AOG - Binding in rudder/nose gear control

[Rick Junkin]

I'm AOG, fortunately at home, with something amiss with my rudder/nose gear steering. 1989 M20M.

Turning to the left on the ground required significantly more pressure on the rudder pedal than usual, and when putting the airplane back in the hangar it felt like something was binding went I turned the nose wheel to the left with the tow bar, and I wasn't able to get full travel on the nose wheel. I set the rudder trim full left but that didn't help.

The only thing notable or different on the flight before this was observed was I did a slip with full right rudder at one point in the flight.

Recent maintenance/installation action was a complete avionics remove and replace in September, to include installing a GFC 500 without the yaw damper.

I'm going to get under and in to the airplane tomorrow to see if I can identify anything that doesn't look right and might be causing this. I plan to start at the nose gear steering linkage and then drop the belly panels. I'll also look at the rudder trim but I don't expect that's causing this.

Any suggestions on where to look first? And anything specific I should be looking at?

Cheers,
Rick

[anthonydesmet]

Sometimes a seeming complex issue might be something simple….i had same issue long ago when using tow bar going left rudder to center to put back into hanger…also would hear a mild thump…. After studying nose wheel linkages I decided to check rudder pedals inside the plane….turns out carpet bunched up under left rudder pedal of copilot. Sure enough, adjusted carpet and resistance stopped.  Made sense because couple flights before I gave a rather large friend a ride. He must have pushed off the floor to get out and slid carpet forward.  So just offering as possible simple issue.  I don’t think I felt it that much airborne because you never really need full rudder deflection and what I use for rudder probably just pressed up against the carpet. I do remember feeling the issue during taxi similar to using tow bar but not in flight.

[Rick Junkin]

5 minutes ago, anthonydesmet said:

Sometimes a seeming complex issue might be something simple….i had same issue long ago when using tow bar going left rudder to center to put back into hanger…also would hear a mild thump…. After studying nose wheel linkages I decided to check rudder pedals inside the plane….turns out carpet bunched up under left rudder pedal of copilot. Sure enough, adjusted carpet and resistance stopped.  Made sense because couple flights before I gave a rather large friend a ride. He must have pushed off the floor to get out and slid carpet forward.  So just offering as possible simple issue.  I don’t think I felt it that much airborne because you never really need full rudder deflection and what I use for rudder probably just pressed up against the carpet. I do remember feeling the issue during taxi similar to using tow bar but not in flight.

GENIUS

As a matter of fact, the carpet on pilot side wasn't reinstalled securely after the avionics mod and I was planning to take care of that during the annual at the end of the month. How much do you wanna bet....

That's where I'll start. Thanks! If that's it I'll owe you a cocktail or 2 for the time saved and flights flown between now and the annual.

Cheers,
Rick

[anthonydesmet]

1 hour ago, Rick Junkin said:

Thanks! If that's it I'll owe you a cocktail or 2 for the time saved and flights flown between now and the annual

Hah!  I’ll never turndown an old fashion…..

[blaine beaven]

Now we are all waiting waiting waiting to see if this fixed it

[Rick Junkin]

21 hours ago, anthonydesmet said:

Hah!  I’ll never turndown an old fashion…..

“Barkeep, please fix Smut a top shelf Old Fashioned and back him up one!”

Turns out the full deflection left slip was germane, the copilot right rudder pedal hooked the sidewall upholstery.

Well done, Sir!

I make my way down to Venice a few times a year, next trip I’ll coordinate with you to drop in to X35 and make good on my cocktail promise.

Cheers,
Junkman

[anthonydesmet]

19 minutes ago, Rick Junkin said:

“Barkeep, please fix Smut a top shelf Old Fashioned and back him up one!”

Turns out the full deflection left slip was germane, the copilot right rudder pedal hooked the sidewall upholstery.

Well done, Sir!

I make my way down to Venice a few times a year, next trip I’ll coordinate with you to drop in to X35 and make good on my cocktail promise.

Cheers,
Junkman

Awesome! Glad it worked out. I love these kind of fixes.  I also just signed up for Ocala Mooney Safety summit.

[Ragsf15e]

29 minutes ago, Rick Junkin said:

“Barkeep, please fix Smut a top shelf Old Fashioned and back him up one!”

Turns out the full deflection left slip was germane, the copilot right rudder pedal hooked the sidewall upholstery.

Well done, Sir!

I make my way down to Venice a few times a year, next trip I’ll coordinate with you to drop in to X35 and make good on my cocktail promise.

Cheers,
Junkman

Best fix I’ve ever seen for an AOG!