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Tail Dragger Towbar Question

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rveighta(at)earthlink.net
Guest

Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2007 6:10 pm Post subject: Tail Dragger Towbar Question

I'm getting to the point with my RV-8 where I am going to need a towbar to maneuver the plane in and out of my hangar, and I need some advice on what type of towbar works well at a reasonable price (ACS has 'em starting at $159 for the "Taildragger Dragger" and upwards).  



Sure would appreciate your input............



Thanks,



Walt Shipley  RV8A 300 hrs,  RV8 gettin' close to flyin'

kboatright1(at)comcast.ne
Guest

Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2007 6:22 pm Post subject: Tail Dragger Towbar Question

Buy the "Cessna style towbar" from Aircraft Spruce.  This is the one that 

collapses when you remove a cotterless hitch pin.  The towbar is less than 

$50 and works very well.  All you need to do is pay a little more attention 

in bending and trimming the cotter pin that holds the nut to the axle bolt 

on the tailwheel.

---

rv6n(at)optonline.net
Guest

Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2007 6:39 pm Post subject: Tail Dragger Towbar Question

Walt C

  6nbsp;

 I use the tail dragger dragger and it works fine on concrete and asphalt but I don 7t think the wheels are large enough for use on grass E 6nbsp; 

  6nbsp;

 Bob Bales

 RV6

  6nbsp;

 

---

jeffpoint

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 72
Location: MKE

Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 12:11 am Post subject: Tail Dragger Towbar Question

2nd what Kyle said about the Deluxe Cessna Towbar.  Wag Aero also sells 

a similar which I have (since Wag is in my back yard.)  As Kyle said, a 

little tweaking of the cotter pin is in order.  Also, I reamed out the 

lugs on the towbar ever so slightly and that helps.  I also used a 

slightly longer bolt for the tailwheel and put a few washers under each 

side.  This gives the towbar some more "meat" to grab onto, but it 

probably cost me .001 knot.  I forget the exact bolt size but it was 

about 1/2 inch longer than standard.



Jeff Point

RV-6 flying

RV-8 tail done

Milwaukee



 	  Quote:

_________________
Jeff Point
RV-6
Milwaukee WI

Gary.A.Sobek

Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 217
Location: SoCAL USA

Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 4:15 am Post subject: Tail Dragger Towbar Question

After 10-years of flying my RV, I use the built in towbar (horizontal stab) to move the airplane were ever it needs to go.  It is already part of the airplane, does not increase empty weight of the airplane, and did not cost any extra money.



Gary A. Sobek 

"My Sanity" RV-6 N157GS O-320 Hartzell,  

2,0638 + Flying Hours So. CA, USA 



[quote] Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2007 20:48:43 -0500

 From: rveighta(at)earthlink.net

 To: rv-list(at)matronics.com

 Subject: Tail Dragger Towbar Question

 

 --> RV-List message posted by: rveighta <rveighta(at)earthlink.net>

 

 I'm getting to the point with my RV-8 where I am going to need a towbar to maneuver the plane in and out of my hangar, and I need some advice on what type of towbar works well at a reasonable price (ACS has 'em starting at $159 for the "Taildragger Dragger" and upwards).  

 

 Sure would appreciate your input............

 

 Thanks,

 

 Walt Shipley  RV8A 300 hrs,  RV8 gettin' close to====

 

 

 

i’m is proud to present Cause Effect, a series about real people making a difference. Learn more   	  Quote: 	
		  [b]

ronschreck

Joined: 04 Aug 2006
Posts: 192
Location: Gold Hill Airpark, NC (NC25)

Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 5:52 am Post subject: Tail Dragger Towbar Question

Walt,

 I made my own tow bar.  It cost me  nothing because I had the materials at hand.  It is light; less than 3  ounces.  It folds to an overall length of 4 inches, so I take it with me  with no problems.  It is a rope with a 1-inch diameter dowel used for a  handle.  Slip it around the vertical shaft of the tailwheel and the plane  will follow you wherever you pull it.  

  

 I'm not trying to by cute.  IMHO money  spent on a towbar for a tail dragger is wasted.

  

 Ron Schreck

 RV-8 "Miss Izzy"

 Gold Hill Airpark, NC

  

 ***************************************************************  

  

  I'm getting to the point with my RV-8 where I am  going to need a towbar to maneuver

      the plane  in and out of my hangar, and I need some advice on what type  of

      towbar works well at a reasonable price  (ACS has 'em starting at $159 for the

       "Taildragger Dragger" and upwards).  

       

      Sure would appreciate your  input............

       

      Thanks,

       

      Walt Shipley  RV8A 300 hrs,  RV8  gettin' close to flyin'



   [quote][b]

sbuc(at)hiwaay.net
Guest

Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 6:06 am Post subject: Tail Dragger Towbar Question

Ron Schreck wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   Walt, I made my own tow bar.  It cost me nothing because I had the

 materials at hand.  It is light; less than 3 ounces.  It folds to an

 overall length of 4 inches, so I take it with me with no problems.

 It is a rope with a 1-inch diameter dowel used for a handle.  Slip it

 around the vertical shaft of the tailwheel and the plane will follow

 you wherever you pull it.

 

 I'm not trying to by cute.  IMHO money spent on a towbar for a tail

 dragger is wasted.


	




The rope works great....unless you want to *push* the plane with the 

"towbar".  



With my hangar situation it is easiest to manage the plane with the 

towbar both coming and going while maneuvering around my hangarmate's 

RV-6A.



