Rudder Return Springs (Old Topic/New Post)

[170C]

My friends '60 172 (not a 170, but set up just like a 170 for return springs) had a spring break. New ones were ordered from Cessna ($14.39 for five sets!!! Couldn't believe it.) We found the new ones to be larger in diameter than the installed ones. Thinking maybe the ones installed might have been for a 150/152. A UTube video showing how "easy" it is to install new ones is apparently a demo set out on a bench. Here is my questions-------somewhere in the forum I recall reading of someone replacing the springs by disconnecting the rudder cables at the rudder (and tying safety wire to the cables to prevent them from getting pulled back into the tailcone). Does anyone recall that procedure or have any suggestions on making this process any easier? My friend and I provided some assistance to his mechanic today and were not successful getting the first spring connected. Seems with the limited access, mechanic tried numerous times to connect the spring (after first connecting the forward portion) but just could not get the aft end of the spring into the hole in the bracket.

[blueldr]

With the rudder cables hooked up to the rudder horn, it is extremely difficult to stretch the springs to the hook up on the back side of the firewall.
By disconnecting the cable at the rudder horn and attaching a length of safety wire to the cable, the cable can be pulled forward to allow the spring to be easily connected to the fitting on the firewall. Then the cable can be pulled back out through the rear end with the safety wire and reconnected to the rudder horn.
You have to realize that the rudder cable only has to be pulled forward an inch or two in order to connect the spring to the firewall connector.

[DaveF]

On BL's advice, that's how I did it. Works great!

[GAHorn]

On BL's advice, that's how I did it. Works great!

....and they say "Old Dogs can't teach New Tricks!".... or something like that.... (Had any "New Tricks" lately, Dick?)

[blueldr]

No, George, I havent developed any new tricks in a long, long time. Lately, I've been selling off a number of tools that I will never use again. I have been trying to go through my tool boxes and piossibly find tools that might be rarher exclusively used on the world famous Cessna C-170 airplanes. I've gotten down to where the pickens are getting pretty slim.
If anyone has a need for a tool that might be necessary on their C-170, contact me 'cause I just might have one.

[blueldr]

When I ordered from Cessna, the springs have always been the same diameteras the originals.

[170C]

The mechanic and his mechanic helper were able to work together, one under the plane and one in the cabin, and got both springs installed. A later model 172 was in for maintenance and they checked it for spring size and it was the larger ones. It may have been that 170's came with the smaller diameter springs and at some point Cessna went to the larger, somewhat stronger ones. My friend hasn't flown his plane yet to see how the larger springs work. If faced with replacing them on my plane I believe I would use BL's method.

[blueldr]

Well, if you're going to use and pay two guys to do a one guy job, be my guest.

When there is tension on the springs, they're a real bitch to hook up to the firewall fiting. If youtake the tension off, it is about a ten second job.