Stjohn's RV-7

1 hours.
Yesterday my package from Trio Avionics showed up. W00t! This morning I started installing the roll servo in the right wing. I found out two things. One, I need a proper crimping tool, because now I’ve gone and killed the ground wire lug that’s supposed to attach to the mounting bracket and two, The servo and the bracket don’t fit, thanks to the position of the wiring conduit. Observe:
You’re looking at the left wing, but the right wing is set up the same way.

This is an image of the servo mounted in the Trio Bracket. Image is from the Trio website.

The trim servo bracket protrudes up far enough to interfere with the wiring conduit. So now I have to remove a section of the conduit, secure the ends, then route the wiring around the servo while protecting it from friction. Of course, this will solve the problem of cutting a hole in the conduit for the servo control wiring. Another option is to send the bracket back to Trio and fabricate something that allows the servo to sit flat against the spar. But this method involves drilling the spar, and I’m going to avoid that if at all possible. The third option is to install the servo in the wingtip. I can use the bracket, and it’s OK to drill the spar out there on the end of the wing. Of course, that means I have to fabricate a long servo pushrod from wingtip to bellcrank as some have done for their RV-6 retrofits. Still another option is to put it under the seat floor, which has the advantage of accessible wiring, but I still have to make a pushrod from there to the bellcrank. Of all the options, removing a section of PVC conduit in the wing seems like the least painful, depending on how many contortions the wiring has to go through to get around the servo. Even so, there should only be a strobe cable and position lights going out to that wingtip; the Archer comm antenna is in the other one. The other question is, how far up into the conduit does that bracket protrude? And can I notch it without compromising the integrity of the bracket or the servo? This is a question for Trio, since I’m not about to go hacking on a $750 module without very specific approval from the manufacturer.
Originally, i had no plans for an autopilot. But things change. The Trio servos work with the MGL Odyssey, and since that’s going to be my EFIS, why not? The good news is, I haven’t closed up the wings yet. The bottom inboard skins are not yet riveted on, so I have lots of room to work.
Oh well, at least I can work on the pitch servo.