REFLECTOR: Aileron control stick pound pull

[Andrew Ellzey]

I just completed rigging my aileron's and would like to know what pound pull should be expected on the control stick. Using a cheep fish scale for a pull gage I am getting about a 2lb pull needed for the first 1 inch of aileron travel and then a gradual increase to about 4lbs for full deflection. I have an XLRG with the cut down keel mod so my bell cranks are rigged accordingly (Velocity XL-5 Rigging).  The 2lb pull is the best that I have been able to achieve and haven't lubed anything yet. It seems to me that the push pull cables should have been shorter to reduce the radius of the bend as it travels through the gear bulkheads. My push pull cables are 60 inches long. Was I supposed to receive shorter cables with the cut down keel mod? Is there anyone on the reflector with the -5 option that hasn't installed their push pull aileron cables that could measure their cables?

The manual calls for white grease under the rubber cups, has anyone found anything better? And yes, I reamed my rubber cups to reduce or completely eliminate any drag from the rubber wipers of the cups. I know that some say to completely remove the inboard cups, but if you do this the plastic guide that is under the cups doesn't stay in place without the cups to hold them.

I took the factory demo ride before I bought my kit in 2005, and I don't remember the aileron pull to be this stiff. What I remember was a very light touch needed to fly the factory XLRG.

Andy Ellzey
XLRG