Narrative:

Rudder pedals had varying levels of resistance in-flight. Rudder and yaw damper checked ok on taxi out of cmh. They seemed a little stiff on takeoff roll, but it did not register as too abnormal. I didn't have occasion to use much rudder again until turning final at ZZZ. The pedals were unusually stiff. I mentioned it to the first officer and told him I would execute a small turn to evaluate it. I did this passing approximately 3500 ft and the rudder now seemed normal. It was ok until rollout when it got unusually stiff again. The aircraft taxi was normal, pedal check on taxi in seemed stiff, yaw damper ok. I entered discrepancy in logbook, briefed outbound crew. I then called maintenance to suggest that aircraft be taken OTS for checks. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated ZZZ maintenance discovered an improperly installed hi-lock fastener was interfering with a rudder input rod. The reporter said the rudder feel and ctring mechanism was replaced as a precaution. The reporter stated a conference call was held with the manufacturer and advised of the hi-lock interference. The reporter said the manufacturer had already seen this type of report.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-200 RUDDER PEDALS DISPLAY VARYING LEVELS OF RESISTANCE. TURNING FINAL AT ZZZ PEDALS BECAME UNUSUALLY STIFF. CAUSED BY IMPROPERLY INSTALLED HI-LOCK FASTENER.

Narrative: RUDDER PEDALS HAD VARYING LEVELS OF RESISTANCE INFLT. RUDDER AND YAW DAMPER CHKED OK ON TAXI OUT OF CMH. THEY SEEMED A LITTLE STIFF ON TKOF ROLL, BUT IT DID NOT REGISTER AS TOO ABNORMAL. I DIDN'T HAVE OCCASION TO USE MUCH RUDDER AGAIN UNTIL TURNING FINAL AT ZZZ. THE PEDALS WERE UNUSUALLY STIFF. I MENTIONED IT TO THE FO AND TOLD HIM I WOULD EXECUTE A SMALL TURN TO EVALUATE IT. I DID THIS PASSING APPROX 3500 FT AND THE RUDDER NOW SEEMED NORMAL. IT WAS OK UNTIL ROLLOUT WHEN IT GOT UNUSUALLY STIFF AGAIN. THE ACFT TAXI WAS NORMAL, PEDAL CHK ON TAXI IN SEEMED STIFF, YAW DAMPER OK. I ENTERED DISCREPANCY IN LOGBOOK, BRIEFED OUTBOUND CREW. I THEN CALLED MAINT TO SUGGEST THAT ACFT BE TAKEN OTS FOR CHKS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED ZZZ MAINT DISCOVERED AN IMPROPERLY INSTALLED HI-LOCK FASTENER WAS INTERFERING WITH A RUDDER INPUT ROD. THE RPTR SAID THE RUDDER FEEL AND CTRING MECHANISM WAS REPLACED AS A PRECAUTION. THE RPTR STATED A CONFERENCE CALL WAS HELD WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND ADVISED OF THE HI-LOCK INTERFERENCE. THE RPTR SAID THE MANUFACTURER HAD ALREADY SEEN THIS TYPE OF RPT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.