I compared OEM bushings vs cheap Amazon alternatives on a Cessna 172 control linkage

Last month I replaced the aileron control rod bushings on a 1978 Cessna using a $18 Amazon kit. After 40 flight hours they were already loose and wobbling, so I swapped them out for genuine Cessna parts at $120 per set and the slop disappeared immediately. Has anyone else burned money on imitation hardware that just couldn't hold up under vibration?

3 comments

3 Comments

adam_baker21d ago

Did I used to buy the cheap stuff all the time? Yeah, totally. I was that guy who figured "it's just a bushing, how different can it be?" lol. I put some no-name hardware on my Cherokee's elevator trim tab and it felt fine for a while but after a summer of flying it was rattling around like a maraca. Then I had to pull it all apart and do the job again with real Piper parts. Now I never cheap out on anything that moves or takes vibration, it's just not worth the extra labor to save a few bucks. You end up paying twice and wasting half a Saturday, which sucks.

julia_carter6121d ago

That sucks, man. I did something similar with a Cessna 172 fuel selector valve... bought a cheap rebuild kit online and it leaked like a sieve within a month. Ended up just buying a whole new valve assembly and doing the job over again. It's a real kick in the teeth when you're trying to save a few bucks and it costs you twice the time and money in the end.

quinncoleman21d ago

Man that's rough, really feel for you. Same thing happened to me with a set of Amazon fuel injector O-rings on a Bonanza, they looked perfect in the package but started leaking after about 20 hours. Its like you're trying to be smart with your money and it just bites you in the butt every time.