Seat adjust handle

How to keep the Cessna 170 flying and airworthy.

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Heflin
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Seat adjust handle

Post by Heflin »

Is there anywhere to buy part #30? Thanks.
image.jpg
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GAHorn
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Re: Seat adjust handle

Post by GAHorn »

Junk yards or salvage....or make one from steel tubing.
I'll check to see if one is in the club junk box, but I don't recall seeing one.
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
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Bruce Fenstermacher
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Re: Seat adjust handle

Post by Bruce Fenstermacher »

These are very easily made from readily available steel tube. I fabricated my own.
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Heflin
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Re: Seat adjust handle

Post by Heflin »

Thanks.
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swixtt
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Re: Seat adjust handle

Post by swixtt »

what a great image, where is that from?! what about #33? i just removed the seat in mine and it is held in with an adel clamp 8O
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Bruce Fenstermacher
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Re: Seat adjust handle

Post by Bruce Fenstermacher »

That image is found in the IPC.

#33 can easily be manufactured locally out of aluminum sheet or maybe, even an Adel clamp. :wink:
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swixtt
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Re: Seat adjust handle

Post by swixtt »

lol, i think i'll be making one of those!
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Bruce Fenstermacher
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Re: Seat adjust handle

Post by Bruce Fenstermacher »

It looks just like the picture. The slot in the top goes over the round rib in the handle positioning it. I've created my own picture with the part positioned above the rib it fits over. The rod attaches to it with one pin and the spring attaches to the second pin. Pretty crude really.
image.jpg
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swixtt
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Re: Seat adjust handle

Post by swixtt »

When I looked at my one normal seat the spring is attached to and passes through the pin. Do you follow me? In other words spring does the job of a small cotter pin. I don't see a second pin in the illustration.
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GAHorn
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Re: Seat adjust handle

Post by GAHorn »

The assy should be assembled with a cotter pin, and the spring is slipped into the ring-end of the cotter.
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
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Bruce Fenstermacher
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Re: Seat adjust handle

Post by Bruce Fenstermacher »

Well I see that if you only looked at the A model IPC you wouldn't have seen this picture before as that illustration there is not the same.

As for the two pins, apparently I'm wrong as the IPC only calls for one but I seem to remember two pins to hold part #33 in place over the rib.

As for the spring itself holding the clevis pin rather than a cotter, that is the way my seats where now that you mention it.
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skifast13
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Re: Seat adjust handle

Post by skifast13 »

My passenger side seat adjust handle just snapped at the round rib in the handle. I'm not a fabricator, but it sounds like you guys have made your own. Do you actually fabricate the round rib back into your handle? Any fabricators close to Milwaukee that you'd recommend? It's a small world, thought I'd take a shot. Thank you folks!
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Bruce Fenstermacher
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Re: Seat adjust handle

Post by Bruce Fenstermacher »

No. I procured an appropriate steel tube and bent the handle. Then found/fabricated a steel ring of wire to slip onto the tube into the correct place and silver soldered it in place.

Fabricating this is not that hard. But of course you must have a little mechanical ability. I also assume people have some "stuff" laying around like I do to make this kind of thing. You can use a V-belt pulley and a vice to round the handle. The key is not to kink the tube. I was luckly and just looked in my bind of metal stuff and the perfect tube was right there. You don't need anything special. The tube must be the same outside diameter and it should only have a wall thick enough that it does not easily bend with the force required to overcome the spring and lift the seat pin, but not to thick that the hook handle can't be bent.

Here is another tip. I've seen these handles without the hook. Just straight. I'm not sure but think the real early '48 seats might have had this. If you just make the handle straight it must be long enough to find with your hand but not so long as it sticks out from the seat to catch everything.
Screen Shot 2021-04-27 at 6.10.55 AM.png
Sure enough the '48 IPC depicts the handle as being straight as does the A model IPC. I knew I've seen this before. My last 170 had them straight. :oops:

Alternately a repair to your handle could be made if a steel rod or pin was found the find nicely inside the tubing to reinforce the break, then braze the tube back together.
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n3833v
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Re: Seat adjust handle

Post by n3833v »

To bend any tubing the best way is to fill with sand and bend then just dump out the sand and viola, a proper bent tube.

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skifast13
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Re: Seat adjust handle

Post by skifast13 »

Thank you both. A straight handle would make the most sense to me. The curved handle puts rotational stress on the weakest portion of the rod (ridge), leading to this. Love this '52 170 and want to keep her perfect, than you for being enablers.
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