Tailbrace Wire Questions

[SCRed]

My tailbrace wires are needing replacement, soon. I see that Univar has them for around $25 each. I called Univar and was told their tailbrace wires were made from stainless steel. I have a couple of questions about this. One, has anyone purchased tailbrace wires from Univar lately? If so are they indeed made out of stainless?

If if they are stainless, then my brother, the IA, tells me that I will need tailbrace nipples made out of stainless also. Does anyone know where one might obtain tailbrace nipples of any kind? How about stainless? The factory lists them on their web site but they are sold out.

If I do, in fact, need nipples made from stainless, is it a reasonable assumption that the A-986 drawing for the L2 will work on a BC12D?

Here is a link to that drawing. http://www.taylorcraft.org/l2_bluepr...ages/A-986.jpg

Thank you. Lee Paulson

[3Dreaming]

Re: Tailbrace Wire Questions

I'm not 100% positiveit's been a long time since I installed a set of wires, but I think the nipples are already stainless. I didn't have any nipples here to check, but the straps I have here are stainless. Tom

[Guest]

Re: Tailbrace Wire Questions

My tailbrace wires are needing replacement, soon. I see that Univar has them for around $25 each. I called Univar and was told their tailbrace wires were made from stainless steel. I have a couple of questions about this. One, has anyone purchased tailbrace wires from Univar lately? If so are they indeed made out of stainless?

If if they are stainless, then my brother, the IA, tells me that I will need tailbrace nipples made out of stainless also. Does anyone know where one might obtain tailbrace nipples of any kind? How about stainless? The factory lists them on their web site but they are sold out.

If I do, in fact, need nipples made from stainless, is it a reasonable assumption that the A-986 drawing for the L2 will work on a BC12D?

Here is a link to that drawing. http://www.taylorcraft.org/l2_bluepr...ages/A-986.jpg

Thank you. Lee Paulson

Hi Lee,

I would ask Univair's engineer if in fact the nipples have to be stainless.

He would have some insight in to this. I wonder why he would have designed a replacement part that does not work with the original nipples. Frankly I don't think he did that.

I personally do not believe you need SS nipples.

Dave

[Robert Lees]

Re: Tailbrace Wire Questions

Stainless wires should be thicker than the #6 dia. originals (for fatigue resistance).

I had some made for me here in the UK by Bruntons; they are made of #8 wire, so they also supplied new stainless nipples & locknuts.

Rob

[Ron Greene]

Re: Tailbrace Wire Questions

Robert,

I am confused, the BC-12D and the L-2 share the same tail. The L-2 uses #8 wire so the BC-12D should also.

I have the Univair BC-12D tailbrace wires and they are indeed #8 and fit the L-2 nipples.

As far as the nipples having to be Stainless Steel, I do not know. I will go check my originals and see if they are ferrous.

Ron Greene

[Robert Lees]

Re: Tailbrace Wire Questions

You are probably right Ron...#6, #8 etc.

All I know is that the stainless ones I got were a wire size up, so perhaps #10.

I could measure the actual diameter, I guess.

Rob

[Ron Greene]

Re: Tailbrace Wire Questions

Robert,

No need to check, I was just making sure I hadn't gone crazy. I checked the L-2 nipples, they do not appear to be stainless.

Ron Greene

[Robert Lees]

Re: Tailbrace Wire Questions

My original B model nipples weren't stainless either...(they are now)...an update in 10 minutes on:

Definition of stainless
Source of "stainless" nipples

Rob

[Robert Lees]

Re: Tailbrace Wire Questions

My 10 minute update:

Lee Paulson:

Univair has a voice on this bulletin Board, Mr Mike Sellers, who goes under the username of UNIVAIR. Click on that link to ask him by PM.


To all:
[Engineer mode on]
As regards the stainless qualities of "stainless" wire, it might be of interest that structural "stainless" wire is made of 316 (or equivalent) "corrosion resistant" wire.

It is not stainless in the sense of your kitchen saucepan; they will corrode, but are more resistant to corrosion than other ferrous wires.

