Novel way to haul a tailwheel a/c

[mhorowit]

Heard mention today of someone who removed wings, tailfeathers and tailwheel, replacing something in the tailwheel mechanism with a vertical pin which slipped into the hole left when the trailer hitch was removed. Hauled the a/c backwards at highway speeds.

[mulwyk]

Re: Novel way to haul a tailwheel a/c

Not exactly a new idea..but, highway speeds?

[mhorowit]

Re: Novel way to haul a tailwheel a/c

Not exactly a new idea..but, highway speeds?

Ha! Let me guess; you've been saving that picture for just this occassion

Well, Bob said he was going 45 on winding roads.

I guess you could also move the tailwheel into the back of the Explorer and anchor it somehow - Mike

[Dick Smith]

Re: Beach speed is ok.

Oh yeah! The lazy man's way to taxi.

[Richard Boyer]

Re: Novel way to haul a tailwheel a/c

In the south a picture like that usually follows a statement like "hey guys!! Watch this!"


Richard

[Don Eide]

Re: Novel way to haul a tailwheel a/c

In 1975 I built a homebuilt taildragger and moved it to the airport and back a couple times just like that. I remove the tail wheel and spring and installed a 3 inch wide spring steel hitch and hooked it up to my pickup. Pulled it about 45 mph. A friend of mine did the same thing when he wanted to rebuild his PA12 at home. Worked great. The airport was about 5 miles away.

Don

[mhorowit]

Re: Beach speed is ok.

Oh yeah! The lazy man's way to taxi.

Well, that's OBVIOUSLY Alaska - you know that crew, the'll try anything

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Novel way to haul a tailwheel a/c

Used to do it all the time. BUT relax the brakes way out and check them for heat after a mile or two.....35 was about max.

[Mark Julicher]

Re: Novel way to haul a tailwheel a/c

AMEN to Forrest's advice.
I cooked my brakes doing this trick on my first rebuild in 1986. Any brake contact will cause serious heat on a four mile "taxi"

[midniteflyer52]

Re: Novel way to haul a tailwheel a/c

Hi,
I also have towed a Trcaft for some miles behind an old VW Rabbit. I checked first with the local state police here in CT and they had no problem with it. I machined a bolt with a step to go thru my trailer hitch with the ball removed and the tailwheel bracket. I also used the handles on the rear of the fuselage to create a cradle with strong rope just in case. The bolt also had a cotter key thru it. I stayed to the back roads and due to slow speed (35 MPH)occasionally pulled over to let traffic go by. I will do the same when NC36318 is ready to go the airport. I did this after I read an account of someone doing this years ago towing a homebuilt from NJ to Oregon behind a Metroplitan! His only problem was that he wore out two sets of tires due to the camber of the landing gear. It can be done safely with preparation. However, some folks feel better about hiring a ramp truck for the event.
Good luck
Glen Brodeur
Putnam, CT

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Novel way to haul a tailwheel a/c

Roll off truck is always avaialble for short run, about $50.00 around here. I also had a set of trailer wheels & tires attached to two cross tubes about 6-8 inches apart , the wheels of the airplane set down between them , lash her down and away you go , saves your tires too. The fuselage is still the drawbar.

[NC95842]

Re: Novel way to haul a tailwheel a/c

Hi Mike,

I have a friend down in Charlotte, NC who moves classic cars up to the port of Norfolk when he not flying a king air. He uses a 40 foot trailer with ramps that would work for a T-Craft. For not much he would be willing to move one up to your way if you find a project to the south.

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Novel way to haul a tailwheel a/c

I have had many wings moved by a friendly long distance trucker pulling in here at the airport and we just lift them on top of a load and away they go , no crate, no muss no fuss . just a couple pads and ropes.

[VictorBravo]

Re: Novel way to haul a tailwheel a/c

Check on the availability and cost of new Taylorcraft landing gears before towing one on a road backwards. You might find that it is not a wise choice.

[mhorowit]

Re: Novel way to haul a tailwheel a/c

Hi Mike,

I have a friend down in Charlotte, NC who moves classic cars up to the port of Norfolk when he not flying a king air. He uses a 40 foot trailer with ramps that would work for a T-Craft. For not much he would be willing to move one up to your way if you find a project to the south.

The airpark where I will eventually settle has a trailer that a Tcraft will just fit, so unless the "farm use only" police catch me, I thing I'm good to go. I'll keep your name in mind if things change - thanks, Mike