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non-swiveling tail wheel

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jeffpoint

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 72
Location: MKE

Posted: Sat Jul 08, 2006 10:19 am Post subject: non-swiveling tail wheel

Does anyone know how much travel the old style non-swiveling tail wheels 

had? I'm looking for degrees side to side from center.



Jeff Point

RV-6

Milwaukee

do not archive

_________________
Jeff Point
RV-6
Milwaukee WI

pbesing(at)yahoo.com
Guest

Posted: Sat Jul 08, 2006 9:38 pm Post subject: non-swiveling tail wheel

It will go 90, but not much more than that before the

chains bind up.  Another words, the chains are the

limiting factor..the will swivel but the chains

inhibit the movement.  Will be upgrading to swivel

tailwheel soon!



Paul Besing



--- Jeff Point <jpoint(at)mindspring.com> wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   

 <jpoint(at)mindspring.com>

 

 Does anyone know how much travel the old style

 non-swiveling tail wheels 

 had? I'm looking for degrees side to side from

 center.

 

 Jeff Point

 RV-6

 Milwaukee

 do not archive

 

 

 

 



 browse

 Subscriptions page,

 FAQ,

 Admin.



 

 

 

  

  

  

 

 

 

 


	




__________________________________________________

flyrv6(at)bryantechnology
Guest

Posted: Sun Jul 09, 2006 7:30 pm Post subject: non-swiveling tail wheel

How do you identify the non-swivel by looking at it and what is involved in replacing it to a swivel type?  My fuse kit was purchased in 1993.  I don't believe my tailwheel will swivel.  Something I only recently discovered when  I installed my chains.  I plan to remove them this weekend to find out if I can swivel and am bound up or doesn't swivel.  (Then throw the chains away and install tail lynx system)

  

 Tim RV-6 

  

 [i]----

flyrv6(at)bryantechnology
Guest

Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 10:23 am Post subject: non-swiveling tail wheel

OK, you can disregard this question.  A call to Van's answered the question.  Kits earlier than about 96/97 came with a non-swivel tail wheel.  I just ordered the conversion for mine.  What a drag, replacing parts on mine before they are even used.  I would not have been happy with a non-swivel however.

  

 Tim 

  

 [i]----

pbesing(at)yahoo.com
Guest

Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 11:31 am Post subject: non-swiveling tail wheel

Good move.  I have the old tailwheel and it's a real

pain when pushing back into my hangar..have to use a

tow bar.  Then, when I'm out somewhere away from the

airport it can be frustrating moving the airplane

around!  I'll be upgrading to the Bell Tailwheel

assembly soon.



Paul Besing



--- Tim Bryan <flyrv6(at)bryantechnology.com> wrote:



[quote] OK, you can disregard this question.  A call to

 Van's answered the question.

  Kits earlier than about 96/97 came with a

 non-swivel tail wheel.  I just

 ordered the conversion for mine.  What a drag,

 replacing parts on mine

 before they are even used.  I would not have been

 happy with a non-swivel

 however.

 

 Tim 

  

 ----

cgreimer(at)mts.net
Guest

Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2006 4:04 pm Post subject: non-swiveling tail wheel

I think anyone upgrading to a Van's swivel tailwheel, or indeed anyone who 

hasn't flown one, should be aware of it's foibles:



1) It requires regular greasing, and the only way to grease it properly is 

to dissassemble it. This isn't hard but I have to do mine every 10 hours or 

so.



2) The little internal key that locks/unlocks the tailwheel eventually 

develops burrs and then sticks, allowing the tailwheel to stay unlocked. The 

solution is to file down the burrs and then slightly chamfer the edges of 

the key to prevent new burrs. You may as well do this right away instead of 

waiting for it to stick unexpectedly at some distant airport. Since I fixed 

mine the first time, it has been fine.



3) The design feature that allows the tailwheel to free swivel after 

depressing the rudder pedal about 3/4 down works really well most of the 

time. It has a spooky side though. On a couple of occasions I have been 

taxiig on a slippery surface with a stiff crosswind, and order to counteract 

a gust, I kicked full or nearly full rudder. This caused the tailwheel to 

unlock, and without the tailwheel helping to hold it straight anymore, the 

airplane immediately weathervaned into the wind and I was suddenly 90 

degrees to the runway going 10 mph. Because the runway was snowy and 

slippery the brakes were not effective either, so off the runway I went, 

completely out of control. Luckily both times I only got stuck.



Perhaps the Bell tailwheel alleviates some or all of these problems. I'm 

planning to get one myself, if only for the new/coolness factor.



Curt

RV-6 C-GACR

flyrv6(at)bryantechnology
Guest

Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2006 5:14 pm Post subject: non-swiveling tail wheel

Yikes Curt,

  

 This doesn't paint a very pretty picture.  Every 10 hours?  That could be after every trip.  My new one is supposed to be delivered tomorrow for a weekend install.

  

 Question for all the other tail wheelers.  Are any of you using something other than Van's swivel tailwheel?  Why?  Are you happy with it?

  

 Thanks

 Tim 

  

 [i]----

dcw(at)mnwing.org
Guest

Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2006 5:38 pm Post subject: non-swiveling tail wheel

Gee, folks.. I have 300 hours on my Van’s tailwheel and have had no significant problem.  I grease it about every 6 months or so and have replaced the bearings once and the actual tire once.  Other than that, it works perfect.