So keep your "stainless" wires, nipples & locknuts suitably oiled to prevent the onset of corrosion. I wipe mine down every so often with an oily rag (conviently available from the 25-hr oil change ).
[/Engineer mode off]



Incidentally, for stainless nipples: in 2005 I came across "Buchanan's Spoke & Rim, Inc." (in the USA).
I have a 2005 printout from their website, so I don't know if they are still in business, but a Google would resolve. Back then, $0.98 for stainless nipples. I never bought anyting from them; I just kept the printout just in case.

Copy below.

Rob

[SCRed]

Re: Tailbrace Wire Questions

Thank you Robert! Buchanan's Spoke & Rim, Inc. does indeed exist, (30 seconds on Google) see the link below. Why am I not surprised, now that I think about it, that Taylor used a standard spoke part. The price is up to a couple of bucks or so now, which is a whole lot cheaper than having them made. I'll give Buchanan's a call on Monday.

http://www.buchananspokes.com/nipples.htm

My brother, who I mentioned earlier, restores antique airplanes for his living. He said that he has all his fly wires made out of stainless any more because it lasts longer and looks nicer. He also said that a stainless wire and a regular steel nipple will create galvanic corrosion if used together. Both nipple and wire need to be made from the same material. That's what prompted the stainless discussion.

He also mentioned that threads created by a rolling process are much stronger than those made with a die and encouraged me to find some wires made with that process.

[Mark Julicher]

Re: Tailbrace Wire Questions

It is usually acceptable to use stainless and carbon steel together. The galvanic potential of these two metals are very close.

It is worse to use stainless touching aluminum than stainless touching steel because the galvanic potential is higher, yet people use aluminum with stainless all the time.

Galvanic table here:

http://www.corrosionsource.com/technicallibrary/corrdoctors/Modules/Aircraft/galvseri-table.htm

If you are really worried, just spray corrosion X on the parts at every annual.

[flyguy]

Re: Tailbrace Wire Questions

So if you use stainless nipples, then you have to use stainless straps, and stainless bolts (not) and convert your airframe to stainless. Isn't that where that logic leads one?
Thanks for the two references. Really helpful, good stuff to know.

SCRed and anyone else: Any source or advice on getting wires with rolled ends?

Last I heard here someone had obtained approval on cut thread wires and was selling them.

DC

[Guest]

Re: Tailbrace Wire Questions

excellent Darryl

yes that's where it leads to

and if it had been true then we would not have had a strut corrosion issue with those nice stainless struts!

Dave

[Ron Greene]

Re: Tailbrace Wire Questions

The following was posted a couple years ago.

We have just received (last Friday) Engineering Design Approval to take serviceable tail brace wire nipples for BC-12D, F-19, F-21 and F-22 series airplanes and drill and re-thread to 10-32 as per MIL-S-8879, Class B thread.

We also received PMA to manufacture new 3/16 stainless steel tail brace wires to fit the reworked nipples. The threads on the new wires are rolled, not cut.

The cost of reworking all 8 nipples and the 4 new PMA'd wires (with check nuts) is $264.00 (US) plus postage and ins. We can also export to Canada and other countries and supply the FAA 8130-3 Authorized Release Form.

If you are interested, give us a call at (907) 688-3715 or email your inquiry to [email protected]. We accept Visa and MasterCard (Do not email CC numbers direct. The site is not secure yet). Fax no. is (907) 688-5031.

We don't have much else for the Taylorcraft right now but we can make parts as necessary under 21.303(b)(2), owner produced part. Check the FAR.

You can also check out our website http://www.burlac.com

Thank you for your time to read this.

Burl A.Rogers
Manager/Member
Burl's Aircraft, LLC

[Robert Lees]

Re: Tailbrace Wire Questions

stainless straps

Paint.

Or am I missing some small element of American sarcasm?

Rolled-end wires can be procured from Bruntons. Some might argue that they are not required, but I like them in preference to cut threads.