Tailwheel Springs

[dkenney1]

Thank you everyone for your comments and info on the C85 (previous post). I noticed today and confirmed by a retired IA at my airport that my tailwheel assembly was not standing totally vertical, but slanted slightly to the left. I have a Scott 3200 tailwheel and it looks like the leaf spring it attaches to may be slightly bent/twisted. I doubt this is normal since there is some uneven treadware on the tire, but thought I would check with you Tcraft experts. I guess maybe a couple of my three point landings were more "tail" than I thought. Someone told me it can happen from trying to pivot the plane in the hanger (turn too tight) but it would seem that would take a lot more force to do that than one person could exert in the hanger.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Incidentally, my 11 year old son said, "Dad does it change the way if flies? If not, the fix is simple, just keep flying".

Thanks

[Guest]

Re: Tailwheel Springs

If it was mine I would look at these things;

1) check the condition of the rubber pad that goes between the top spring and the bottom of the tail post

2) eyeball the springs to verify that they are not twisted, I doubt that they are

3) inspect the 2 bottom longerons from the tail post forward to the tailspring attach bolt and fitting for damage, misalignment and corrosion, do this from the outside and also from the inside by removing inspection covers

4) check the bottom of tailpost for damage, corrosion or that the spring attachment fitting at it's bottom is misaligned.

That's what comes to mind for now.

Hope it helps, Dave.

[Pearson]

Re: Tailwheel Springs

In addition to the things Dave suggested above. I would remove the vertical mounting bolt at the forward end of the spring and check the hole in the airframe that it goes through to see if it is elongated in someway. Also check to make sure the bolt isn't bent, and there is no play when reinstalled.

[cvavon]

Re: Tailwheel Springs

is there not a bushing on the bolt that Rich is referring to

[Robert Lees]

Re: Tailwheel Springs

Further to all the comments above, it is worth a few dollars every annual to replace all the bolts on the tailwheel spring assembly.

My personal Top Ten maintenance tips that I wrote many years ago is worth an airing here: http://www.taylorcraft.org.uk/Topten.pps

Admittedly I suggest replacing them at 500 hours...I replace them every annual because the consequential cost of them failing is a lot more than a few bolts.

Rob

[Scott]

Re: Tailwheel Springs

The fuselage lower longerons can and often do corrode from the inside so the external clues may not be too apparent. Loose fabric in the area of the spring attach would be a tell tail. One thing is for sure, the spring is not bent. It might break but it won't bend

[cvavon]

Re: Tailwheel Springs

Every time a spring shop re-arches a spring they bend it also if a spring is forced beyond its limits it bends of twists another name for this is it lost its memory.Also you can re-arch a spring with a Big vise and a 2lbs hammer open the jaws of the vise wide maybe 3 inches you will need a peace of chalk take each leaf and set it on the floor on its side and use the chalk and trace the curve of the leafs now take each leaf to the vise and span the open jaws and hit the leaf with the hammer hard slide the leaf a little bit and repeat this is a slow process but you can fine tune a spring to any curve you would like after you hit it compare it to the chalk mark to see what you have changed if not enough hit it again.This is the way to adjust the angle on a tail wheel to get the geometry right.