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Anyone here do a self install? Anyone who has been following my past installs, I am about to:

Remove Sandel 3308, Flux, Gyro

Remove G5 that I just installed (AI)

Remove Garmin 420

Add 2 GI 275's

Add 430 W

Add GFC 500

Even though my harness looks good to others, to me I see what I would do differently, so I am going to completely redo my harnesses with extra length and some beautiful snakeskin.

Question is, how much of a PTA is it to install the servos? That at the moment is what is keeping me up at night! Garmin doesn't throw a whole lot of Mooney Specific info out there and I am just a little curious! I just install everything that I  removing and it looks like avionics has become an addiction far worse and more expensive than cocaine. Seriously I just installed a G5 and ready to replace it with a 275.

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Robert,

I installed the GFC 500 2 axis system with electric trim in my F model. Do you have access to buy the kit from Garmin and the manuals/drawings? The kit is very well put together but there is a lot miscellaneous hardware that isn't included. I had to source all of it from various sources including the can bus cable. The brackets for the aileron servo and the trim servo weren't terrible and the shelf in the back will require an extra hand to hammer the rivets from the outside. Find a small person that can handle a bucking bar for inside! You will need some specialized sheetmetal tools such as a small right angle threaded drill, bucking bars, rivet gun, etc. But if you have specific questions, ask away. 

Edited by JimB
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My avionics guy gives me good deals if I do the install myself. I can do just about anything to the airplane except buck rivets. Can you use cherry rivets? The avionics guy might need to get a little more involved installing the servos. I can do some fabrication (panel cutting, making ribs), just have never bucked rivets.

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4 hours ago, robert7467 said:

My avionics guy gives me good deals if I do the install myself. I can do just about anything to the airplane except buck rivets. Can you use cherry rivets? The avionics guy might need to get a little more involved installing the servos. I can do some fabrication (panel cutting, making ribs), just have never bucked rivets.

There are only around 20 or so rivets you have to buck. I suppose you could substitute cherrys if you wanted but you can learn to buck rivets. It isn't difficult but you need to practice on some scrap pieces of metal first to get the rivet gun pressure set and get a feel for it. Ask your guy for a copy of the drawings and install manual so you can review. 

Edited by JimB
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  • 3 weeks later...
On 5/11/2021 at 3:37 PM, JimB said:

Robert,

I installed the GFC 500 2 axis system with electric trim in my F model. Do you have access to buy the kit from Garmin and the manuals/drawings? The kit is very well put together but there is a lot miscellaneous hardware that isn't included. I had to source all of it from various sources including the can bus cable. The brackets for the aileron servo and the trim servo weren't terrible and the shelf in the back will require an extra hand to hammer the rivets from the outside. Find a small person that can handle a bucking bar for inside! You will need some specialized sheetmetal tools such as a small right angle threaded drill, bucking bars, rivet gun, etc. But if you have specific questions, ask away. 

Does your F do fine without yaw damper?  I’m thinking of doing a 2 axis system without a trim servo.

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1 hour ago, Browncbr1 said:

Does your F do fine without yaw damper?  I’m thinking of doing a 2 axis system without a trim servo.

For a 2-axis system, I believe you’d need…

  • Pitch trim servo (if you have manual/manual electric trim)
  • Pitch servo
  • Roll servo

You would leave out the yaw damper servo.

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1 hour ago, StevenL757 said:

For a 2-axis system, I believe you’d need…

  • Pitch trim servo (if you have manual/manual electric trim)
  • Pitch servo
  • Roll servo

You would leave out the yaw damper servo.

You can buy/install the autopilot with 2 servos (no pitch trim), 3 or 4 servos depending on which option you desire.

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9 minutes ago, Browncbr1 said:

What I meant was, does it handle cross wind approaches and turbulence ok without a yaw damper servo?

I have the GFC500. I did not install the yaw damper. The autopilot flies precision approaches in cross winds as if it's on rails.

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Agree with above.  The autopilot flies great without the yaw damper.  It is purely a comfort/convenience option.

I chose to spend the extra money and install the yaw damper.  After experiencing flying with it, I am very happy with my decision.  On climb, no more right rudder.  It will cruise and turn coordinated at any speed.  On descent, no left rudder.  And, in turbulence it really smooths out the yawing.

See if you can find a plane with a yaw damper and go for a ride to see how much better it is.  Of course, it costs more and there are lots of other places to spend the money that may be higher priority.  Fortunately, it is always an option to add the yaw damper at a later date if you change your mind or have extra airplane money sitting around that you don't know what to do with.

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Lots of pireps on the YD...

YD improves the ride...

Its a more modern YD than any analog devices that came before...

But, it’s more of a want to have than a need to have...

Plenty of checks in the plus column...

Best regards,

-a-

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I opted out of the YD and trim when I had my GFC-500 installed, it was not actually about the money, it was my choice I want to keep my feet on the pedals and I actually enjoy it, personal preference, and I want to stay in tune with the trim of the plane at all times, just was never comfortable with handing that off to a computer on a missed approach etc. I do agree the YD would be pretty sweet in cruise, but most of my trips are less than an hour. I find trimming manually in partnership with the GFC 500 is super easy, it lets you know if it needs trim up/down via the G5 and after a while you just sort of adapt and get it done through muscle memory. The GFC 500 on crosswinds is awesome, as stated, it is on the rails, and  instrument approaches along with VNAV from the GTN is just the icing on the cake, I feel like I am cheating when doing holds and approaches.

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On 5/30/2021 at 10:13 AM, Browncbr1 said:

What I meant was, does it handle cross wind approaches and turbulence ok without a yaw damper servo?

You might feel a little more “tail wag” in turbulence, but crosswinds should be exactly the same with or without the yaw damper. The autopilot doesn’t yaw the airplane to hold it steady on an approach in crosswind, it crabs into the wind.  So it’s staying coordinated just like if there’s no wind, but your indicated heading down final will be slightly into the wind.  No rudder input is required.  Wether or not you have a yaw damper it’s up to the pilot to straighten the nose down the runway and wing down into the wind for landing.

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