Quote from Hangar45 Admin on December 14, 2017, 12:34 pm

(Original thread started on 02-06-15 by Ron Rollo)

The other day Shane reminded me that a few guys are looking for trim switches for their yokes. Either they don't have any or they have one that is broken. You would think that a quick trip to eBay, point, click and ship and your done right? Nope. They are extremely hard to find and if you have to buy one new, they are around $2,000 each!

 

So Shane found a similar trim switch that will work in our real Lear yokes. The only thing is that it will not have the center push that connects the ground which acts like a safety feature. Here is a photo of my broken trim switch next to the replacement trim switch that Shane found for around $60:

 

You will notice that the broken trim switch (the one we want) has a larger button cap on top. That's where I come in. I am designing a "top hat" that will fit on top of the replacement trim switch button that will look like what you would find in the real Lear45. I am even going to include the center push button, although it will be a dummy switch. In other words you will be able to push the center button in but it will have no function.

 

(Posted by Alan Norris on 02-06-15)

Ron, that's great. I managed to bid on one and got it for around $300 IIRC. Have you thought of programing something else for the trim switch when the button is depressed -- pan views perhaps? This would involve button conditionals which is not easy. I'll remind Steve Cos that he promised to look into this.

 

(Posted by Ron Rollo on 02-12-15)

Here is a sneak peek at the prototype yoke trim switch solution:

 

UPDATE:

Dang, it's been over four months since the last time I posted on this thread. Yesterday I finally found the time to push through with this solution.

 

In this photo you will see the replacement switch that does not yet have the cap seated on it:

 

I ended up not trying to mess with the center push switch mainly because the replacement switch that we are using will not support that option easily, if at all. So rather than fooling with it I decided to press on and make a solution available. As it is, I hear that half of the builders are not wiring up the center push on the trim switches anyway.

 

To recap, ( haha, no pun) the trim switches that (if your lucky) come with the Lear35 yokes are very expensive and apparently, the aircraft salvage folks figured this out. A new original replacement switch could cost you well over $1,000. If you happen to know of a source for these switches that are affordable, please share!

 

Here are a few photos of the solution that I came up with:

 

Basically it is just a top hat that snaps onto the existing hat switch that is made to look like the more expensive one that happens to be in our Lear45. I don't think you will have to glue them on because they snap on like a pill bottle cap. But if you need to you could glue them on the replacement switch cap:

 

The height of the switch cap match exactly that of the original switch cap. The only thing that is missing is the option for the center push:

 

So if you happen to find a set of yokes that do not have trim switches or any switches for that matter, you might consider buying them! We have found sources for the other push buttons. The collars are a different story.

 

If you need a set of these trim switch hat caps, it will be $15 for a set of two. If you want them finished and painted $25.

 

(Posted by Shane Barnes on 06-26-15)

Thanks Ron for taking on this project to offer builders a cheaper solution to these switches. I have tried to locate the actual switch for several years now but I have yet to find any used switches for sale. New switches as Ron stated are very expensive. As Ron is very talented at "solutions" for things like this, I had asked Ron around February to take a look at a similar switch to see if he thought he could replicate the real switch. Ron all I can say is "looks awesome"!

 

(Posted by Terry Collins on 07-02-15)

Another great workaround for the builders, thanks Ron. Looking forward to receiving mine!