Instrument Repair

[smcnutt]

I just started my hood work for my PPL and just noticed that my Turn Coordinator is not working. I'm not sure of the brand but I think it's a Mid-Continent electric but I need to get behind the panel to find out for sure. I double checked and it's getting power and the power flag flips when I turn on the master but I get no bank indication. Can't hear any gyro spooling up either. Any suggestions and/or place you would suggest for repair? Looks like I can buy a new one from Spruce for about $650 or Mid-Continent said they have an exchange for about $600 but I would have to go thru an avionics shop.

My panel is falling apart. We had our com 2 fritz out (Narco 810 can't change freq.) and we decided to hold off since it's com #2. Then the MP gauge went south but with a fixed pitch prop it wasn't a rush (if at all) to get it fixed. Now the TC. I know, welcome to the world of airplanes.

[pmanton]

I've had good luck with Rudy Instruments in Rudy AR. They advertise in Trade-a-Plane and do good work at a reasonable price. Something like 2-250 to overhaul a TC

Paul
N1431A
KSDM

[av8ing]

Hey Paul, Do you know how you can make a small fortune in aviation?..................

Start with a large fortune!

Sorry! I couldn't resist! I feel for you. I've put a lot into mine lately too.

Blake

[smcnutt]

I called Rudy Instruments and $270 to overhaul the TC. Quite a serious difference from the $600 from Mid-Continent. You could look at that as either you get what you pay for (on the low end) or it's a ripoff to pay $600 to rebuild a $700 instrument.

Doing a little research I saw a previous post from Gilbert Pierce talking about a bad experiance with Rudy Instruments. So that makes 1 vote yea and 1 vote nay. Anyone else have any experience with them?

[Steve Pierce]

My Dad's bad experience with Rudy was on a fuel gauge that they didn't know how to disassmble and shouldn't have tried. I have been using Rudy for years on instruments without any problems. Just had an electric artificial horizon overhauled by them $750 parts and labor.

[smcnutt]

Just a follow up. I sent my TC into Rudy Instruments and it's back up to speed again. They did the rework for $270 as promised and exactly when they said they would - 2 days. They even tossed in a spare knob for my DG that was missing when we bough the plane. Real nice people and great to work with.

[bigjohnnie]

My original attitude indicator/ artificial horizon is no longer reliable. It's getting funky. So, I really would like to update the panel, somewhat, by getting a "newer version" of the original, but that that may be cost-prohibitive. I don't really know. Can anyone recommend a vendor that rebuilds these? Or recommend a replacement instrument?
Thanks, Johnnie

[Steve Pierce]

Johnnie, merged with an older thread. Rudy has done me right over the years.

[bigjohnnie]

Tank you, Steve.

[pinkgas]

Not being snarky here, but I always thought the turn co-ordinator was the ball-in-the-oil, smiley looking thingy. Makes me keep the rudder in step with the ailerons in a bank. The pretty colored gyro thingy is the attitude indicator (or artificial horizon) and keeps me straight and level. Or is this a "clip vs magazine" thing?