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Tailwheel steerability

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Blumax008(at)aol.com
Guest

Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 5:25 am Post subject: Tailwheel steerability

Hey ya'll,

 

My Firestar II is tough to steer using the rudder pedals &  tailwheel. I use 

the brakes often to get it into a turn & most times  have to use them 

throughout the turn especially when turning the tail into the  wind. 

 

I've got the tailwheel chains snugged up pretty tight so that  shouldn't be 

the problem. I've also lubricated everything in sight in the  tailwheel area. 

 

Mine has that tiny 25 cent tailwheel...which I figure is probably the  reason 

as it doesn't have the tread to grip the surface & actually  turn. The 

tailwheel slides around a turn, on pavement or grass.

 

Thanks for any ideas!

Wild Bill Catalina

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John Jung

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 108
Location: Surprise, AZ, USA

Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 2:17 pm Post subject: Re: Tailwheel steerability

 	  Blumax008(at)aol.com wrote: 	
		  My Firestar II is tough to steer using the rudder pedals &  tailwheel. Wild Bill Catalina 	




Bill,



I still use the stock tailwheel on my Firestar II and the only time I have to use the brakes for steering is to spin around a wheel (u-turn?). I do not use stock springs and that may be the difference. My springs are compression types, like found on a screen door.

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_________________
John Jung
Firestar II N6163J
Surprise, AZ

Russ Kinne

Joined: 27 Jan 2006
Posts: 182

Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 2:27 pm Post subject: Tailwheel steerability

Wild Bill

FWIW - all the time I flew my 170, I nearly always had to tap the  

brake to make a turn . Even with that big rudder! Tightening chains  

wouldn't do it. Maule tailwheel. I just considered that a brake-tap  

was simply the way you had to do it, and it always worked..

In a crosswind, sometimes there's just no way to keep it straight;  

you have to gun it & do a circle. Once at Des Moines , they were  

expecting the C-5 to come in and there were several thousand people  

watching (of course!) I made a good landing but had a long  taxi with  

a strong crosswind. Ended up doing SEVEN circles on the taxiway. Most  

embarassing. Maybe they thought it was a show, the Flying Farmer or  

something. Hope so.

Tower:  "What are your intentions?"

Me:  "you ever fly a taildragger?"

Twr:  "No"

Me:   "Just be patient then, I'll get there eventually"

And I did, all ended happily. The C-5 came in  & maybe they forgot  

all about this spinning fool.

I wouldn't keep the chains real tight as it has to wear bearings,  

bushings, shafts, whatever. Doesn't seem to work anyway, IMExperience  

at least.

I doubt tread is a big factor; I've flown  quite a bit with bald  

tailwheels.

Good luck



On Mar 11, 2006, at 8:22 AM, Blumax008(at)aol.com wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   



 Hey ya'll,



 My Firestar II is tough to steer using the rudder pedals &   

 tailwheel. I use

 the brakes often to get it into a turn & most times  have to use them

 throughout the turn especially when turning the tail into the  wind.



 I've got the tailwheel chains snugged up pretty tight so that   

 shouldn't be

 the problem. I've also lubricated everything in sight in the   

 tailwheel area.



 Mine has that tiny 25 cent tailwheel...which I figure is probably  

 the  reason

 as it doesn't have the tread to grip the surface & actually  turn. The

 tailwheel slides around a turn, on pavement or grass.



 Thanks for any ideas!

 Wild Bill Catalina

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esteuber(at)rochester.rr.
Guest

Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 4:57 am Post subject: tailwheel steerability

Bill,

       You can either lengthen the rudder arms or shorten the tailwheel steering arm. If using stiff springs you may have  a problem hitting the rudder stops if you change it too much . I have a homemade tailwheel pivot that allows the steering arms to go 90 degrees ( no breakaway clutch). I use lighter springs and put them at the rudder arms and the tailwheel will go almost 90 degrees both ways. The springs will be stretched a bit in turns....makes it a bit more challenging for directional control on hard surface but well within control...but it turns better !

                                                                                                                                       

                                                                                                                                                              Toe dance ED in Western NY  

                                            Do Not Archive

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slyck(at)frontiernet.net
Guest

Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 5:09 am Post subject: tailwheel steerability

Tailwheels take a beating and need frequent care. Still better than 

those

"training wheels" up front.

Another reason for limited turning ability is a bent spring/rod will 

make

it want to caster forward only.  Ideally the pivot hinge is straight up 

and down.

-BB

On 12, Mar 2006, at 7:53 AM, Edward Steuber wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   

 <esteuber(at)rochester.rr.com>



 Bill,

        You can either lengthen the rudder arms or shorten the 

 tailwheel steering arm. If using stiff springs you may have  a problem 

 hitting the rudder stops if you change it too much . I have a homemade 

 tailwheel pivot that allows the steering arms to go 90 degrees ( no 

 breakaway clutch). I use lighter springs and put them at the rudder 

 arms and the tailwheel will go almost 90 degrees both ways. The 

 springs will be stretched a bit in turns....makes it a bit more 

 challenging for directional control on hard surface but well within 

 control...but it turns better !



                                                                        

                                                                        

                 Toe dance ED in Western NY

                                             Do Not Archive

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planecrazzzy
Guest

Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 9:32 am Post subject: Re: tailwheel steerability

It would be nice to see pictures......

    Getting some of you guys to post pictures of your improvments , is like pulling teeth....



                          Gotta Fly...

.

.

..



 	  esteuber(at)rochester.rr. wrote: 	
		  Bill,

       You can either lengthen the rudder arms or shorten the tailwheel steering arm. If using stiff springs you may have  a problem hitting the rudder stops if you change it too much . I have a homemade tailwheel pivot that allows the steering arms to go 90 degrees ( no breakaway clutch). I use lighter springs and put them at the rudder arms and the tailwheel will go almost 90 degrees both ways. The springs will be stretched a bit in turns....makes it a bit more challenging for directional control on hard surface but well within control...but it turns better !

                                                                                                                                       

                                                                                                                                                              Toe dance ED in Western NY  

                                            Do Not Archive

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DAquaNut(at)aol.com
Guest

Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 2:40 pm Post subject: tailwheel steerability

In a message dated 3/12/2006 6:58:17 A.M. Central Standard Time,  

esteuber(at)rochester.rr.com writes:



I have a  homemade tailwheel pivot that allows the steering arms to go 90 

degrees ( no  breakaway clutch). I use lighter springs and put them at the rudder 

arms and  the tailwheel will go almost 90 degrees both ways. The springs will 

be  stretched a bit in turns....makes it a bit more challenging for 

directional  control on hard surface but well within control...but it turns better  !



Toe dance ED in Western NY   

Do Not Archive      





Ed,

 

    Is there any way you could post some pictures of your  home brewed tail 

wheel? I have been thinking, if I knew the principal, of how  the castering  

tailweels, worked, I could fabricate my own. If you  cant post a picture, could 

ya come up with a materials list and a verbal  explanation how you built it. 

If anyone else has a design for a lightweight tail  wheel that works better 

than stock, please fess up and tell how you dun  it!

 

          Ed ( Firefly #  62)

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