Jack screw related..... I've been experiencing trim creep, an occasional bit of self-applied nose-up trim. I had to dive under a cloud layer a few days ago and it rolled itself nose-up a noticeable amount. I researched this some, one possible cause is loose trim cables. I checked the cables and sure enough they were a bit loose. There's two turnbuckles, one under the ext baggage and one aft of it- the aft turnbuckle was easier to get at so I tightened it up a bit. Service manual says 20# +/- 2-1/2#, I don't have a tension gauge so guesstimated it. Flown only once since then and no creep. FWIW this is on a 1953 model so no trim clicker.

Spruce sells Mcfarlanes jack screw actuator kit for $1632. Mcfarlane is about $1860, I think. My argument with my plane over who was or wasn't flying, was won with pieces of baffle seal material screwed in under my trim wheel cover that are notched around, and ride against, the wheel. No more scary trim creep after that until we get the jack screw rebuilt.

Wow, i have a SK 185-27 kit that i bought back in the mid 1990's from St Cloud Aviation and I guarantee I didn't pay any $739 for it. Someday i should install it. I still remember looking at some 185's at a seaplane service at Houma LA back in the early 90's and someone just cut a circle out between the jackscrew bottom brackets and put an inspection plate just like on the wings and fuselage. Didn't seem too cool but it worked.

What part is missing from the early model Cessnas without the clikity clak? Does the trim wheel have the cogs on the right side? Does it have the bracket for the clicker?

Since the trim clicker was added later (I believe on the 1958 A model),I would be very surprised if there was any accommodation for it on the earlier models- whether brackets or cogs on the trim wheel. Never peeked inside the trim wheel cover to see what's there, on either an early or later model.

Adding a rubber snubber is OK to do pretty much what the factory trim-clicker did, I guess, if you don't mind a boot-leg mod, but I'd make sure the trim cables are the correct tension also. Flew again today and no creep (other than the one flying the airplane). At this point I'm marking the creeping-trim squawk down as solved.

Here's a picture of the SK 185-27 kit that I paid $104 back in Feb 1997. Hardest part is the double joggle in the one corner. There are six screws and some rivets included. $739 today seems a little steep.