Rudder pedal spring snapped

Any DA40 related topics

Moderators: Rick, Lance Murray

User avatar
Charles
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 638
Joined: Thu Aug 26, 2010 5:36 pm
First Name: Charles
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: C-FLEV
Airports: CYHU
Has thanked: 27 times
Been thanked: 96 times

Rudder pedal spring snapped

Post by Charles »

Just after taking off IFR at night from KBTV yesterday, I felt something snap in the rudder pedals and the plane yawed in a strange way. I was able to correct using unusual rudder input during the climb and I had to keep a little left rudder to continue to fly straight in cruise.

I was wondering during the flight whether one of my 4-year old rudder cables had ruptured prematurely, but since I could still fully control yaw, that didn't make sense. Finally, I found out on the ground that one of the rudder pedal springs, the one attached to the left pedal on the pilot side, had snapped. Anyone ever experience that?

I guess that's going to be another one of those outrageously expensive simple parts...
User avatar
Colin
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 2006
Joined: Sat Aug 21, 2010 8:37 pm
First Name: Colin
Aircraft Type: DA42
Aircraft Registration: N972RD
Airports: KFHR
Has thanked: 319 times
Been thanked: 527 times

Re: Rudder pedal spring snapped

Post by Colin »

I have never had that (or seen that happen). I did just recently lose the cable that adjusts the rudder pedals front to back. It started fraying and then it was just gone in a week.
Colin Summers, PP Multi-Engine IFR, ~3,000hrs
colin@mightycheese.com * send email rather than PM
http://www.flyingsummers.com
N972RD DA42 G1000 2.0 s/n 42.AC100 (sold!)
N971RD DA40 G1000 s/n 40.508 (traded)
Tommy
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 801
Joined: Sat Aug 28, 2010 10:48 am
First Name: Tommy
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: N591CA
Airports: KCGF
Has thanked: 3 times
Been thanked: 33 times

Re: Rudder pedal spring snapped

Post by Tommy »

Did the spring actually snap, or did the hook that the spring is attached to at the pedal slide out and let the spring go?
I had the later happen last week. Somehow the hook that is attached to the pedal worked itself out and let the spring go. It was a real joy to get back in place. The tension on the hook via the spring apparently holds everything in place. So far everything is working fine.
User avatar
Charles
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 638
Joined: Thu Aug 26, 2010 5:36 pm
First Name: Charles
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: C-FLEV
Airports: CYHU
Has thanked: 27 times
Been thanked: 96 times

Re: Rudder pedal spring snapped

Post by Charles »

It seemed broken when I looked at it but it was dark so maybe it just came unhooked. I'll check again.
Tommy
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 801
Joined: Sat Aug 28, 2010 10:48 am
First Name: Tommy
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: N591CA
Airports: KCGF
Has thanked: 3 times
Been thanked: 33 times

Re: Rudder pedal spring snapped

Post by Tommy »

You may find on the floor a "U" shaped stainless steel piece approximately 3/8" in diameter.
That is what I found. Look at the opposite foot pedal and you will see how it's installed.
On my plane the spring was somehow dislocated, it did not break. I used long neck needle nose pliers
to reinstall the spring and hook. It was a lot of trial and error. I finally got it to work.
The install difficulty factor is somewhere along the lines of replacing rudder cables. Not quite as long but just as frustrating.
There are two holes the two prongs fit into. Again, look at what the opposite pedal looks like.
User avatar
Charles
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 638
Joined: Thu Aug 26, 2010 5:36 pm
First Name: Charles
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: C-FLEV
Airports: CYHU
Has thanked: 27 times
Been thanked: 96 times

Re: Rudder pedal spring snapped

Post by Charles »

Thanks Tommy, I'll head out to the airport this week to check this out.

This site is fantastic!
User avatar
krellis
4 Diamonds Member
4 Diamonds Member
Posts: 339
Joined: Fri Apr 29, 2011 10:42 am
First Name: Keith
Aircraft Type: OTHER
Aircraft Registration: N853DF
Airports: GA04
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 63 times

Re: Rudder pedal spring snapped

Post by krellis »

One of the springs on the rudder pedals of our DA-40 XLS broke a year or so ago. I think it's actually a brake pedal return spring and the IPC lists the part number as MS24586-C207. I sourced one from the local Diamond Service Center, only to discover that that part does not fit the electrically adjustable pedals. We then got the correct part from Premier through Diamond Canada. I'll research today and get the part number and pricing. I recall that the part was quite a bit more than the MS part number spring, but it was not outrageously expensive and the shipping was way more than the part. If you have the manually adjustable pedals, I believe the above listed spring should work for you.

Krea Ellis
N853DF DA-20-A1
N616ML DA-40 XLS
User avatar
Charles
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 638
Joined: Thu Aug 26, 2010 5:36 pm
First Name: Charles
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: C-FLEV
Airports: CYHU
Has thanked: 27 times
Been thanked: 96 times

Re: Rudder pedal spring snapped

Post by Charles »

Tommy wrote:Did the spring actually snap, or did the hook that the spring is attached to at the pedal slide out and let the spring go?
Sadly, it snapped in the coiled part. I believe there's a little bit of corrosion on the spring near where it failed:

Image
Tommy
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 801
Joined: Sat Aug 28, 2010 10:48 am
First Name: Tommy
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: N591CA
Airports: KCGF
Has thanked: 3 times
Been thanked: 33 times

Re: Rudder pedal spring snapped

Post by Tommy »

It could have worn through the spring. I have a wear pattern on my spring.
It hasn't let go yet. I'll replace when it does. You still should be able to replace the spring yourself.
It's just a pain.
User avatar
Rick
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 1575
Joined: Tue Jul 06, 2010 10:09 pm
First Name: Rick
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: NONE
Airports: KROA
Has thanked: 107 times
Been thanked: 297 times

Re: Rudder pedal spring snapped

Post by Rick »

Hey guys, I have now joined the Broken Spring Club. I have the electric rudder pedals - can anyone confirm if the MS24586-C207 part is correct or not? If not, what is the correct part number? My broken spring looks similar to the picture Charles posted, but maybe not quite as long - I count 28 turns in the picture, but my spring only has 23 turns.

I have an email in to the Diamond parts department, but they are on holiday this week...

Thanks!
Roanoke, VA (KROA)
Post Reply