The ID of the bushing, where the actual pivoting takes place, was another story. This is a place where the fit should be near perfect with no slop. The OD of the bolts measured about 0.3754 with a micrometer, so a 3/8th reamer (which I had) didn't work. I could buy a 0.3755 reamer for about $75, which seemed ridiculous for a single use. Instead, I took a 5/16th bolt, cut the head off, sawed an axial slot in it about 1 inch deep, wrapped some very fine sandpaper around the bolt (and through the slot), chucked it up in a drill and ran it carefully in and out of the hole until the bolt fit in the bushing with no play. Lots more trial and error.
The next issue was getting the two wires through the sticks. As shown in the pic, the wires have to make a right-angle turn and then squeeze past the aforementioned tube and bushing. Trying to push them through didn't work. To accomplish this, I used the ShopVac to suck a string through (the yellow string in the pic), then used the string to pull the wires through.
The sticks on the new RV-12is, shown below, have three buttons per stick (PTT, trim and autopilot disconnect) and six wires. I asked the reps from the Mothership at the recently completed Oshkosh how they got that many wires through. Turns out it's now OK to drill a hole in the sticks at the right-angle bend. Now they tell me! I'd like to have the three-button sticks, but I doubt I'll retrofit it. I had always assumed that if the injected engine were offered, I'd get it. Turns out it's not possible for people who have already finished the fuselage. I'm consoling myself by thinking about the money I'm saving by sticking with carburetors. The new firewall-forward kit costs about $5000 more with the injected engine.
Speaking of Oshkosh, I just returned from my 29th trip. Hard to believe. Where did the years go? A bucket-list item is to fly my RV to OSH. Maybe next year.
