Control Yokes
Moderators: GAHorn, Karl Towle, Bruce Fenstermacher
Control Yokes
Hi All,
My '53 came with a set of rams horn style control yokes. Where they came from, I have no clue. I'm sure some guys would really like them (the prior owner obviously did), but I sure don't. I would really like to go back to the original style yokes.
So I bought a set on ebay pretty cheap. They aren't pretty, but I figured I could clean them up, fill in the knicks and chips, and probably leather wrap them. (I know you purists are howling out there, but it gets darn cold in WI in the winter, and my favorite warm fleece gloves have a tendency to slip on slick painted surfaces.) The problem is the yokes I bought are plastic. I didn't think much of it at the time, but then I started reading a few other forum posts and it seems like most everyone else has metal yokes. Furthermore, there were comments about yoke failures. Suddenly 60 year old bakelite isn't very confidence inspiring.
Should I be worrying about my plastic yokes? Should I be shopping for a set a metal ones? Or am I just overthinking this one?
Thanks,
DEM
My '53 came with a set of rams horn style control yokes. Where they came from, I have no clue. I'm sure some guys would really like them (the prior owner obviously did), but I sure don't. I would really like to go back to the original style yokes.
So I bought a set on ebay pretty cheap. They aren't pretty, but I figured I could clean them up, fill in the knicks and chips, and probably leather wrap them. (I know you purists are howling out there, but it gets darn cold in WI in the winter, and my favorite warm fleece gloves have a tendency to slip on slick painted surfaces.) The problem is the yokes I bought are plastic. I didn't think much of it at the time, but then I started reading a few other forum posts and it seems like most everyone else has metal yokes. Furthermore, there were comments about yoke failures. Suddenly 60 year old bakelite isn't very confidence inspiring.
Should I be worrying about my plastic yokes? Should I be shopping for a set a metal ones? Or am I just overthinking this one?
Thanks,
DEM
Re: Control Yokes
Yes. Yes. and No.flyboy122 wrote:...
Should I be worrying about my plastic yokes? Should I be shopping for a set a metal ones? Or am I just overthinking this one?
Thanks,
DEM
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons.
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons.
Re: Control Yokes
Are the yokes you bought from a 170? If so were any of the original 170 yokes made of plastic?
John E. Barrett
aka. Johneb
Sent from my "Cray Super Computer"
aka. Johneb
Sent from my "Cray Super Computer"
Re: Control Yokes
Several year-models of early 172/182 aircraft were produced with the failure-prone plastic yokes. The reason many of them appear on the "market" is because they are not wanted in their original aircraft. The plastic control yokes can crack and fail at inopportune times.johneeb wrote:Are the yokes you bought from a 170? If so were any of the original 170 yokes made of plastic?
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons.
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons.
Re: Control Yokes
The ones I got on Ebay are 170 style yokes. Whether or not they are actually out of a 170, can't say, but I thought the 172's, etc... had a different shape?gahorn wrote:Several year-models of early 172/182 aircraft were produced with the failure-prone plastic yokes. The reason many of them appear on the "market" is because they are not wanted in their original aircraft. The plastic control yokes can crack and fail at inopportune times.johneeb wrote:Are the yokes you bought from a 170? If so were any of the original 170 yokes made of plastic?
Regardless, anybody know where I can get a set of metal 170 yokes?
Thanks,
DEM
-
- Posts: 3481
- Joined: Sat May 06, 2006 6:05 pm
Re: Control Yokes
You might want to check closer but the original metal ones were covered with plastic. Are you sure those are solid plastic or could they be plastic coated metal?
Richard Pulley
2014-2016 TIC170A Past President
1951 170A, N1715D, s/n 20158, O-300D
Owned from 1973 to 1984.
Bought again in 2006 after 22 years.
It's not for sale!
2014-2016 TIC170A Past President
1951 170A, N1715D, s/n 20158, O-300D
Owned from 1973 to 1984.
Bought again in 2006 after 22 years.
It's not for sale!
- JohnNielsen
- Posts: 102
- Joined: Tue Sep 14, 2010 10:21 pm
Re: Control Yokes
DEM,
Sent you a PM. I am looking to replace my original 1955 C170B controls with a ram style due to the location of the throttle during my rebuild. Please contact me...we might be able to swap.
Thanks,
John Nielsen
e-mail: nielsen(at)Bloomer.net
Sent you a PM. I am looking to replace my original 1955 C170B controls with a ram style due to the location of the throttle during my rebuild. Please contact me...we might be able to swap.
Thanks,
John Nielsen
e-mail: nielsen(at)Bloomer.net
Re: Control Yokes
hilltop170 wrote:You might want to check closer but the original metal ones were covered with plastic. Are you sure those are solid plastic or could they be plastic coated metal?
Richard,
After further review, you were spot on. Thanks! I cleaned up a chipped area a bit and underneath was metal (I'm assuming aluminum as it wasn't magnetic).
DEM
-
- Posts: 3481
- Joined: Sat May 06, 2006 6:05 pm
Re: Control Yokes
DEM-
That's great news, I have never seen original style plastic ones. I remember the powder coat guys complaining how hard it was to clean off the old plastic when i had mine redone. If they are pitted and ugly there is a hammer finish powder coat that will make them disappear but it won't look original. Good luck!
That's great news, I have never seen original style plastic ones. I remember the powder coat guys complaining how hard it was to clean off the old plastic when i had mine redone. If they are pitted and ugly there is a hammer finish powder coat that will make them disappear but it won't look original. Good luck!
Last edited by hilltop170 on Tue Aug 26, 2014 8:29 am, edited 1 time in total.
Richard Pulley
2014-2016 TIC170A Past President
1951 170A, N1715D, s/n 20158, O-300D
Owned from 1973 to 1984.
Bought again in 2006 after 22 years.
It's not for sale!
2014-2016 TIC170A Past President
1951 170A, N1715D, s/n 20158, O-300D
Owned from 1973 to 1984.
Bought again in 2006 after 22 years.
It's not for sale!
Re: Control Yokes
When I refinished my original yokes I scraped the plastic coating off carefully with a chisel.Then I used paint stripper to take off the remnants. It worked great, then I spent $40 to have them powder-coated black. I added a small Cessna decal and now they look as good as new.
Edit: I started off with a chisel then moved to a razor blade and it worked a lot better.
Edit: I started off with a chisel then moved to a razor blade and it worked a lot better.
Last edited by robw56 on Mon Aug 25, 2014 11:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Control Yokes
Mine had a plastic coating as well.
Same scraping technique plus a little media blasting to finish them off.
I opted for Rustoleum Epoxy appliance paint. Very durable...except for where I thwaked it with a wrench while installing them
Same scraping technique plus a little media blasting to finish them off.
I opted for Rustoleum Epoxy appliance paint. Very durable...except for where I thwaked it with a wrench while installing them
- JohnNielsen
- Posts: 102
- Joined: Tue Sep 14, 2010 10:21 pm
Re: Control Yokes
DEM,
Here is a pic of mine...I would like to trade for Ram style. See your PM for details.
John
Here is a pic of mine...I would like to trade for Ram style. See your PM for details.
John
Re: Control Yokes
Re: Control Yokes
What kind of firm did the laser etching and in what format did you supply the graphics? These look really cool.
Pete Brown
Anchorage, Alaska
N4563C 1953 170B
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2366/2527 ... 4e43_b.jpg
Anchorage, Alaska
N4563C 1953 170B
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2366/2527 ... 4e43_b.jpg