There are probably a half dozen or so rod end bearings in a typical homebuilt aircraft. Maybe a lot more than that - who is counting!? It is commonly found where a moving force needs to be transferred to another direction - as in operating a control surface such as an elevator, rudder, or even steering a wheel.
A friend of mine who inspects homebuilder's aircraft noticed that more than a few of these bearings were being installed incorrectly. It seems there might be a pattern of misunderstanding regarding the proper way to use the bearings.
The short video for this week's Tip outlines the important details to consider when hooking these rod end bearings up to your aircraft's control systems.
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