The Cessna bar has worked great for eight years:



http://thervjournal.com/airport.html#towbar



Sam Buchanan

pbesing(at)yahoo.com
Guest

Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 6:15 am Post subject: Tail Dragger Towbar Question

Why do you need a towbar?  If you have a full swivel tailwheel (all of them do nowadays, but I just recently had to upgrade mine to the Bell tailwheel fork) just push on the horizontal and vertical stab and she'll move anywhere you want to go.



Paul Besing

RV-4 N73DD

Arizona



---

johnd(at)wlcwyo.com
Guest

Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 7:18 am Post subject: Tail Dragger Towbar Question

I made up the same thing Ron. It works as well as any towbar I have ever used. Plus I always have it with me in the plane.  

     

John L. Danielson  

  

   

--

n616tb(at)btsapps.com
Guest

Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 7:21 am Post subject: Tail Dragger Towbar Question

Agreed the Tail Dragger Dragger might work ok on asphalt but it does not work well on grass.  Here is my experience with it.  

   

I have to push the dragger up under the belly by going quite a bit up forward else the wheel doesn’t fit under the back of my -6.  Then pull it back to get it to the tail wheel and it wont really just slide to get the tailwheel between the pins so usually I end up picking up the plane slightly to set it on the dragger.  Hard to do with only two hands.  Then when I try to pull it backwards on the grass the wheel tends to want to turn in the saddle.  This is especially true if you need to turn the dragger to position the plane differently.  Once the wheel turns in the saddle, it will pop off the dragger and be a bad thing.  To fix this I use a bungy cord to wrap around the wheel and the dragger and hook it to the pins.  Well you can’t just go under the dragger with the bungy so again you have to lift up on the handle while stretching the bungy under the bar so you can bring it over the top of the wheel again to hook it.  

   

Overall I have deemed it next to useless for my needs and would be willing to sell it to someone with asphalt only needs.  Personally I wouldn’t buy one again even if I was on asphalt.  An engineer friend here on the airpark designed a simple and easy to use with positive connection for his Sonex.  After seeing how easy it was it looked to me like it would work for my RV.  He has redesigned a version for me and this works about as perfect as it could.  Now I just walk this back up to the rear of the tail wheel and tip the handle up and push it in.  Once under the wheel bolt, let the handle down and you have a positive lock on the wheel and it will NOT turn out, pop off or even require me to get down and screw around with it.  I love it and am absolutely willing to share the design.  Problem is you have to build it.  

   

If anyone is interested, just email me and I will scan the detail drawings in so you can see for yourself.  

Tim  

           

  

From: owner-rv-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-rv-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of rv6n(at)optonline.net

 Sent: Tuesday, December 18, 2007 8:38 PM

 To: rv-list(at)matronics.com

 Subject: Re: Tail Dragger Towbar Question  

  

     

Walt,  

    

   

    

I use the tail dragger dragger and it works fine on concrete and asphalt but I don't think the wheels are large enough for use on grass.    

    

   

    

Bob Bales  

    

RV6  

    

   

    



 ---

n616tb(at)btsapps.com
Guest

Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 7:34 am Post subject: Tail Dragger Towbar Question

Here is page one for viewing.  If you are interested in building this just ask me off line and I will send the other two detail drawings.  

Tim  

           

  

From: owner-rv-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-rv-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of Tim Bryan

 Sent: Wednesday, December 19, 2007 9:21 AM

 To: rv-list(at)matronics.com

 Subject: RE: Tail Dragger Towbar Question  

  

   

Agreed the Tail Dragger Dragger might work ok on asphalt but it does not work well on grass.  Here is my experience with it.  

   

I have to push the dragger up under the belly by going quite a bit up forward else the wheel doesn’t fit under the back of my -6.  Then pull it back to get it to the tail wheel and it wont really just slide to get the tailwheel between the pins so usually I end up picking up the plane slightly to set it on the dragger.  Hard to do with only two hands.  Then when I try to pull it backwards on the grass the wheel tends to want to turn in the saddle.  This is especially true if you need to turn the dragger to position the plane differently.  Once the wheel turns in the saddle, it will pop off the dragger and be a bad thing.  To fix this I use a bungy cord to wrap around the wheel and the dragger and hook it to the pins.  Well you can’t just go under the dragger with the bungy so again you have to lift up on the handle while stretching the bungy under the bar so you can bring it over the top of the wheel again to hook it.  

   

Overall I have deemed it next to useless for my needs and would be willing to sell it to someone with asphalt only needs.  Personally I wouldn’t buy one again even if I was on asphalt.  An engineer friend here on the airpark designed a simple and easy to use with positive connection for his Sonex.  After seeing how easy it was it looked to me like it would work for my RV.  He has redesigned a version for me and this works about as perfect as it could.  Now I just walk this back up to the rear of the tail wheel and tip the handle up and push it in.  Once under the wheel bolt, let the handle down and you have a positive lock on the wheel and it will NOT turn out, pop off or even require me to get down and screw around with it.  I love it and am absolutely willing to share the design.  Problem is you have to build it.  

   

If anyone is interested, just email me and I will scan the detail drawings in so you can see for yourself.  

Tim  

           

  

From: owner-rv-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-rv-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of rv6n(at)optonline.net

 Sent: Tuesday, December 18, 2007 8:38 PM

 To: rv-list(at)matronics.com

 Subject: Re: Tail Dragger Towbar Question  

  

     

Walt,  

    

   

    

I use the tail dragger dragger and it works fine on concrete and asphalt but I don't think the wheels are large enough for use on grass.    

    

   

    

Bob Bales  

    

RV6  

    

   

    



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gptyler(at)metrocast.net
Guest

Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 1:32 pm Post subject: Tail Dragger Towbar Question

The "Taildragger", works fine as long as you don't have to pull the plane up

any significant incline. I have used the least expensive version on my -6

for over 5 years.

---

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