Hello,
I'm trying to upgrade a sidestick control system in a homebuilt airplane.
The current system uses a pair of aluminum "standoff" mounts (one each fore and aft)
to implement an aluminum (anodized) to steel (the control torque tube for roll) plain bearing.
I'd like to retrofit a rolling element bearing in these two positions to mitigate high friction due perhaps to the
inherent intolerance of misalignment in the current system.
The control tube has weldments on each end that prevent sliding a conventional ball bearing over
the shaft.
An alternative is to machine out the aluminum mount to accept the cup part of a drawn cup needle bearing (say)
and use the shaft as the inner race. This bearing is limited to human wrist level forces when off the
stops, and rotates less than 90 degrees.
I have seen occasional and imprecise mention of split cage needle bearings and or split needle bearings and am hoping that
might be a solution - I can perhaps just insert the split bearing into the now enlarged gap between the aluminum
mount and the shaft and then replace the existing two bolt cap to capture the now closed bearing.
Does anyone know of such a product offering, or which bearing house might be a good place to start?
Is there any reason that trying to cut up a conventional drawn cut needle bearing to make same is utter madness?
All of the split bearing gizmos I've found seem to be for much larger power transmission applications.
Thanks,
b
I'm trying to upgrade a sidestick control system in a homebuilt airplane.
The current system uses a pair of aluminum "standoff" mounts (one each fore and aft)
to implement an aluminum (anodized) to steel (the control torque tube for roll) plain bearing.
I'd like to retrofit a rolling element bearing in these two positions to mitigate high friction due perhaps to the
inherent intolerance of misalignment in the current system.
The control tube has weldments on each end that prevent sliding a conventional ball bearing over
the shaft.
An alternative is to machine out the aluminum mount to accept the cup part of a drawn cup needle bearing (say)
and use the shaft as the inner race. This bearing is limited to human wrist level forces when off the
stops, and rotates less than 90 degrees.
I have seen occasional and imprecise mention of split cage needle bearings and or split needle bearings and am hoping that
might be a solution - I can perhaps just insert the split bearing into the now enlarged gap between the aluminum
mount and the shaft and then replace the existing two bolt cap to capture the now closed bearing.
Does anyone know of such a product offering, or which bearing house might be a good place to start?
Is there any reason that trying to cut up a conventional drawn cut needle bearing to make same is utter madness?
All of the split bearing gizmos I've found seem to be for much larger power transmission applications.
Thanks,
b
