Help....Warped elevator
 

How can i fix what seems to be a warped elelvator. The right side is flush, while the left side is off center. Fresh out of the box.

RE: Help....Warped elevator
 

Can't see from the pix what the elevator joiner looks like.

If it's wire and you can get to it should be fairly simple to (carefully) bend it until the two sides are level. Hold one end in a vice and carefully twist the other end round with pliers. Will usually take a couple of goes to get right, little at a time is the way to go.

Terry

RE: Help....Warped elevator
 

It's not the wire, the right elev half is twisted. Is that a foamy? Or is it built up and covered/painted?


David

RE: Help....Warped elevator
 

it's buit up and covered....is there a quick fix?

RE: Help....Warped elevator
 

You could try heating the covering to pull some of the warp out, but judging from the severity of the warp, I don't think it'd work. I don't see a quick fix. If it were my plane, I'd:

1. Return it to where I got it

2. Build a new (straight) elevator from scratch

YMMV and others may have better suggestions

RE: Help....Warped elevator
 

I think it looks fixable, but you might need two sets of hands.

have one person hold the elevator and twist it the other way (wearing gloves) while the other person applies a heat gun to the top and bottom

RE: Help....Warped elevator
 

IMHO any twist and heat gun fix will be pretty temporary.

Ask the mf for a new elevator.

OR strip the covering off, seperate the joints pin flat and reglue then recover.

RE: Help....Warped elevator
 

These things are jig-built, so more often than not, the warp was caused by the covering to begin with and re-heating should fix it.

RE: Help....Warped elevator
 

Then re-heating with four hands should do the trick.......thanks a bunch guys.

RE: Help....Warped elevator
 

Now this is what I call great Customer Service. I sent notice to Top Flite informing them of the warped elevator. The first response I received from them was that they had verifed my purchase from Tower, and that my replacement tail surfaces were on the way. Yeaaahhhhhhhhhh Baaaaabyyyyyyyy

RE: Help....Warped elevator
 

RESULT

RE: Help....Warped elevator
 

How are they attached.. CA hinges?

RE: Help....Warped elevator
 

Yes

RE: Help....Warped elevator
 

So you'll need to be cutting the originals and making new slots, etc. have you installed CA hinges before? I'm not sure if where there are located now there is some wood backing. They'll have to be reinstalled a bit left or right of the oringnals whch may have no add'l wood for the hinge as backing.

RE: Help....Warped elevator
 

Yep, have installed many before, they weren't glued in yet......the warp was discovered in the dry fitting. Looking for delivery of the new ones tomorrow, I hope.

RE: Help....Warped elevator
 

Hmmmm, I received my new elevator today, and I got the same result....so I twisted the wire a bit, same result. Next I guess I'll try the four hands heat and twist, and if that doesn't work, the rebuild of the left elevator. I guess. Bummer....but I'll not give up, something has to work.

RE: Help....Warped elevator
 

Hooooraaaay, worked like a charm, the four hand heat and twist method worked. You guys are great......Thanks

RE: Help....Warped elevator
 

That's great, just keep an eye on it for the first few flights. Sometimes they will twist back a little. Normally you have to twist them past the straight point so when they bounce back they are straight. So if your trim starts to change in flight, land and check it out.

david

RE: Help....Warped elevator
 

WadidItellya? :D

RE: Help....Warped elevator
 

You da man Minn!


David