Posted for "Nick Long" <nick@beaglepup.info>:

> John,
>
> Many thanks for your post – this is seriously good timing. I happen to have
>the header tank off my 320 and I’m in the process of re-routing the brake
>lines. I also noticed that some of the fittings on the rudder cables were
>working loose.
>
> So, I went back and looked at the assembly after your post, and I would have
>the same problem: if a rudder cable let go, I would lose the brake as well as
>the rudder.
>
> Here is a picture of my installation; it is dual control and adjustable, so
>not the same as yours, and blocks on the side of the footwell won’t work. But
>it strikes me that there is a really simple solution to fitting a travel stop
>on the rudder pedals. All it would take is a rod or tube inside the springs.
>It would want to be 3/8” diameter and 2 1/2” long. It could be a metal tube
>or a plastic rod and it could even have V notches in each and to engage
>securely with the metal parts of the rudder assembly.
>
> What do people think? Am I re-inventing the wheel? How have people with this
>pedal system done this in the past?
>
> Yours,
>
> Nick
>
>
>From: John Cooper
> Sent: Monday, July 14, 2014 12:41 PM
> To: Lancair Mailing List
> Subject: [LML] Rudder pedal stops
>
> The 235 plans didn't call for putting stops just beyond the maximum travel
>of the rudder pedals, but several builders back in the eighties pointed out
>that if a rudder cable let go, you would lose your brakes as well. I thought
>the likelihood of a rudder cable failing was remote, but I glassed in
>phenolic stops just in case. I'm sure glad I did because today my left rudder
>cable separated.
>
> I was resuming taxi testing to condition my new brakes. I'd accelerate down
>the runway to maybe 40 MPH and then brake heavily. I did that several times
>with absolutely no directional control problems like I experienced 10 weeks
>ago. The brakes felt good, rudder action was smooth, the engine sounded good,
>and everything was going swimmingly when the left rudder pedal went to the
>"floor". The hair came up on the back of my neck and I gently eased off the
>power and tapped lightly on the brakes. Thank God I still had directional
>control and brakes! I limped slowly back to the hanger with no problems other
>then the left rudder pedal resting on the stop.
>
> After shutdown and egress, I looked in the foot-well and the rudder cable
>had come loose from the turnbuckle - either the cable had pulled out of the
>nicopress sleeve, or had just broken off. I won't be able to tell until I
>remove the canopy, upper cowling, and header tank again (sigh). I think
>someone is really looking out for me by making all these problems present
>themselves before the first flight!
>
> This photo is out of focus, but the cable seems to have pulled out of the
>nicopress crimp-sleeve. You can see the 1/4" phenolic stop protruding out
>from the fuselage and blocking the rudder weldment. Those stops saved me from
>going off the runway today.
>
>