The International Cessna^® 170 Association

I would appreciate a little information on the rudder trim system on a Cessna 182. I have a good friend whose '66 C-182 seems to have a failed rudder trim system. I don't have a maintenance manual and would like to know where the bungee springs on that system are located. From his description of the problem, I suspect he has a broken spring.
Sorry if this is out of the C-170 realm, but I suspect that some of you purists may have some experience with its big sister.

Thanks

Dick

Here ya go, Dick!

Dick.... something a lot of nose-pusher airplane drivers forget is..... that nosewheel has a centering-mechanism built into the oleo or at the top of the oleo...so that when the oleo is fully extended, the nosewheel is centered.

If the nosewheel steering rods (on a Cessna) are not properly adjusted....then as the airplane goes airborne the nosewheel centers...and places tension upon the rudders and displaces the rudder.

On the C182 (and many others of this class, including 206's.... (Dubya).... the noswheel steering is rigged before the rudder trim (which should be centered, regardless.) The cockpit trim wheel operates a chain which moves a bungee/cylinder which is preloaded to a center position. So disconnect the rud trim from the rudder/nosewheel steering system, (inside the console at the whifflebar/bellcrank) and with the nosewheel in the air (weight the tail down)....adjust the nosewheel steering rods to give about 5/16" of right rudder position (this takes care of P-factor by providing slight right-rudder at all times). THEN re-connect the (already-centered) rud trim to the system. VOILA!

(I can't tell you the number of nosewheeled airplanes I've seen that had illegal (?) rudder trim tabs installed by some ignoramus in an effort to correct a heavy-rudder-condition...when in-fact, all that needed done was to neutralize the steering rods.)