Brief Description: Installed the Infinity grip onto the pilot's stick
After cutting 4" off the the length of each stick to allow for the Infinity grip, today I tackled the installation of the grip to the pilot's stick. After removing the stick from the fuselage,I made the measurements for cutting the slot at the top-aft of the stick to allow the wires to more easily route down the stick tube with the grip installed. The grip is held on with 3 allen head screws, one which goes through boss holes drilled through the stick. The other two screws fasten the bottom of the grip tightly around the stick. Cutting the slot required rigging the stick in the angle tube holder on the drill press and then drilling two 1/2" holes close enough to use a hacksaw to cut out the slot. Next I drilled a 29/64" hole all the the through the stick that the grip bosses fit into. I used a Dremel with a grinding stone to debur the cutout. Working with 4130 steel is much more difficult and labor instensive that working with aluminum.
The 1" OD tube had to be cleaned of the powder coating down 2 1/8" from the top to allow the grip to fit right. What a pain in the you know what! The Dremel tool got a good work out but I finally got everthing deburred and powder coating removed.
I unscrewed the allen screws and fitted the grip to the stick. Not easy because the wires and switches inside the grip want to come out and go their own way. But with perseverence and a few choice words, I finally coaxed the wires and switches into their proper positions and tightened the grip together around the stick. Very labor intensive and easy to make a mistake unless you are concentrating on the task. Tomorrow, the copilot's stick grip installation.
Installed Infinity stick grip on the pilot's. Success, finally!!