 

 Doug Weiler

 N722DW, RV-4, 300 hours

 

 

 

 

 

 On 7/13/06 8:04 PM, "Tim Bryan" <flyrv6(at)bryantechnology.com> wrote:

 

 [quote]Yikes Curt,

  

 This doesn't paint a very pretty picture.  Every 10 hours?  That could be after every trip.  My new one is supposed to be delivered tomorrow for a weekend install.

  

 Question for all the other tail wheelers.  Are any of you using something other than Van's swivel tailwheel?  Why?  Are you happy with it?

  

 Thanks

 Tim 

  

 [i]----

flyby41(at)earthlink.net
Guest

Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2006 5:39 pm Post subject: non-swiveling tail wheel

    Been using the "Homebuilders Special Tailwheel" as depicted in Aircraft Spruce catalogue but available from the manufacturer as well as other dealers. I have the single fork 6" model on my 4. It has worked flawlessly for approx. 1000 hours with no unusual maintenance and even perhaps some neglect.

  

 

 Do not archive

 [quote] ---

n5lp(at)warpdriveonline.c
Guest

Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2006 6:48 pm Post subject: non-swiveling tail wheel

On Jul 13, 2006, at 7:04 PM, Tim Bryan wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   Yikes Curt,



 This doesn't paint a very pretty picture.  Every 10 hours?  That  

 could be after every trip.  My new one is supposed to be delivered  

 tomorrow for a weekend install.



 Question for all the other tail wheelers.  Are any of you using  

 something other than Van's swivel tailwheel?  Why?  Are you happy  

 with it?



 Thanks

 Tim


	


I have the standard Van's full swivel tailwheel.  Once or maybe  

twice, in 800 hours, it has failed to lock into the steering detent.   

I think it was a bit of grit fouling it up, in my case.



Every 75 or 100 hours the steering gets a bit stiff and I have to  

regrease it.



I admire the simplicity and economy of the device compared to what  

Scotts puts out.



Larry Pardue

Carlsbad, NM



RV-6 N441LP Flying

http://n5lp.net

bicyclop(at)pacbell.net
Guest

Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2006 7:58 pm Post subject: non-swiveling tail wheel

So who is the manufacturer?  

   

Pax,  

   

Ed Holyoke  

   

--

flyby41(at)earthlink.net
Guest

Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2006 10:51 pm Post subject: non-swiveling tail wheel

Aviation Products Inc. 

 114 Bryant St. 

 Ojai, CA 93023

 ph/fax 805-646-6042

  

 

  

 [quote] ---

rv8_flyer(at)yahoo.com
Guest

Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2006 4:14 am Post subject: non-swiveling tail wheel

I has a couple issues with the tail wheel not locking in the first 50 hours on my plane.  When I called and talked to Van's about it they said don't use grease use oil.  So I took it apart, cleaned and polished the burrs and drilled a small hole in the top washer.  I now shoot a little LPS 2 into the hole every 10 hours or so and disassemble it at annual to clean and inspect for burrs.  For the last 300 hours it has been trouble free.

   

  Alan Kritzman

  RV-8 N8EM



Larry Pardue <n5lp(at)warpdriveonline.com> wrote:

  [quote]--> RV-List message posted by: Larry Pardue 

On Jul 13, 2006, at 7:04 PM, Tim Bryan wrote:



[quote] Yikes Curt,



 This doesn't paint a very pretty picture. Every 10 hours? That 

 could be after every trip. My 		Yahoo! Music Unlimited - Access over 1 million songs. [url=http://pa.yahoo.com/*http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=36035/*http://music.yahoo.com/unlimited/  ]Try it free.[/url]

Steve Glasgow

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 674

Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2006 7:03 am Post subject: non-swiveling tail wheel

I agree Curt.  I grease mine with every oil change.  I have the  Bell tailwheel and love it, but in regards to swivel,  it works the same  way as the Van's.  Don't know if you are using the one arm device or not,  but I believe the one I was using was exacerbating the problem and have  removed it for the new stainless Van's two arm device.  I feel the one  arm seems to bur the pin more than the two arm type.  No suppresses in the  last 50 hours. 

  

 Steve Glasgow-Cappy

N123SG  RV-8

Cappy's  Toy

_________________
Steve Glasgow-Cappy
Cappy's Toy
RV-8 N123SG

flyrv6(at)bryantechnology
Guest

Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2006 7:03 am Post subject: non-swiveling tail wheel

Alan,

 This sounds like a reasonable solution.  Grease can tend to collect dust and become sticky.  Oil would do the same thing but doesn't last as long.  Great idea.

  

 Tim 

  

 [i]----

cgreimer(at)mts.net
Guest

Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 5:46 pm Post subject: non-swiveling tail wheel

To clarify my post, I find the main pivot itself sticks unless  I grease it every 10 hours. I can still move it, but it's very stiff, and when I  remove it to grease it, it's dry as a bone. 

  

 The locking key on the other hand has been fine since the  first de-burring repair hundreds of hours ago.

  

 Perhaps my problems come from flying off grass almost  exclusively. It's been pretty wet here the past couple of summers and I thought  the water was washing the grease away. I went though a set of front wheel  bearings (rusted) after only 140 hours my first year. But this summer has been  dry and I still have to grease the tailwheel. 

  

 I should give the design it's due:  it is an elegant,  simple and lightweight mechanism for what it does and seems to give  trouble-free use for a lot of people. 

  

 Curt

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