Yoke improvement?

[cplpeter]

Hi,

My Mooney yokes are worn and corroded, see enclosed.

Any suggestions for improvement?

Looking forward to your comments!

[Andy95W]

Welcome to MooneySpace.

http://customizer.aerocomfort.com/wheel/choose

Or make your own like some folks here have done.  

Good luck, post pictures when you get done.

[buddy]

On my 201 I took them off and got them power coated, they turned out great.

[m20kmooney]

There are two ways you can go. Both require removal of the yokes and switches. Associated wiring has to be reworked.

One is to remove them and have them powder coated.

The second is to remove them and cover them with leather. If you go this route you should clean them up and put a couple coats of Rustoleum (or similar) on them. Then cover them with the leather. You can do the leather yourself (save $$$) or send them out. There are folks on here who have done it themselves. You can do a search for them. 

[carusoam]

Welcome aboard Peter.

What do you have in mind?

If you want to see how nicely leather can be done by a Mooney pilot with skill....

See Peter from NJ (PTK)’s collection of pics...

 

To get yokes like factory new... see aerocomfort.... that’s where the Mooney factory goes...

 

you might want to state your budget or preference... 

If you want maximum quality and color choices.... that can get a bit expensive...

If you want a good looking, lower cost... make the ugly mess go away... the powder coat might be the direction to follow up.

PP thoughts only, not a mechanic...

Best regards,

-a-

[bob865]

We just re-did ours at annual time.  The aluminum was corroding and bubbling up under the paint.  It was pretty bad.  Not to mention the mooney logos were long gone.  We didn't do anything special really.  We just sanded them down and got rid of the corrosion, inspected, and then painted with a high gloss auto finish (by a buddy who does body work).  The same guy has a daugther with access to a laser printer and made us some new logo inserts.

[Marauder]

We just re-did ours at annual time.  The aluminum was corroding and bubbling up under the paint.  It was pretty bad.  Not to mention the mooney logos were long gone.  We didn't do anything special really.  We just sanded them down and got rid of the corrosion, inspected, and then painted with a high gloss auto finish (by a buddy who does body work).  The same guy has a daugther with access to a laser printer and made us some new logo inserts.

Mongo yokes! The only time I miss mine is when the turbulence is bad.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

[RLCarter]

Leather or Powder Coat, leather looks and feels good but the power coating is cheaper. 

[carusoam]

First I saw pics of 865’s yokes... 

You get a warm fuzzy feeling what your M20F can look like in the future...

Just look at Marauder’s before and after pics...

Then back to 865’s... the digital revolution has already begun starting with the G5, and fancy tach and engine monitor!

Go Mooney!

Best regards,

-a-

[bradp]

One question - what’s the composition of the yokes? Are they aluminum or magnesium.  This matters for some type of prep / compatibility.  

If you do leather you definitely want to clean up the corrosion.  Your sweaty palms contribute to it - you are putting electrolytes directly on the bare metal if the paint has flecked off 

Second question - has anyone tried a ceramic coating for the yokes.  I know these coatings  are popular among the gun people and are compatible with steel, aluminum alloys and magnesium alloys. 

 A matte finish might be good for yokes 

[aviatoreb]

11 minutes ago, bradp said:

One question - what’s the composition of the yokes? Are they aluminum or magnesium.  This matters for some type of prep / compatibility.  

If you do leather you definitely want to clean up the corrosion.  Your sweaty palms contribute to it - you are putting electrolytes directly on the bare metal if the paint has flecked off 

Second question - has anyone tried a ceramic coating for the yokes.  I know these coatings  are popular among the gun people and are compatible with steel, aluminum alloys and magnesium alloys. 

 A matte finish might be good for yokes 

I did something like that, in black, which kept me happy for about 6 or 7 years until I eventually re-did the whole airplane and had the yokes covered in leather at that time.  It is a very suitable and surprisingly nice treatment on the cheap.

[Skates97]

For the super cheap route you can put bike tape on them. Much better than metal when it's hot or cold, lost of colors to choose from.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C1VLNM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[jaylw314]

3 hours ago, bradp said:

One question - what’s the composition of the yokes? Are they aluminum or magnesium.  This matters for some type of prep / compatibility.  

I'm pretty sure they are magnesium alloy.  AC 43.13 has some pretty detailed guidance about how to remove corrosion and treat it.  IIRC, it recommends removal of corrosion, then a timed alodine dip before any protective coating.

While it's not exactly a structural part, you obviously don't want it failing at the hub.

[bradp]

Here are the applicable pages from 43-13

 

 

 

[81X]

On 4/21/2019 at 4:12 PM, Andy95W said:

Welcome to MooneySpace.

http://customizer.aerocomfort.com/wheel/choose

Or make your own like some folks here have done.  

Good luck, post pictures when you get done.

I also have AeroComfort yoke covers.  They are not cheap, but Hector is the man and it really makes a difference in comfort and style.  They also wrapped my glareshield which took garbage looking plastic and made it look much more luxurious.  

[flumag]

On 4/21/2019 at 9:16 PM, RLCarter said:

Leather or Powder Coat, leather looks and feels good but the power coating is cheaper. 

Who do you used for the powder coating? Are there any companies that can be recommended and what's a reasonable quote for clean it off and powder coat it?

Thanks Hendrik

[RLCarter]

2 minutes ago, flumag said:

Who do you used for the powderder coating? Are there any companies that can be recommended and what's a reasonable quote for clean it off and powder coat it?

Thanks Hendrik

I used local guys for powder coat ($50.00) and a local hotrod shop for the leather ($125.00)

[flumag]

5 minutes ago, RLCarter said:

I used local guys for powder coat ($50.00) and a local hotrod shop for the leather ($125.00)

thanks, that's helpful 

Hendrik 

[INA201]

I was really pleased with these guys. Brand new results.

https://www.saircorp.com/home.php?cat=255

[flumag]

14 hours ago, INA201 said:

I was really pleased with these guys. Brand new results.

https://www.saircorp.com/home.php?cat=255

sounds good. How long does it was taking? 

[Shadrach]

On 4/22/2019 at 11:57 AM, jaylw314 said:

I'm pretty sure they are magnesium alloy.  AC 43.13 has some pretty detailed guidance about how to remove corrosion and treat it.  IIRC, it recommends removal of corrosion, then a timed alodine dip before any protective coating.

While it's not exactly a structural part, you obviously don't want it failing at the hub.

What makes you think they are magnesium? I assumed aluminum. A few drops of vinegar on the exposed metal will tell you. No reaction means aluminum.

[jaylw314]

25 minutes ago, Shadrach said:

What makes you think they are magnesium? I assumed aluminum. A few drops of vinegar on the exposed metal will tell you. No reaction means aluminum.

My IA said he was pretty sure and I thought I read it somewhere

[flumag]

On 4/24/2019 at 12:29 PM, flumag said:

Who do you used for the powder coating? Are there any companies that can be recommended and what's a reasonable quote for clean it off and powder coat it?

Thanks Hendrik

So yokes are removed and send in for refurbishment. Lets see how they turn out.... 

[RLCarter]

18 minutes ago, flumag said:

So yokes are removed and send in for refurbishment. Lets see how they turn out.... 

 

Looks like it was time, don't forget the "After" photos

 

[bradp]

@flumag can you tell us if they are magnesium or aluminum?