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Tow Bar

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rstone4(at)hot.rr.com
Guest

Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2006 7:35 am Post subject: Tow Bar

Members,

      Does anyone know  where to get a tow bar for a ZodiacXL?  If not, is there anyone on the net  that has the facilities to make one up for a reasonable price of  course?

      This question is  for those of you who have finished their ZodiacXL.  Is the finished  aircraft light enough for one to push down on the tail and move it around that  way?

  

 Bob Stone, Harker Heights, Tx

 ZodiacXL

   [quote][b]

gfmjr_20(at)HOTMAIL.COM
Guest

Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2006 9:55 am Post subject: Tow Bar

Bob--

   The finished aircraft is light enough to pull/push around by the prop.  I 

do it all the time. I wouldn't push down on the rear end anywhere since it 

is only .016 aluminum.  Even with this being said I do plan to fabricate a 

tow bar eventually-----------



George May

601 XL  912s

 	  Quote: 	
		  From: "Robert L. Stone" <rstone4(at)hot.rr.com>

Reply-To: zenith-list(at)matronics.com

To: <zenith-list(at)matronics.com>

Subject: Tow Bar

Date: Sat, 14 Oct 2006 10:34:39 -0500



Members,

      Does anyone know where to get a tow bar for a ZodiacXL?  If not, is 

there anyone on the net that has the facilities to make one up for a 

reasonable price of course?

      This question is for those of you who have finished their ZodiacXL.  

Is the finished aircraft light enough for one to push down on the tail and 

move it around that way?



Bob Stone, Harker Heights, Tx

ZodiacXL


	


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rstone4(at)hot.rr.com
Guest

Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2006 10:53 am Post subject: Tow Bar

George,

     I am in central Texas, where are you?



Bob Stone

---

larry(at)macsmachine.com
Guest

Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2006 12:04 pm Post subject: Tow Bar

Bob,

I made a tow bar, steering link and travel stop for the front gear 

strut.  I make up the steering link travel stop shown in the drawing

for $50. and you make up the tow bar seen laying near the nose gear 

third picture link.  I'm painting right now, but about December

or January, I'll be making half a dozen of the link-stops.  If you're 

interested, let me know.  Do not send any money until I can say

I've got one ready for you though.



http://www.macsmachine.com/images/gear/full/travel-stop-and-stear-link.gif

http://www.macsmachine.com/images/gear/full/travelstop.gif

http://www.macsmachine.com/images/completion/full/winter601four.gif



Larry McFarland - 601HDS at www.macsmachine.com

do not archive

Robert L. Stone wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   Members,

      Does anyone know where to get a tow bar for a ZodiacXL?  If not, 

 is there anyone on the net that has the facilities to make one up for 

 a reasonable price of course?

      This question is for those of you who have finished their 

 ZodiacXL.  Is the finished aircraft light enough for one to push down 

 on the tail and move it around that way?

  

 Bob Stone, Harker Heights, Tx

 ZodiacXL



*

*

gfmjr_20(at)HOTMAIL.COM
Guest

Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2006 12:22 pm Post subject: Tow Bar

Kingston ,New Hampshire



Do not archive

[quote]From: "Robert L. Stone" <rstone4(at)hot.rr.com>

Reply-To: zenith-list(at)matronics.com

To: <zenith-list(at)matronics.com>

Subject: Re: Tow Bar

Date: Sat, 14 Oct 2006 13:50:17 -0500






George,

     I am in central Texas, where are you?



Bob Stone

---

craig(at)craigandjean.com
Guest

Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2006 12:55 pm Post subject: Tow Bar

Larry, do you think the stop ring is needed? Zenith apparently does because

I think the current kits have one (see attached picture). My antique

doesn't.



-- Craig

Front_gear_travel_stop_ring.jpg

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larry(at)macsmachine.com
Guest

Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2006 1:58 pm Post subject: Tow Bar

Craig,

If you break a bungee, and don't have a stop ring of some sort, the 

cowl, muffler, and whatever that

contacts the fork is likely to suffer more damage than with it.  The 

ring shown here is likely adequate,

but not removable or adjustable. I think you'd be wise to have one in 

any case.



Larry McFarland

do not archive



Craig Payne wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		  Larry, do you think the stop ring is needed? Zenith apparently does because

I think the current kits have one (see attached picture). My antique

doesn't.



-- Craig

  

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------

ggower_99(at)yahoo.com
Guest

Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2006 9:04 pm Post subject: Tow Bar

 	  Quote: 	
		  From my point of view,  a tow bar in the Zenith Airplanes will be usefull if you have this two main process in moving your plane:


	


Long backwards pushing,  needs some practice to make corrections while pushing from the prop hub, to keep the plane in the correct direction and the front wheel straight.



Pulling the plane a little uphill...  Our hangar has a little slope from the platform, and pulling the plane uphill from the prop hub is dificult because the pulling momentum is high for the body.



