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The bellcrank problem is only with the Legacy units. The
IV and ES assemblies are a completely different design. The problem is
that the bushing should be pivoting on the AN4 bolt but instead the bushing
begins turning in the aluminum bellcrank arm and wallows out the hole in the
aluminum. If the bushing is a tight enough fit initially in the bellcrank
arm this may not happen but it's felt that at least on the earlier parts the fit
was too loose causing premature wear. We replaced the bad ones with newer
parts of the original design and the bushing fit was so tight that it required
using a vise to press them in, as it should be. We also used a little
grease on the pivot bolt and made sure that the pivot bolt wasn't overtightened
causing it to pinch the bushing and put it in a bind. You can check the
condition of an installed bellcrank by shining a light into the tailcone while
someone moves the rudder back and forth. If the bellcrank rolls fore and
aft rather than just pivots around the center bolt it is beginning to
wear.
Lancair said they have already made arrangements to get the
word out to builders/flyers but I don't know the details of that. As far
as Lancair "selling" the replacement parts, that's my assumption, not
necessarily their position.
Leighton Mangels
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