Split Flaps in my PA-30

[Kristin Winter]

[9089P]

Hi Kris,

If you don't like the description you will need to take it up with Mr. Piper. It's his term for the part. As an aside I think he is right. The cable in question attaches on one end to the spring the assists in returning the flap to the retracted position and on the other end to the flat. So........?

Don

[Kristin Winter]

Don,

OK! You are looking at #27. I was looking at the main cable that pulls the flap down. The other cable only goes from the inboard spring to the flap itself, working to pull up the flaps. To Tim's original question, that cable does not connect to the other flap. The flaps are independent and there is nothing to keep them from going asymmetrical, other than good maintenance.

[Zach Grant L1011jock]

As you can tell by the drawing, the flap return cable is actually connected to the spring. There is a lock on the right flap when full up (so you can step on it) but the left flap can be manually lowered on the ground by simply grabbing the flap and pushing down while pulling aft. By dropping the flaps slightly to disengage the lock, the right flap can be dropped manually as well. By doing this by hand you should be able to feel any roughness or dragging. Additionally, if you need to get nylon rollers, ICS has drawings to have them made courtesy of Hans. Let me know if you need them.

Zach

[Tim Puliz]

Thanks Zach,

I'll pass on your comments to my mechanic...

Tim

[Charles Schefer]

I read this post with great interest and thanks to all posted learned things about the flaps that did not know. I had no idea that the springs and air pressure is all that retracts the flaps - wow. I would have "assumed" they were somehow linked together (left and right sides) but if that's not the case that's good to know!

When Cliff did my last annual he replaced 3 of the six flap tracks because they were "dogboned" I think. I have the nylon rollers (and we just double checked that this morning with a magnet). I am REALLY glad I read this thread because I bought the stuff pictured below to lubricate them. I was surprised to read in several posts above that the nylon rollers should NOT be lubed. Sure enough the service manual shows that. Luckily we had not yet lubed them but unluckily it looks like I bought this stuff for nothing... This stuff meets the "slip-spray" lubricant called out for in the book but only for the steel rollers. Live and learn...

FYI if anyone does need this stuff Sky Geek carries it. It's the only place I could find it.

- Charles