In level area the tow bar is not a must have,  but good to have.



Saludos

Gary Gower.

Rained out today... 



george may <gfmjr_20(at)hotmail.com> wrote:[quote] --> Zenith-List message posted by: "george may" 



Bob--

   The finished aircraft is light enough to pull/push  around by the prop.  I 

do it all the time. I wouldn't push down on the rear end anywhere since it 

is only .016 aluminum.  Even with this being said I do plan to fabricate a 

tow bar eventually-----------



George May

601 XL  912s

[quote]From: "Robert L. Stone" 

Reply-To: zenith-list(at)matronics.com

To: 

Subject: Tow Bar

Date: Sat, 14 Oct 2006 10:34:39 -0500



Members,

      Does anyone know where to get a tow bar for a ZodiacXL?  If not, is 

there anyone on the net that has the facilities to make one up for a 

reasonable price of course?

      This question is for those of you who have finished their ZodiacXL.  

Is the finished aircraft light enough for one to push down on the tail and 

move it around that way?



Bob Stone, Harker Heights,  [quote][b]

Tim Juhl

Joined: 21 Mar 2006
Posts: 488
Location: "Thumb" of Michigan

Posted: Sun Oct 15, 2006 7:16 am Post subject: Re: Tow Bar

My XL came with the newer nose gear with the welded stop ring.  Regardless, I'm thinking that Larry's collar mounted just above the nose wheel pant would be a good spot to attach a tow bar.  I've seen others where builders put a hole in the pants over the axle nut and make a tow bar that has cups on the end that will fit into the hole and over the nut.  Using the collar would reduce the risk of scratching up the pant.



Regarding pushing the aircraft around by the prop..... the propeller manufacturers all say this is a no-no although I admit to being guilty of this to some extent.  I haven't finished my XL but I have moved many heavier aircraft using a tow bar and a hand on the prop close to the hub.  Obviously you wouldn't want to pull on the prop tip.



Also, Cessna came out with a service bulletin many years ago warning of damage potential to the spar or attachments in the horizontal stabilizer caused by folks pushing down on it to raise the nose so it could be moved around.   Remember, stabs are designed to handle a load distributed evenly over their surface, not at one or two points the size of a human hand.



Tim



Do not archive

_________________
______________
CFII
Champ L16A flying
Zodiac XL - Jabiru 3300A
Almost done! It'll fly in spring!

cmaggart(at)sprintmail.co
Guest

Posted: Sun Oct 15, 2006 11:36 am Post subject: Tow Bar

Bob, I would not recommend "pushing on the tail" especially if  you have untrained helpers.  I have seen factory built aircraft damaged  that way and the Zodiac is lighter.  

  

 I bought a tow bar for a Piper Cherokee from AS&S and  added a 4130 steel plate on the nose wheel fork.  The plate picks up the  forward two bolt holes in the fork and I drilled two holes in the plate to mate  with the tow bar.  It is the same setup used on Cherokees and  Tri-Pacers.  I am considering extending the tow bar about a foot to make it  easier to reach under the nose.

  

 Chuck Maggart, St. Louis

 XL in paint

   [quote][b]

rstone4(at)hot.rr.com
Guest

Posted: Sun Oct 15, 2006 12:53 pm Post subject: Tow Bar

Chuck,

      I would like to see  a picture of your set-up and also can you furnish me with the part number of the  tow bar you got from AS&S.

  

 Bob Stone

 [quote]   ---

Sigmo(at)aol.com
Guest

Posted: Sun Oct 15, 2006 4:20 pm Post subject: Tow Bar

I tried several methods to mount a tow bar and since I'm not putting on the  wheel farings I just bought a standard cessna tow bar from aircraft spruce and  it fits over the end of the wheel axel bolts. Works great.

 Mike Sigman

 N7092N 601XL

  

 13-01540 DELUXE CESSNA TOWBAR

IMG_2943.JPG

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webmaster(at)upac.ca
Guest

Posted: Sun Oct 15, 2006 5:37 pm Post subject: Tow Bar

For the life of me I can't figure out why some people think that pulling a plane from the prop hub is a bad thing. After all, this is where all the loads are from the prop during flight anyhow!!!



I am however very careful to only grab the root of a blade when I push/pull. I've made 2 tow-bars for my 601 so far and my second attempt worked out much better since it's articulated. Total cost of the parts was about $13 CND and 2 hours of cutting/welding and I'd highly recommend making one since it makes directing the plane much easier. Of course this is a nose gear plane so tail draggers will have to figure out a tail wheel bar. Should be easy if you Google some RV stuff.



I'll try and post some pictures next time I go out to the hangar.



 Trev Page

C-IDUS 601HD R912

 

 [quote][b]

rstone4(at)hot.rr.com
Guest

Posted: Sun Oct 15, 2006 6:03 pm Post subject: Tow Bar

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