Taylorcraft fuselage float fittings and tiedown rings

[PA1195]

https://anchorage.craigslist.org/avo/d/taylor-craft-float-brackets/6570569437.html

More older and valuable parts available in Alaska.

Gary

[BenD]

Re: Taylorcraft fuselage float fittings and tiedown rings

Interested in the tie down rings. How do they mount?

[PA1195]

Re: Taylorcraft fuselage float fittings and tiedown rings

I suspect they use an around the front strut clamp similar to what attaches the jury struts.

Gary

[3Dreaming]

Re: Taylorcraft fuselage float fittings and tiedown rings

If you do use the tie down rings make sure to also wrap the rope around the strut too. There have been cases of aircraft being damaged in a wind because the cast rings have broken.

[Mark Bowden]

Re: Taylorcraft fuselage float fittings and tiedown rings

Hi Ben,

Welcome to the forum.

Those are fine to have but the Latour rings are old cast aluminum and should not be used to tie the airplane down. They are for keeping the line from sliding down the strut. Loop the tie down line over the strut and go down (or up) through the ring and tie the line off.

Mark

[PA1195]

Re: Taylorcraft fuselage float fittings and tiedown rings

These are simpler and can be tied to directly: http://www.univair.com/atlee-dodge/p...-down-fitting/

They go under the front strut upper attachment bolt and nut. The rope can either be threaded through the fitting or through and around the upper strut.

Still for old aircraft that need "correctness" the LeTour rings would add flavor.

Gary

[Guest]

Re: Taylorcraft fuselage float fittings and tiedown rings

If you do use the tie down rings make sure to also wrap the rope around the strut too. There have been cases of aircraft being damaged in a wind because the cast rings have broken.

I did that once. Used the Aluminum rings for one or two days to avoid rope marks in freshly painted struts.

It worked, when the plane blew over on day two I noticed when checking out my upside down plane that the paint on the end of the mangled struts was perfect!


Dave R

[BenD]

Re: Taylorcraft fuselage float fittings and tiedown rings

Thanks everyone for the great advice!

[Mark Bowden]

Re: Taylorcraft fuselage float fittings and tiedown rings

You can protect the upper surface of the strut paint with Teflon tape (not the pipe tape). It is not very noticeable on just the upper surface.

3M is the best, https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-...3242083&rt=rud
You can get it from places like McMaster, https://www.mcmaster.com/#tape/=1ckw20j

If you have strut cuffs you will need the Piper style that Gary suggested.

Gary or anyone, I'm curious, will the PA-22 loop ones that Wick's has fit a Tcraft strut?

[3Dreaming]

Re: Taylorcraft fuselage float fittings and tiedown rings

If you have strut cuffs you will need the Piper style that Gary suggested.

We have used the cast rings for years on dad's T-Craft with strut cuffs. We always loop over the strut. I know it is not as perfect as having it at the very top of the strut, but it is close enough that the bending moment is not to great.

[PA1195]

Re: Taylorcraft fuselage float fittings and tiedown rings

If you have strut cuffs you will need the Piper style that Gary suggested.

Gary or anyone, I'm curious, will the PA-22 loop ones that Wick's has fit a Tcraft strut?

I don't know what Wicks sells but as far as I know the Piper U12345-004 PIPER TIE DOWN FITTING UNIVAIR sells that I linked above will fit. They slide into the exposed outside U-shaped recess of the two spar brackets that adjoin the end of the front strut. Longer AN hardware may be required. Spar width and bracket thickness determine the fit.

Best to measure that spread dimension on a Taylorcraft and then confirm the internal spacing of the ears on that fitting. I have them on mine with STC SA1-210 and lifetime Airframes lift struts. There's probably room for some accommodation of parts.

Gary

[PA1195]

Re: Taylorcraft fuselage float fittings and tiedown rings

Here's some examples of tie down methods and materials:

Gary

[3Dreaming]

Re: Taylorcraft fuselage float fittings and tiedown rings

Here's some examples of tie down methods and materials:

Gary

I would never tie one down like in picture one. I go through the loop around the strut, then back through the loop before tying.

[PA1195]

Re: Taylorcraft fuselage float fittings and tiedown rings

I would never tie one down like in picture one. I go through the loop around the strut, then back through the loop before tying.

Yes good point. I took these months ago when we had the discussion relative to variable strut end offset. The tie down in the second pic is a Piper and possibly later production Taylorcraft part. There are two F-19's locally that have the tiedown ring bolted to the strut ends (it's an F-19 in that pic), and the 1985 parts catalog mentions a new tie down ring part available after 1/1/79. Taylorcraft may have adopted that but they also had upper strut cuffs which are absent now on both F-19's I have access to.

But in reality the limiting factor are the two strut to spar brackets. The can easily deform under load and it's common to replace them on Piper Cubs with heavier assemblies from Atlee Dodge (http://www.fadodge.com/lift-strut-re...ement-bracket/).

Gary

[Robert Lees]

Re: Taylorcraft fuselage float fittings and tiedown rings

These are simpler and can be tied to directly: http://www.univair.com/atlee-dodge/p...-down-fitting/

They go under the front strut upper attachment bolt and nut. The rope can either be threaded through the fitting or through and around the upper strut.

Still for old aircraft that need "correctness" the LeTour rings would add flavor.

Gary

Wow, $41 each? I made a set, in 4130, for my US Taylorcraft & that of Mike Jones of this parish (I have a welding jig) for about $3 materials and 20 minutes labour for each (my labour rate is a LOT cheaper than the US rate). Perhaps I should make a batch and bring them over on my next US trip?