Is your tailwheel steering secure?

[3Dreaming]

Re: Is your tailwheel steering secure?

My instructor says that my tail springs are way too strong, giving too much steering authority. I'm low-time in tail wheels and don't know any better. We taxied a friend's T-craft and the springs were much weaker.

As a descriptive example, taxiing at a walking pace and giving full petal movement, in my plane we get instant response, in my friend's plane I count to one before it starts to turn. Which is as it should be?

Does anyone have the proper spring constant (inches displacement per force applied) for our spring?

Thanks, Bob

I'm sure this will bring up some debate, but I would rather have immediate response when I push the rudder pedal. It sounds like your airplane is set up right. Tom

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Is your tailwheel steering secure?

Kind of fuzzy , forgot about macro. THIS is a genuine spring used for the B models, D models , F-19 and up with 6 in tailwheel , they work on the 8 in too. The larger open end on the right goes DIRECTLY to the rudder arm and the more closed end is where the chain starts , then the clip goes to the tail wheel arm. No need to make them real tight , if a chain has to be longer for correct tension make the right side the short one.

Not as quick a response but that is good sometmes; no argument on which is best. Giving Dual perhaps a slower response is best.
That is the reason the creator made chocolate & vanilla ice cream. choice is good.

[Pearson]

Re: Is your tailwheel steering secure?

Forrest,

Do you have a pair of the pictured springs for sale. Let me know and I will contact you offline about a transaction.

For anyone else with really strong springs; after many years with strong springs the holes in my rudder arms were enlarging where the springs hooked on. An astute IA found and solved the problem during an annual before the springs pulled through the remaining metal on the arm. The solution was to insert an eye bolt into the hole in the rudder arm, then hook the spring into the hole in the eye bolt.

These planes are all old and we need to keep an eye out for things like that.

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Is your tailwheel steering secure?

Many arms are reinforced with a bushing! If you do the shackle thing then you have to shorten the spring, I think Rob Lees used the shackle method. No I do not have springs for sale, rumor has it that we make them when needed. A spring is a spring is a spring....

[David Price]

Re: Is your tailwheel steering secure?

This is a good thing to do.
While on a trip to Standard,CA. from Kelso,Wa, had spent the night at Cressent Lake Oregon eroute to Trinity Lake,CA. for another night, no hurry to get anywhere just flying around the country in 2004.Upon touchdown lost tailwheel spring and rapid rudder control use and back up I went in a right turn, full power to help save the right turn that I was unable to get straighten out. Thank God that power and pitch saved my ass. I have only spoken of this a few times and never in a public forum. After a complete 360* turn above the runway (in groung effect) the rudder and I found a common place to be comfortable as the nose of the plane came on to center line, cut power & wiggle in. I did not know at the time what had happened. Still shaking like a leaf I was able to taxi to a tie down and have a look. Not only did one tail spring come off but both, L&R.
Walking back down to the touchdown point I found one spring and about 60'-80' away the other. I thank God that I was able to use all that I was taught to save my life and do not know now I done it. Maybe it was not me at all.

Check thoes Springs and safety locks before every flight.(;f

[Pearson]

Re: Is your tailwheel steering secure?

David,

Be glad that the second spring came off when it did. If it hadn't, you probably would have ground looped.

I had one spring come off once. I was able to control it a little by using the brakes. But eventually I lost control and did a ground loop. Fortunately I had lost enough speed that it was a low speed afair and didn't hurt anything.

[Robert Lees]

Re: Is your tailwheel steering secure?

Once, I tucked up in tight formation with a pal in a Supercub, and noticed one of his steering springs was dangling down.

He chose a grass strip to set down on (rather then the concrete runway we were intended upon), and we were able to fix it on the ground.

Needless to say, he mouses his springs now!

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Is your tailwheel steering secure?

Got a little scare this weekend. I was in the hangar putting together the 4 piece windshields (busted the only 1/8" drill bit I had with me so couldn't finish, plus it was so cold the side and top "glass" wouldn't bend). While I was there I decided to take a look at the tail wheel springs to make sure I had moused them (I had) but the springs showed a little surface corrosion so I decided to just go ahead and replace them. when I tried to slip the springs off the little "paper clip" loops that hold them to the steering arm, they (the little clips)snapped like a stale pretzel! Looks like time to take a close look at the whole mess back there. There wasn't any visible damage to the clips, just a small amount of surface rust. Anybody know what those wire loops are supposed to be made of?
One of the past posts talked about using a quick link ring. Not sure about the legality or how much corrosion resistance. What it the "right" way?
Hank