Too much "slop" in ailerons?

[Mark89114]

Getting the annual done and mechanic found this situation.  In aileron full UP on both sides there seems to be a lot of movement, when the aileron is full DOWN, the movement is minimal.  The maintenance manual doesn't specify, except for 12.5 to 14.5 degrees.  Just seems like a lot.  All of the linkages have been inspected and nothing amiss....is this normal?  

 

 

[N201MKTurbo]

I wouldn't worry about it. They both have aerodynamic lift while in flight. It lifts both up stretching the the linkages between the two ailerons.  

[PT20J]

I can’t get the video to play. Each wing has aileron travel stops at the outboard bell crank. From your description, it sounds as if the ailerons are hitting the down stops on each side but not the up stops. If the stops are set right, the only play at the aileron when fully deflected is in the rod ends of the control tube between the aileron and the bell crank.

[carusoam]

To share the video…

Upload it to YouTube…

Then copy the link here…

 

Mark, Please… I would love to see what you are seeing…

Go O!

Best regards,

-a-

[N201MKTurbo]

10 hours ago, PT20J said:

I can’t get the video to play. Each wing has aileron travel stops at the outboard bell crank. From your description, it sounds as if the ailerons are hitting the down stops on each side but not the up stops. If the stops are set right, the only play at the aileron when fully deflected is in the rod ends of the control tube between the aileron and the bell crank.

There are rod ends at either end of the long rods from the center of the plane to the bell cranks in the wings and both ends of the short rods from the bell cranks to the ailerons. 

[N201MKTurbo]

12 hours ago, Mark89114 said:

Getting the annual done and mechanic found this situation.  In aileron full UP on both sides there seems to be a lot of movement, when the aileron is full DOWN, the movement is minimal.  The maintenance manual doesn't specify, except for 12.5 to 14.5 degrees.  Just seems like a lot.  All of the linkages have been inspected and nothing amiss....is this normal?  

 

It would be good to inspect the center links in the belly to make sure they aren’t cracked. Unlikely after the AD was done. This should be a normal part of an annual anyway.

[Mark89114]

Ok....i dont know why certain people can view or not....stoopid #$^*&$ technology.....

This is the YouTube link....please let me know if not working.  

[Mark89114]

3 hours ago, N201MKTurbo said:

It would be good to inspect the center links in the belly to make sure they aren’t cracked. Unlikely after the AD was done. This should be a normal part of an annual anyway.

Doesn't apply by serial number.  

[N201MKTurbo]

1 minute ago, Mark89114 said:

Doesn't apply by serial number.  

They shouldn't be inspected by serial number? That doesn't make any sense. I believe they should all have the internal gussets. the serial numbers that are not included in the AD had the gussets from the factory.

[N231BN]

A Mooney has differential ailerons in that they travel up more than they travel down. Any play inboard of the aileron bell crank will be amplified in the up position due to geometry. I just checked my airplane and it is the same as yours.

[PT20J]

9 hours ago, N201MKTurbo said:

There are rod ends at either end of the long rods from the center of the plane to the bell cranks in the wings and both ends of the short rods from the bell cranks to the ailerons. 

Agreed. Now that I can see the video, though (and assuming that someone is holding the right aileron down) the left aileron is not hitting the up stop. But, if no one is holding the left aileron, this "play" could just be due to the aileron-rudder interconnect spring trying to center the ailerons. The up aileron might appear to have more movement than the down aileron due to the differential movement. In the video there is a lot of movement and it does not appear that much force is being applied to the aileron, so I would suspect the latter. 

Skip

[Guest]

Being a little more gentle with the controls will help you find the play in the system.  Insert the three rigging pins in the control system then gently wiggle the aileron to find the play.

Ideally the ailerons should contact their respective stops at the same time.

Clarence

[PT20J]

Had to go to the hangar so I did an experiment on my 1994 M20J.

1. Right aileron held at the down stop. Left aileron doesn't quite touch the up stop and has some play similar to the movie.

2. Control wheel all way to the left. Right aileron is at down stop and left aileron is at the up stop. The left aileron has no play except the rod ends on the control tube between the bell crank and the aileron. The right aileron has some "give" because pushing it down puts the long push-pull tube that runs through the wing in compression causing it to flex somewhat.

Skip

[PeytonM]

A couple of Service Bulletins applied to my 1989J, so I had these addressed in 2007. Check with LASAR to see if they have the kits.

1) Replace worn aileron center links with SB-M20-264 kit;

2) SB-M20-289 aileron center link clearance service kit