Yoke and Yoke Shaft Refinishing

How to keep the Cessna 170 flying and airworthy.

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brian.olson
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Yoke and Yoke Shaft Refinishing

Post by brian.olson »

I need some advice from the collective wisdom. An upcoming project will be to remove both yokes and shafts from 62C and have them refinished. There are several threads in the forum(s) relating to having the shafts refinished using the aviation "hard chrome" process, and several more threads concerning stripping and re-painting of the yokes. A couple questions as I bring all those threads together:

1. I have searched the web for companies who perform "hard chrome" refinishing, and there are many. And they all talk about Boeing landing gear and mil-spec and everything. And here I sit with a tiny Cessna and two small pieces of "pipe". I haven't submitted anything for a quote yet. Are there any recent companies you could recommend that give attention to the little guy? Can you share an approximate cost you incurred? (Note: when I had 62C's ashtrays re-chromed at a local bumper shop two years ago, it took two months and $250. Not sure I want standard chrome nor do I want 62C out of commission for two months).

2. The yokes appear to be finished in thick black epoxy over the original "clay" paint over what I suspect is metal. Standard paint stripper? Is there anything I need to be aware of? The finish is chipping off, but appears to be quite thick.

3. And finally, when we re-paint ... do we send them out? What type of paint or finish is preferred?

4. I have already ordered, and received, the Delrin balls from McMaster-Carr and will drill them out to replace the old sticky ones in the panel.

Thanks for your input, as always.

Brian
Brian
1950 170A
N5762C s/n 19716
counsellj
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Re: Yoke and Yoke Shaft Refinishing

Post by counsellj »

Bill Buchanan had his recently re-done. If he doesn't jump in here today, I'll tell him to add his experience to the discussion.
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GAHorn
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Re: Yoke and Yoke Shaft Refinishing

Post by GAHorn »

I had my 172 yokes powder-coated gloss-black recently at a local shop. They did not do anything to the shafts as they were/are fine and I did not want to deal with the yoke rivets. They did a fine job and they now look new. $150 for both.
'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. ;)
hilltop170
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Re: Yoke and Yoke Shaft Refinishing

Post by hilltop170 »

George-
Did they powder coat over the rivet heads and upsets? If not, how did they isolate the rivets?
Richard Pulley
2014-2016 TIC170A Past President
1951 170A, N1715D, s/n 20158, O-300D
Owned from 1973 to 1984.
Bought again in 2006 after 22 years.
It's not for sale!
hilltop170
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Re: Yoke and Yoke Shaft Refinishing

Post by hilltop170 »

brian.olson wrote:I need some advice from the collective wisdom. An upcoming project will be to remove both yokes and shafts from 62C and have them refinished..............

2. The yokes appear to be finished in thick black epoxy over the original "clay" paint over what I suspect is metal. Standard paint stripper? Is there anything I need to be aware of? The finish is chipping off, but appears to be quite thick.

Thanks for your input, as always.

Brian
2. The original plastic coating will have to be chipped or pealed off using hand tools. You don’t want to use mechanical power tools such as grinders, sanders, or sand blasting that can easily damage the cast aluminum yokes.
Richard Pulley
2014-2016 TIC170A Past President
1951 170A, N1715D, s/n 20158, O-300D
Owned from 1973 to 1984.
Bought again in 2006 after 22 years.
It's not for sale!
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wabuchanan
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Re: Yoke and Yoke Shaft Refinishing

Post by wabuchanan »

Brian,
If you can wait a day or two I will post pics and give you a report. This was a great job and turned out really good for me.

Seeing this at O midnight 30.....need sleep..... :wink:
1950 170A N5776C SN:19730
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wabuchanan
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Re: Yoke and Yoke Shaft Refinishing

Post by wabuchanan »

Brian,
Did this a couple of years ago. Looked at the same threads you have on here and saw the issues with the type of chrome process. I went to a well known auto and industrial shop that does many forms of plating and powder coating to have them look at my stuff and see if they could do it. They were very familiar with the correct process to chrome the shafts.
I had the original enamel on my yokes and they were pretty worn through. I wanted mine powder coated a neutral color, and this shop had a great textured coating that was black and grey, and just enough texture that I felt I would have a good grip on the yokes. ( you know, for those times when you are stressed and your hands are sweating profusely LOL! :mrgreen: )

Like you I had to wait for at least a couple of months, and it was expensive. I just handed my entire yoke assemblies to them, and they took them apart and did the whole job.
I chose to use stainless machine screws for re-assembly and I have had no problems with that now over the last two years. The pics show me using the teflon washers, but I would recommend using metal ones. The teflon compresses and squishes.

