There are a lot of threads on the net about the crappy flap mechanism on the SuperSTOL. Some are about the 1st generation of the flap handle, others about how the flaps stick and don't move smoothly. Aware of this when I purchased the kit, I found a guy that came up with a sealed bearing modification that replaces the factory bushing setup. So, I purchased that a long time ago in anticipation. Not one to leave well enough alone, I looked at his components and decided it could be even better. With the addition of a couple of PTFE washers I thought the flaps should slide even better, and they do!
First, I wanted to install the factory setup to see exactly how good or bad it actually was. It was pretty bad. After installation I could move the flap by hand with some force to the up position and let go, it would stay there. Later, after installing the mod, doing the same thing, the flap would just fall down on its own. Big difference. So much smoother.
Of course, it takes forever to insert all the little pieces into place in the specific order required. After dropping every piece several times on each install, I finally got them all installed and it works great! Here is a little video of me actuating the flap by pulling on the cable inside the fuselage. I'm just grabbing the cable with my bare hand and pulling down to deploy the flap and releasing pressure to allow the flap spring to return the flap to the up position. Works like a charm.
