McFarlane custom control cables

[ArrowBerry]

Does anyone have experience with sending in your throttle/mixture/prop cables to McFarlane to be reproduced? We're specifically in need of a prop control cable, and possibly looking at upgrading to their vernier style throttle cable. 

In talking to them, a produced cable for our particular year and serial number is not available--but a custom made one is. Is this a good way to get new cables? Or should we be trying to source one from somewhere else? Lasar? 

[KSMooniac]

They're the best, OEM for Mooney. Send yours in without hesitation.

Sent from my LM-V600 using Tapatalk

[DonMuncy]

Definitely the way to go.

[TheAv8r]

I have all 3 of my engine cables replaced with McFarlane PMA replacements and they’re fantastic. Would recommend. 

[EricJ]

3 hours ago, ArrowBerry said:

Does anyone have experience with sending in your throttle/mixture/prop cables to McFarlane to be reproduced? We're specifically in need of a prop control cable, and possibly looking at upgrading to their vernier style throttle cable. 

In talking to them, a produced cable for our particular year and serial number is not available--but a custom made one is. Is this a good way to get new cables? Or should we be trying to source one from somewhere else? Lasar? 

I've replaced all three of my engine control cables in the last few years.   All were from McFarlane, two using the OPP reproduction process and one ordered directly using the Mooney part number.    The only one that had fitment issues was the one purchased using the Mooney part number.   The OPP reproduction parts fit easily.

The quality of all three were fine.   I'd not hesitate to order cables from them.

[PT20J]

IA on my field needed a throttle cable for a Beech Sundowner. Textron quoted $20K to make one. He sent cable to McFarlane, they sent him a drawing to approve, and then made the part for a reasonable price. Every A&P I know uses McFarlane.

[C.J.]

3 hours ago, ArrowBerry said:

Does anyone have experience with sending in your throttle/mixture/prop cables to McFarlane to be reproduced? We're specifically in need of a prop control cable, and possibly looking at upgrading to their vernier style throttle cable. 

In talking to them, a produced cable for our particular year and serial number is not available--but a custom made one is. Is this a good way to get new cables? Or should we be trying to source one from somewhere else? Lasar? 

I had the throttle, mixture & prop cables replaced with McFarlane cables last July along with "custom cables" for carb heat & cowl flaps. They are excellent.

[ArrowBerry]

Are the parts from Mooney itself also pretty decent? McFarlane says it takes about 4 weeks to turn around a new cable, plus the shipping time to send ours in. It's a lot of downtime. Lasar sourced a cable in stock at Mooney which is a little bit more expensive but ready right away, we can install it as soon as the old one comes out and remove any extra downtime.

[EricJ]

5 minutes ago, ArrowBerry said:

Are the parts from Mooney itself also pretty decent? McFarlane says it takes about 4 weeks to turn around a new cable, plus the shipping time to send ours in. It's a lot of downtime. Lasar sourced a cable in stock at Mooney which is a little bit more expensive but ready right away, we can install it as soon as the old one comes out and remove any extra downtime.

I suspect McFarlane is the only actual source.   I think they were the OEM supplier for Mooney for a long time.   That's probably why they can supply cables with the Mooney pn.

[Jim Peace]

I had a certain MSC near me install a new McFarlane throttle, mixture and prop cable.  

The Prop worked great.  The throttle disconnected from the carb and I had to throttle the mixture to get back...

Enclosed is the video of the final installation of a brand new Mcfarlane throttle cable by a MSC....Took me a many phone calls and a visit to PJ down in Avon Park to fix with proper Mooney available parts.

 

[mike20papa]

Replacing all of the engine controls is recommended by the FAA at engine OH.  I replaced all three of mine with McFarlane controls.  If you have access to a pencil and a tape measure, you can remove your existing cables and provide McFarlane with the required dimensional information using their online template to fabricate you an "owner produced part".  Yes, working in the footwell of a Mooney is a chore best left to your "mini-me" but that's the joy of owning/maintaining a Mooney.  That sliding cable in the clamp is inexcusable.  McFarlane sells a clamp that has a ridge in it that fits into the bowden cable spiral wire winds and prohibits that kind of slip & slide action.  Best of luck.

[ArrowBerry]

39 minutes ago, mike20papa said:

Replacing all of the engine controls is recommended by the FAA at engine OH.  I replaced all three of mine with McFarlane controls.  If you have access to a pencil and a tape measure, you can remove your existing cables and provide McFarlane with the required dimensional information using their online template to fabricate you an "owner produced part".  Yes, working in the footwell of a Mooney is a chore best left to your "mini-me" but that's the joy of owning/maintaining a Mooney.  That sliding cable in the clamp is inexcusable.  McFarlane sells a clamp that has a ridge in it that fits into the bowden cable spiral wire winds and prohibits that kind of slip & slide action.  Best of luck.

