The International Cessna 170 Association

I'm looking for a set of original control wheels for my '52 170B, s/n 20734. The parts manual, in fig. 61, lists three different part numbers depending on the s/n of the plane. Does anyone know what the differences are between these three p/n's?

Color and shape.

I have a set of original 1952 C-170B control wheels for either sale or, preferably ,trade.
Contact me at
blueldr@earthlink.net

I don't know about color,but all the original 170 yokes I've ever seen are the same shape--sort of like a "D" laying down,flat side up.
My 1948 IPC shows p/n 0413016-2 "wheel-control",and p/n 0413016-1 "wheel assembly-control" which looks to be the wheel,the shaft and the 2 rivets that hold them together.

Eric

That's correct Eric. But the B-model had at least three different yokes (wheels), dependent upon serial number.

This seems an appropriate place for my control wheel (yoke) question. Is there supposed to be any play between the wheel (yoke) and the chrome tube? I have a bit of play that is beginning to bother me...not in flying the plane, but I just don't like the seemingly excess movement and think in time it will get worse as the holes and/or bolts wear. Any ideas?

Is the play in your u-joint? You can grab your chain and hold it while you try to move your control wheel to see how much and where your play is.

I know some may be in the u-joint, but I can plainly see the movement between the chrome tube and control yoke. I guess I can take the bolts out and see if the bolts are worn or maybe the holes in tubes. I understand rivets were used originally to attach the yoke to the tube. Seems the rivets would be subject to wear as the bolts are. I've thought about equalizing the hole diameters in both the tube and yoke and just using a rollpin that would provide a nice tight fit. Ideas???

There should be no play between the wheel and the tube. You may have to replace the bolts with rivets if the holes are worn excessively from long-term looseness. Rivets will expand to fill the hole.

JB Weld would be OK in my book to seat the shafts into the yokes with in order to fill the slop. There are cheaper rivets on other Cessnas that can be cut down to fit. It takes a lathe. Somewhere there is a prior post of mine that covers this. I had to make a rivet set tool.

Don't know about you, but I'm not sure about "grabbing my chain"!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Filling the void was the intent in my idea of using a roll pin...it would compress in the smaller areas and remain nearer to original size in the larger diameter areas. Not too keen on manufacturing my own rivets. Does anyone know of a commonly available rivet size/type from Spruce, etc. that would work/

I've seen a lot of old Cessna airplanes of various types using bolts to replace the rivets that loosened up on the control wheel-to-shaft connection. I've never personally seen any FAA inspectors out looking for this bootleg modification.
I don't believe a driven rivet will work. It would tend to buckle inside the tubular shaft. The original rivets used a spun on end and were a reasonably close tolerance fit.

Well mine with the new (used) shafts with better chrome fit a little loose so I waxed the shafts then assembled with a little JB weld to fill the loose fit. It only takes a small amount of looseness to create the slop and the JB weld worked great. The wax was for the next guy who wants to take them apart but a little heat would work then also as the epoxy JB Weld will soften long before the aluminum.

If you don't want to use the rivets you should use AN bolts, maybe an AN525 type for looks. My slop was not in the holes for the rivets. The rivet is a fairly soft material and drives just fine with the proper tool. Use an AN rivet set in a vise to put the rivet head on. Might need three hands though.

I also had in my junk drawer an aluminum cast PTT switch mount that was designed to be mounted with tie wraps. I've never seen another one like it. I JB welded it to the pilots yoke where I wanted it. You should not be drilling into the yoke to mount a switch. I'm in the process now of fairing it in, high build primer and painting both yokes with Deltron DCC poly.

No I'm not a JB Weld fanatic but for some applications it really is great.

Speaking of push-to-talks,those things must not be covered in A&P school! One of my per peeves is that they seem to be the one thing that most people just can NOT install in a neat & tidy fashion! I've seen airplanes ,including 170's,that you'd be lucky to just taxi down the ramp without the PTT cable either choking you to death or hog-tying you.
I'm not aiming this at you,Dave,but all you guys out there who are PTT challenged need to break out the ty-wraps & tidy things up!

Eric