Cactus.

My Feedback: (1)

I've seen in a few threads the mention of torque rods needing to be over length and not glued all the way to allow them to bend when used with top hinged ailerons, or not being able to use them at all.
this is because the center part of the aileron is now moving in and out.
I've always done this so I'll share this simple tip.

simply drill and glue a snake inner ( matching your torque rod ) inside the aileron. now fit your torque rod, as you move it up and down the snake allows the peg to slide in and out.
on a glider I've just done, the rod is actually right on the bottom of the wing and the snake glued just under the glass skin surface, this is where there is most movement and it works just fine.

to save space i also rub wax all over the torque rod, then cut a V into the wing, the torque rod is placed in and epoxy poured in over the top, to make the skin clean i add some tape to the top while it dries. when dry knock the rod and it'll break free of the glue. no slop perfect installations.

GPitts

My Feedback: (6)

Hey Phil, nice tip.....luckily is read this before buying my third plane. I never knew that glueing the rods in place is bad. Now I know why when I first epoxied the rods in place my ailerons weren't moving right. What I would do in mine is just strengthen the drilled holes where the torque rods will go in but not glue the rod in place. Thanks for the tip.

Cactus.

My Feedback: (1)

if the aileron is center hinged and the torque rod is also central then you can glue them in place. it's only when top hinging you get this effect. however i tend to make a hole, pour in thin cyno, then push fit the rod back in when it's dried. that way it comes out easily in the future.
i used snake above because the peg is constantly moving in and out and would wear away cyno reinforced wood.

if your rods came with snakes in the middle ( like most do ) you might have got epoxy a bit to far along and glued the rods to the snake. using wax solves this and also saves the space the snake takes up.

TLH101

My Feedback: (90)

Why cant you just set the torque rod on the hinge-line, as you would with a center hinged surface. Just move the torque rod to the top, or bottom in the case of flaps.

Cactus.

My Feedback: (1)

you can, but if i didn't have a glass skin in a low stress surface the rod would come out of the top.
and to be on the hinge line half the torque rod would be above the wing surface.

the simple answer is keep the torque rod on the center line where the most meat is and don't hard glue the peg.

GPitts

My Feedback: (6)

I see, so then the rods will wear away the CA'd wood eh...but what is a snake?....is it something that reinforces the wood even more or also something that protects it from wearing out?

Also top hinged ailerons are for what purpose?....is it so that it creates aileron differential so the plane rolls more axial?

-Thanks,

-Paul

Ed Smith

Top hinge ailerons are usually seen on composite molded wings. The ailerons are not cut from the wing and then hinged. The top glass skin of the wing is the hinge. From the top all that is seen are the end cuts of the aileron. The bottom of the aileron is cleared to allow down movement. There are several treatments of this basic theme. I use the same principle on my rudders and elevators. Saves a lot of work and prevents mismatch at the control surface ends.

I am guessing the "Snake" is a piece of tubing, correct?

Ed S

Cactus.

My Feedback: (1)

when the torque rod is moving in and out that much that often ( add the sharp end on the rod ) it will wear away the wood quickly yes.

a snake is simply a control snake, push rod.. in my example I'm using a 2.5mm rod and a orange snake inner, for a 3mm torque rod i may use a yellow snake outer.
but any tube that fits snugly over the rod will do, infact i had to drill my snakes a fraction to make them more open, i also opened out the entrance to not foul with the bend in the torque rod

for me top hinging does 2 things, ok 3...
1, no air gaps, i make my wings as per-normal, but instead of putting a triangle edge on the aileron i just slope it off PAST THE ANGLE NEEDED FOR FULL DEFLECTION, this gives a straight true face and better contact with the wing.
i normally do this with film covered wings, this one is glassed, but still separate, only the tail is done as Ed described.
i don't use film to join them as it can shrink and pull the aileron too close. i lay the aileron on top of the wing 180 degrees where it normally sits. then use Diamond tape to join it to the wing, bottom of the aileron to the rear of the wing. then put it back down to it's normal position and add another bit of tape on top of the wing and aileron.

on this glider I've glassed the aileron.. used a strip of glass with the weave running in a X along the wing to join it, then glass the whole wing over the top inculding the aileron again.

2 it looks better, with no V in the wing the top skin has no huge breaks, this will be even more true for this glider which will have a painted glass surface so theres not even a tape break like a film wing

3 doing that single slope is easier than making an accurate V, the result is stronger also as the whole thing is hinged, not just joined by 3 hinges.
also being top hinged, not only is there no air gap, but theres effectively more aileron, so the performance is improved.. i did to a glider and doubled my roll rate!