I completely agree, if I was spending 50k on a new engine I would 100% add these relatively insignificant extra costs in order to modernize and improve reliability on an old design. We bought our Mooney with a brand new engine, 10 hours SMOH, and its been solid. But additional upkeep is still a constant concern obviously. For example, a cracked spinner recently brought up questions of vibration and we found the generator bearing to be bad--the whole unit was loose and wobbling in its mount. 

Que a $2100 Plane Power alternator conversion, and a $500 spinner. Upon opening the cowling our frayed prop cable was discovered, its a never ending love/hate relationship. Although, mostly love! We're in a position now that one failure has uncovered a secondary fault in the prop cable, and we're trying to correct it as quick and efficiently as possible. This is an airplane that flies 100 hours a year. 

[jamesm]

Yep been there, I had ground checked throttle cable mounting it checked fine, but slipped on me while flying . . . the stupid AN742 clamp . the ol' AN742 tried to kill me trick ..

Initially I thought my flying skills just sucked since I had flown in 3 or 4 months this was just after 9/11/2001. after the 2nd or 3rd  time around  the pattern, I realized that my throttle was stuck at about ~1500 RPM still producing partial power. Then It occurred to me back WWII days that the V1 rocket didn't have very sophisticated fuel control it was just toggling/Pulsing fuel flow on and off. So I used the  mixture pulled it out then if I need a little power push it back in. I didn't think it would be wise turn off the Mags there a chance that they might not come on and I wasn't really too sure what the problem was.

I started noticing that when I saw in other people Mooney's pictures of the engine compartments, they were taking safety wire criss-cross around the AN742 clamp to prevent it from slipping.  Because of this event... I have since change my maintenance practices by having another and more experienced  A&P check my work when it comes to flight controls, engine controls and things that can kill me.

My OPP part has yet to slip. It's is designed that if I had to I could go back to AN742 if had to. It won't happen though as long as I own the plane.

 

additional note:  I have change to McFarlane/Mooney/Lasar throttle cable about 2 year ago. No mods necessary going from old to new cable housing.  No complains so far.

James '67C

[Tim-37419]

13 hours ago, Jim Peace said:

I had a certain MSC near me install a new McFarlane throttle, mixture and prop cable.  

The Prop worked great.  The throttle disconnected from the carb and I had to throttle the mixture to get back...

Enclosed is the video of the final installation of a brand new Mcfarlane throttle cable by a MSC....Took me a many phone calls and a visit to PJ down in Avon Park to fix with proper Mooney available parts.

@jamesm - shouldn’t that clamp have a black rubbery sleeve? 
 

I have about 10 hours till my next oil change and will definitely put my eyes on my clamp. Appreciate the photo.

13 hours ago, Jim Peace said:

 

 

[N201MKTurbo]

1 hour ago, Tim-37419 said:

@jamesm - shouldn’t that clamp have a black rubbery sleeve? 
 

I have about 10 hours till my next oil change and will definitely put my eyes on my clamp. Appreciate the photo.

 

No, those clamps are all metal. They have a little dent in them that bites into the cable housing.  When they are new and the hardware is just right, they work pretty good. If the cable starts working loose, the clamp and cable will fail pretty quickly. I try to put two or three of them on each cable and then lock wire the cable for good measure. 
 

The problem is usually caused by the user pushing the control knob beyond where it needs to go. Let’s say the cable is hooked to a carb and is rigged so there is still 1/2 inch of cable travel left at WOT. If the user wants more power and pushes the knob in harder after the carb lever has hit its stop, it will force the cable housing out of its clamp, damaging the cable and the clamp. This quickly leads to the cable sliding back and forth in the clamp.

[Jim Peace]

6 hours ago, N201MKTurbo said:The problem is usually caused by the user pushing the control knob beyond where it needs to go. Let’s say the cable is hooked to a carb and is rigged so there is still 1/2 inch of cable travel left at WOT. If the user wants more power and pushes the knob in harder after the carb lever has hit its stop, it will force the cable housing out of its clamp, damaging the cable and the clamp. This quickly leads to the cable sliding back and forth in the clamp.

You are referring to cushion. My throttle disconnected on the first test flight after installation.  For me it was a mx shop issue. 

[ArrowBerry]

A cable from Mooney is on the way now, probably due to arrive about the same time as the spinner. Once it's all here we'll spend a day doing the alternator conversion, spinner, and prop cable. Thank god, you don't realize sometimes how much you rely on something until you don't have it. Then we'll have about one month to fly before its due for the annual  of course! 

But... opening the hangar to this makes everything worth it!