Elevator replacement

[Mostrenco]

Hi all,
I lately started noticing some loose material sounds inside the left elevator while doing the walkaround. I removed the elevator and started peeling off paint to notice a bunch of brown marks on the fabric. Proceeded to cut the skin off to find the elevator frame all rusted out confirming what I suspected from the start. In the process I noticed the drain holes were never punched through the skin, although the grommets were installed! Water ingress likely happened through the trim cable entry points.
Long story short: I am looking for a replacement left elevator. I found a couple of 2nd hand from salvage, but some I can't confirm model/year. Does anybody know whether there were any design changes on the elevator after 1990? If so what years and models? I have been trying to reach Maule Air but they are extremely hard to get a hold of.

Thanks in advance!
Raul

[Russmac1]

Hi Raul,
I talked with Wup Winn about elevators and rudders just the other week and from what I understand they don't change but you probably should reach out to him and verify that. I've put his contact info from another thread below.

It looks like you have a 1990 MX-7 on ebay.com there is a MAULE MX7-180T LEFT-HAND ELEVATOR $1250.00 in Florida need to figure out shipping. From Maule it sounds like they are about $4000 each.

I'm looking for a complete set of tail feathers for my MT-7-235 if you know of any that you don't end up with I'd love to know about them...

Wup Winn
541-263-2968
Joseph Or, 97846
info@backcountryconnection.com
wup@maulesales.com
www.backcountryconnection.com

[Mostrenco]

Thanks for the info Russmac. Yes, I had my eye on the one you mentioned on ebay, but the shop don't seem to know the year of manufacture. From the photo it looks exactly the same, but need to confirm before I pull the trigger. I will let you know if I come across anything that may suit you.

Cheers,
Raul

[whittakerw]

Right elevator only (no covering) from Maule is around $1,800 plus shipping. Left is more expensive (the side with trim tab). Horizontal stabilizer is somewhere around that cost also.

[Dale Smith]

There are different trim tabs. My M-5 had the flying type of trim tab. The hinge points were almost in the middle, VS the piano hinge the later style uses. I replaced the left elevator on my M-5 and changed to the piano style hinge. I do not know when the change was made. I replaced mine with a new one from Maule a number of years ago after finding that mine was cracked where the trim cables pass through the rib. I was able to get it from them complete with the trim tab, balanced and covered, I just had to paint it to match the plane. If I remember correctly, Maule had mentioned that it was possible to convert the old-style trim tab to the new style, however I do not remember what all is involved to do that.

[Mostrenco]

Thanks for the comments. Maule did give me a price for the elevator at $4,000 each (covered), still waiting to hear from them on whether there were any changes on their design. If I can confirm that I would purchase the salvage one.

Raul

[MauleWacko]

Wow, $4,000 for one tube and fabric elevator. Is painted to match and shipped included for that price?

[Mostrenco]

Just covered as far as I know.. shipping excluded.
I finally heard back from Maule, no changes on elevator design since 1984.

[MauleWacko]

Do they have an option for just one in bare, no covering? Any other tube and fabric type aircraft, a new elevator bare is under a grand.

[Mostrenco]

$1800 for the uncovered elevator.