Having a fun time dealing with the flap follow cable binding on my 182L. It’s got the preselect flap system and have gone through two cables so far from Cessna. First one bound and snapped, second one is installed, but operates roughly when installed and binds.

When it’s not clamped into the wing it functions fine, but it doesn’t seem like these cables like the bends required of them, cessna’s recommendation was to try another, apparently there were issues with the supplier. They are routed as per the service manual. If they were a few hundred a piece I would just order another, but it’s costing $600 a pop.

https://www.mcfarlaneaviation.com/produ ... 510105-91/ They may have what you need for less money, in that $100.00 area. Still need to get to the bottom of why it is binding, unless it it a defective cable.

I'm trying to remember what all I had to do when I did mine two years ago. After I bought the plane I found the flaps were not making full travel and the owners fix involved some wood and rtv somewhere in the switch system to fix the cable that did operate smoothly . I think the placement of the plastic blocks or how tight they were (figure 79 items 28) on the cable had something to do with it, is there a metal sleeve at the end of the cable you can clamp around instead of the cable itself? I still haven't got around to putting a headliner in so if you don't have it figured out by this weekend I'll get you some good pictures of how mine is routed if that helps.

I had one custom made, tried three cables from Cessna, wasted $2100 and a custom made cable actually works like it is supposed to. Working on a field approval to downgrade to the old style indicator so I can put in the simple toggle switch and led indicator. I miss the old manual flaps.

Old thread, but I just went through all this. It all started with the discovery of a little crack on the trailing edge rib where the cable is attached.
The bad cable was causing the little bracket to flex flex flex, crack...




We replaced the rib and cable and bush-rigged an aluminum tube to alleviate the first 90° bend. The bracket doesn’t flex anymore, but the cable makes a racket when the flaps move and the indicator stutters along the track.

Two questions:
1) Where did you get the custom cable made? Was it more flexible than the OEM cable?
2) Any progress on downgrading your flap system?

We have been down this happy road as well. Although it was years ago, (about 10), it was quit an ordeal. We sourced two cables, used, over a couple months time as they kept snapping. We had the same cracked aft rib and bracket. We opted to repair the rib with a doubler so as to add a little less flex. The last cable that went in ten years ago was also used, but had never been lubed as the other two. As of today, the system and cable workers flawlessly.
It has also never been lubricated....
I too would love to return to a manual flap system. The 182L flap system is a over engineered and over complicated design.

I just saw this older thread, but I wish that I had seen it before I purchased cables from Cessna. The flap follow-up cable on my 182M seized and took the outer mount on the wing rib with it. After a shop in Greeley,CO replaced the rib I installed a new cable and spent the next few days trying to figure out what was causing the loud banging sound when the flaps were retracted. I finally assumed that I had damaged the cable somehow and ordered a second one from Cessna at $700. After removing the first one and installing the second one, I experienced the exact same binding and banging. After several weeks wasted, I called McFarlane and ordered their version of the follow-up cable and it worked as it should. I can't imagine that Cessna did not get any feedback about these cables having a problem and pull them from the parts shelves. Has anyone else had this issue with new cables recently?