Airplane People
 

I have these actuators on a set of rocker tabs. I was told they come from a Cessna airplane. Never seeing ones like these on a boat before I tend to believe it.
http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/3665/51100540.jpg

http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/1678/76493662.jpg

The question is, what is this nipple for? The pin at the top is pressed in and the angles allow it to pivet so I don’t think it’s for grease.
http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/1909/73644292.jpg

Fixx
 

Mark,,it looks like a greece zurt,,mabe it goes to the mounting bolt..

Bleeder valve...?

Thats what I'm afraid of. Is it for air to pressurize the cylinder like hydraulic steering has? Grease? Bleeding?
I'm leaning away from grease because the pin doesn't pivot at the cylinder. It's pressed in now but who knows if it could have moved before the cylinder made it's way to the boat. Figured an airplane guy would know. Don't want to squirt grease in it when it's an air bleeder or something like that.

Take the fitting out of the actuator with a open end wrench if its got greese behind it by god its a greese fitting. If its a bleeder there will be fluid of some sort probably red in color. I am about 95 percent sure its a greese fitting

+1 just painted

Cessna maybe, airplane no. Most likely tractor or large riding lawn mower part, from Cessna fluid power now owned by Eaton.

Likely bleeder nut. Just make sure piston is fully extended before you take it out.
:eek:

Oh, and bleed in situ (attached).

Looks like a grease fitting.

Looks like a zerk fitting to me. I am sure it goes to the top of the cylinder to grease the piston.

a grease zerk :drink:remove it and you'll find grease behind there

Yep, you will see them on lot's of things.

For a second I thought he was talking about and rams. I was thinking that those would make some mean flap actuators for your average Cessna.

It's a Bleeder, Just like the ones on your Calipers for the brakes on your Van. It's at the higest point in that hyd system (where all the air would be)

yes "zerk" thank you.....

Looks like I should start a poll.
I would love to throw a wrench on it and pull the zerk out but being they are over 40 years old I am a little afraid it will break off and then I am jacked.
If its a bleeder, the trim pumps pull all the air out by their selves.
If it grease though, for something internal......
got to figure it out. May have to take the risk and throw a wrench on it.:eek:

JUST DO IT !!!!!! and get the grease gun ready :eek: sooner or later that pins gunna need it especially with the H20 environment ... i gotta buck $ sayz Zerk:drink:

The top pin doesn't get greased. Or at least it doesn't now. The pin in the top of the ram is pressed in. The two angles on each side let the pin move. No grease would go to those pins no matter how much I put in it.

zooming in on your 3rd pic looks to be a sleeve on top where the pins pushed thru ... if its solid and pressed pin how is it being lubed to pivot when you run the tab ??

Not sure if they were worried about that when they built the raceboat 42 years ago. This boat was supposed to last a season or two at most. You may be looking at the original prototype of "rocker tabs" here.
I've only had a couple trim tabs over the years but never saw where any of them needed the pins greased. Just like you don't grease the pins on an outdrive (at least Volvo's). The water takes care of that.

PS no sleve in

Not much help but i know cessna did make hydraulic pumps at one time. (had one fail on a 73 Massey Ferguson tractor)

Expensive sucker too, maybe b/c it said "Cessna" on it.....

I gotta buck on bleeder....:drink:..remove it and you'll find hyd. fluid..

Come on guys. If it has a little visible ball in the top center. Its a grease zerk fitting. If it is hollow in top center, it is a bleeder port like your trailer or car brakes. I think. I have been wrong many times before. LOL

its a bleeder !!! 100% just with lots of paint on it ...lol

Having been aviation for 22 years, worked on fixed wing and helos, both flight line and component repair, I have NEVER seen a actuator need grease on the top of the piston.

The actuator shown is a simple two way acuator the has a o-ring around the piston and it gets lubricated via the oil/Hydraulic fliud used in operating the device. It is a grease fitting for the bearing, that may have been there before under original design.

Thank you right on:coolcowboy:

I'm thinking it was a bleeder and somebody for some reason screwed a zerk fitting in it. Needed something to plug the hole to go boating for the afternoon and never got replaced. Possible? Not that I would ever do that. :) Doug

Sorry but both of them are like that and this is a race boat so it wasn't like they didn't know they were going to take a ride at a certain time.

I disagree.....its definitely a bleeder...

Put a wrench on it already and end the missionary...:drink:

missionary kinda sucks....kinda :grinser010:

I know it doesnt need grease at the top of the piston with hyd fluid. I just didnt think it was going up to the hinge pin. I am sure we are looking at a proto type or a engineering oversite. :grinser010:

I have and work on mech and hyd punch presses that over 70 yrs old. The way the equipment was over built then to what it is now dont even compare to each other.

I gotta buck :eek:

your on Fever :drink:

Is this how they debate over $10,000 toilets in congress? Now I know why nothing seems to change within our government.
:lolhit:

Aunt Flow says it's a bleeder...


Looks a lot like the top of a grease gun....which has a bleeder. Think of the machining to make a passage to the pivot pin versus it being a bleed point.

I have another question about the picture. What are all the bolts going through the hull for? Are those to patch bullet holes?lol..

why yes it is .....:lolhit:

cause it's a 1968 Race Boat and there is a lot going on back there.

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/3383/65393488.jpg
Like 2 trim pumps, 2 steering mounts (twin cable steering), lifting eye mount (not like I would ever use it to lift the boat but it's there), fresh water inlet for flushing, twin trim ram mounts, rocker tabs mounts, sea water pick up, rudder assemble, stern light, 2 of the 4 exhaust ports, scupler cable mount, tie downs .....I think I missing something.........anyway you can see there is a lot going on back there.

This side is even worse.
http://www.supernova19.com/9cdf4780.jpg

f-nscreenname, what I see is a grease fitting. If you follow the housing back from the fitting if it is a grease fitting for the pivot point (original application) usually the casting for a passage way is visable in the casting. Let me if you want me to stop and have a look.
Tom

DING DING !!!!!
WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER :drink::drink:

My guess is, considering that the ram's original design was for the main gear strut of a Cessna 210, that it is a grease fitting that is plugging the hole left by the gear lock indicator that was obviously removed when the ram was converted for marine use.... which means, the journal should lead to the hyd fluid side and not to the pivot pin...

Let me know what I win if I turn out to be right....

And a drum roll please............................................ .................................................. .....................


Grease fitting for the top pin.
Took a little bit delicate surgery to find out but I didn't break anything so all is good.

Thanks for your help everyone.