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26b. Making rudder cable termination loops

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Creating secure cable-end eye for rudder control is simple. The loops can be made to conform to any screw size and will be as strong if not stronger (at least more secure) than a swaged terminal eye.
First, the loop should not be made by bending the wire by itself. The wire will just 'crimp' or bend very sharply without actually making a decent loop. To make a nice round loop, find a dowel or screw with a slightly larger diameter than the screw that will be used. Here I am using a drill as the bending form. Slide the ferrule on the cable first and then bend the wire around the dowel 180 degrees (half circle).
Use pliers to bring the wire strands as close together as possible.
If the wire strands are not squeezed together, the ferrule will not slide as far as you would like for this small diameter loop. If the loop is too large or misshapen (oval) the screw head can obviously slip out.

You may need to push the ferrule with a screwdriver towards the loop.

Now, squeeze the ferrule with pliers or use a dull putty knife and hammer to do the job. Here I am using ceramic tile nippers to squeeze the ferrule in the middle between the cables.
Trim off the access wire and give the loops a plasti dip or varnish bath. The coated loop is now just the right size for the screws. A tough job like this always deserves a good rest afterwards :)


See also the Rudder - footbrace connection.

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