Seat adjust handle
Moderators: GAHorn, Karl Towle, Bruce Fenstermacher
Re: Seat adjust handle
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.
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
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons.
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons.
- Bruce Fenstermacher
- Posts: 10318
- Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2002 11:24 am
Re: Seat adjust handle
These are very easily made from readily available steel tube. I fabricated my own.
CAUTION - My forum posts may be worth what you paid for them!
Bruce Fenstermacher, Past President, TIC170A
Email: brucefenster at gmail.com
Bruce Fenstermacher, Past President, TIC170A
Email: brucefenster at gmail.com
Re: Seat adjust handle
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
- Bruce Fenstermacher
- Posts: 10318
- Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2002 11:24 am
Re: Seat adjust handle
That image is found in the IPC.
#33 can easily be manufactured locally out of aluminum sheet or maybe, even an Adel clamp.
#33 can easily be manufactured locally out of aluminum sheet or maybe, even an Adel clamp.
CAUTION - My forum posts may be worth what you paid for them!
Bruce Fenstermacher, Past President, TIC170A
Email: brucefenster at gmail.com
Bruce Fenstermacher, Past President, TIC170A
Email: brucefenster at gmail.com
Re: Seat adjust handle
lol, i think i'll be making one of those!
- Bruce Fenstermacher
- Posts: 10318
- Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2002 11:24 am
Re: Seat adjust handle
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.
CAUTION - My forum posts may be worth what you paid for them!
Bruce Fenstermacher, Past President, TIC170A
Email: brucefenster at gmail.com
Bruce Fenstermacher, Past President, TIC170A
Email: brucefenster at gmail.com
Re: Seat adjust handle
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.
Re: Seat adjust handle
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.
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons.
- Bruce Fenstermacher
- Posts: 10318
- Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2002 11:24 am
Re: Seat adjust handle
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.
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.
CAUTION - My forum posts may be worth what you paid for them!
Bruce Fenstermacher, Past President, TIC170A
Email: brucefenster at gmail.com
Bruce Fenstermacher, Past President, TIC170A
Email: brucefenster at gmail.com
Re: Seat adjust handle
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!
- Bruce Fenstermacher
- Posts: 10318
- Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2002 11:24 am
Re: Seat adjust handle
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
CAUTION - My forum posts may be worth what you paid for them!
Bruce Fenstermacher, Past President, TIC170A
Email: brucefenster at gmail.com
Bruce Fenstermacher, Past President, TIC170A
Email: brucefenster at gmail.com
Re: Seat adjust handle
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.
John
John
John Hess
Past President 2018-2021
President 2016-2018, TIC170A
Vice President 2014-2016, TIC170A
Director 2005-2014, TIC170A
N3833V Flying for Fun
'67 XLH 900 Harley Sportster
EAA Chapter 390 Pres since 2006
K3KNT
Past President 2018-2021
President 2016-2018, TIC170A
Vice President 2014-2016, TIC170A
Director 2005-2014, TIC170A
N3833V Flying for Fun
'67 XLH 900 Harley Sportster
EAA Chapter 390 Pres since 2006
K3KNT
Re: Seat adjust handle
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.