As for the Delrin balls from McMaster-Carr, be sure to order a few of them. They are not expensive and many of them will have voids in the center of the balls. I drilled several before I found a couple that the voids were small enough that I was happy using them. I have a pilot friend who has a machine shop and we used one of his lathes to center bore the holes with a 3/4" bit, then I hand sanded the holes for a custom fit on the yoke shafts.

Use graphite to lubricate the shafts and the inside of the delrin balls. I'm stupid sometimes and used a more classic lube. No, don't do that. After several episodes of graphite I rarely need to add more now, they work very well. If you have any other questions feel free to message me or call me. I did replace my U-joints as well so everything is new.
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Last edited by wabuchanan on Sat Sep 19, 2020 10:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
1950 170A N5776C SN:19730
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wabuchanan
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Re: Yoke and Yoke Shaft Refinishing

Post by wabuchanan »

Here are the last 4 pics.
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1950 170A N5776C SN:19730
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brian.olson
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Re: Yoke and Yoke Shaft Refinishing

Post by brian.olson »

Thank you for taking time to share your detailed post and excellent photos - this is exactly what I needed!

BTW, I found a graphic shop that will be creating white vinyl transfer decals for the yoke for me. After downloading one of the many logos available here, I cleaned one up and gave it a transparent background (attached here). In case anyone else follows with that, the finished decals are scaled to approximately 1.25" wide. It will be early October before they arrive, and 62C is currently in annual. I'm anticipating addressing the yoke project sometime in late October or November.

I appreciate the offer to reach out to you with questions, and I'll likely take you up on that offer once we start.

Kindest Regards -

Brian
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Brian
1950 170A
N5762C s/n 19716
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dstates
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Re: Yoke and Yoke Shaft Refinishing

Post by dstates »

Bill,

Those yokes turned out brilliantly.

You mention lubricating with graphite. I’ve read a number of places that one should spray a silicon lubricant on a towel and wipe that on the yoke tubes. Had you tried that? What made you go with graphite?

Thanks,
Doug
N1235D - 1951 170A - SN: 20118
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GAHorn
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Re: Yoke and Yoke Shaft Refinishing

Post by GAHorn »

There are dry silicone aerosols which are good for yoke lube and things stay cleaner than with graphite.
hilltop170 wrote:George-
Did they powder coat over the rivet heads and upsets? If not, how did they isolate the rivets?
Yes.
'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. ;)
hilltop170
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Re: Yoke and Yoke Shaft Refinishing

Post by hilltop170 »

Thanks
Richard Pulley
2014-2016 TIC170A Past President
1951 170A, N1715D, s/n 20158, O-300D
Owned from 1973 to 1984.
Bought again in 2006 after 22 years.
It's not for sale!
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GAHorn
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Re: Yoke and Yoke Shaft Refinishing

Post by GAHorn »

Richard, they masked off the shafts and powder coated the yokes completely to the yoke/shaft joint. They did a very fine job and they look new. (I chose gloss black but many colors are possible. The shop is just down Hwy 71 about 5 miles from home.)
'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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wabuchanan
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Re: Yoke and Yoke Shaft Refinishing

Post by wabuchanan »

dstates wrote:Bill,

Those yokes turned out brilliantly.

You mention lubricating with graphite. I’ve read a number of places that one should spray a silicon lubricant on a towel and wipe that on the yoke tubes. Had you tried that? What made you go with graphite?

Thanks,
Doug
I think I tried one of the wet silicone lubricants and then I would find my shafts sticking after a flight or two. Tried WD 40, and maybe even grease. At some point I ended up getting two of them mixed together on the shaft and it gummed up the whole works. So I took everything apart, cleaned it all up and re-sanded the inside of the
Delrin balls. Used graphite on suggestion from an A&P and it has worked well. Several applications and now I really don't need to touch them.

I did not realize there were dry silicone lubricants that would work. My A&P is very old school :mrgreen: !
1950 170A N5776C SN:19730
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n2582d
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Re: Yoke and Yoke Shaft Refinishing

Post by n2582d »

Brian,
Jeff Tourt is the current president of the Cessna 120/140 Association. He does outstanding control yoke restoration. Shafts get hard chrome. Here's a picture of his yokes/panel.
Jeff Tourt's 140.JPG
It takes him a long time though. I'd be glad to send you some loaner control yokes for $100 deposit + shipping. Deposit refunded once yokes are returned.

I soaked my yokes in paint stripper overnight. Cleaned up great.
Gary
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