My trim acted a little strange on the last flight.

When I retracted my flaps and trimmed aft, it didn’t feel like it responded, so i trimmed aft more. Then the nose came way up all at once, so i had to trim down.

Seemed to trim aft more or less normal before landing.

I went out to investigate tonight, but the plane is currently in the water, so I could only look at so much.

It trims forward normally but trimming aft is very hard and doesn’t sound right. I took the cover off the trim wheel and all looks good there.

It will be a couple days til i can pull it out of the water and look in the tail.

The jack screws were replaced with the stainless McFarlane ones about 3 yrs/300 hrs ago.

Anyone had this happen before?

cable jump the pulley behind extended baggage?

frstnflt wrote:cable jump the pulley behind extended baggage?

I agree with frstnflt. Further, suggest checking entire path of both trim cables, as well as condition & rotational freedom of associated pulleys. BTDT.

Went out and took a closer look at it. One of the “buttons” that makes the trim wheel ratchet is coming apart.

Cables all looked good, so hopefully replacing that button solves it.

Ross,

Same thing here. Wheel was hard to turn then kind of gave loose. Landed took off the cover and discovered the forward catch ball had disintegrated and was left with the inner spring. I looked at the wheel and noticed the locking ridges on the copilot side had a pretty decent amount of wear. Since I have to take the whole thing apart to replace the catch ball mechanism I decided to get the whole assembly from McFarlane. New wheel, shaft, sprocket, and catch assemblies.

It should be the aluminum billeted kit form QMI.

Hopefully all show up early next week.

MW

I own a 53 180, so no clickety-click on the trim.
Looking at that pic of your trim wheel, it seems like the "locking ridges" are biased--
in other word, they'll rachet one way but just let the catch ball just ride over going the other way.
Is this how they are from the factory, or is this the wear you mentioned?

Hopefully this solves the problem, nothing worse than unreliable trim on a Skywagon. If you feel like spending some money while you have it apart, the $2000 upgrade to the QMI trim wheel is a very good move, in my opinion.

MPM,

Yes thats what I purchased. I think QMI was purchased my McFarlane. I'm looking forward to getting it swapped out.

As to the ridges, thats how the trim wheel is designed on later 180/185's. I had a '54 180 years ago and it did not have the catch mechanism.

MW

https://www.cessnarepairs.com/video

I’ve had the QMI in my 185 for about a year and a half, along with new horizontal stab, Mcfarlane jackscrews, cables, chains, pulleys, turnbuckles, new jackscrew access panel (aft fuselage access panels also, game changer,). Knowing the entire system is new is very comforting.