impossible...

pp thoughts...

-a-