I was looking into why the trim on my 180K is so I can't get much nose down when trimmed full down. I went exploring and found this mounted under the vertical and think whoever wanted to make sure the horizontal can't hit whatever this is. The plane went to Canada when new and on skis. I'm thinking maybe it had some tracking device for Fish and Game but don't know for sure. I think if this is removed I can screw the jackscrew barrels longer since the trim cable/chain is set just like my other 180. Kinda nice to have another 180 to compare things to.

Mine had a big resistor or something that looked similar to that for the rotating beacon. Follow the wires. I got rid of them for LED anti-collision lights.

There’s a factory installed limit bracket installed on the bulkhead directly above the jackscrews which your horizontal should just contact when the leading edge is all the way up. As long as your horizontal is contacting it that’s all the travel you get, if you remove that bracket you risk unscrewing the barrels off the screws which would be catastrophic to say the least...

Okay, thanks for the answer. Like I said before the trim cable/chain is timed right and when I roll the trim wheel all the way ahead, the horizontal is exactly in the middle of its range. I can not put anything or people in the back or it would point up. Right now it is a pilot and co pilot plane.

Your horizontal needs to be adjusted so it touches the limit bracket at the top and bottoms out on the structure at the bottom. There is exactly enough chain (within a couple links) for this to happen. If it doesn’t touch at both ends IMO there’s something wrong with your machine.

I agree with you and after going back and looking at and comparing the two 180's, the jackscrews are too short when trimmed for full nose down. The horizontal is about an inch low when it should be up to the bumper. The 180K has this rivet for mid travel reference and the old 180 doesn't but I have a red paint stripe that serves that purpose nicely.The deal I asked about is a non issue with plenty of room.

180Marty wrote:I agree with you and after going back and looking at and comparing the two 180's, the jackscrews are too short when trimmed for full nose down. The horizontal is about an inch low when it should be up to the bumper. The 180K has this rivet for mid travel reference and the old 180 doesn't but I have a red paint stripe that serves that purpose nicely.The deal I asked about is a non issue with plenty of room.

Wow. I’ve only been working on Cessnas for 20 years or so, maybe someone more experienced will pipe in here.

I, me, myself wouldn’t fly that airplane until I knew why it’s not getting full travel in the trim system, could be a symptom of a bigger problem.

Scolopax wrote:Mine had a big resistor or something that looked similar to that for the rotating beacon. Follow the wires. I got rid of them for LED anti-collision lights.

Yup, this is what it is.
I also agree that the aircraft is not airworthy if thats all the travel yoy are getting. Hopefully it is just mis rigged and not the sign if a bigger issue.

Like you were told, that is the power supply for the beacon. If everything is rigged properly, that shouldn't be a problem.

As far as the trim issue, IF you are using all of the chain available to you at the jackscrews, I'd bet the trim chain/cable assembly was installed backwards. If I remember right, the chain that goes to the trim wheel is 6-8" shorter than the chain that wraps around the jackscrew. I'd check to see if you are using all of the chain available at the wheel end. I bet you have some extra up front.

Thanks , I'm going to bet chain/cable is backwards like you said. I checked some more this morning and I still have chain coming and going at the trim wheel sprocket. When the jackscrews are fully trimmed for up(shortest), the chain is just about to run out like Hafast said.There is plenty of chain to keep turning the jackscrews for up trim when it locks up, so, that is good. Maybe if a turnbuckle is timed so to speak, it is running into something or longer length of chain up front is running into something. Time to look under the carpet.

I feel kinda foolish. It turns out it was the trim indicator deal was off a groove or two on the trim wheel and it was trying to cross it's self. Got to thinking every time it wouldn't go any further forward the deal would kinda flex a bit. Didn't make sense if the cable was getting stuck somewhere else in the system. Pulled the little cover and played with it and figured it out. Thanks for all the comments.