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Tailwheel aka Nosewheels

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dave

Joined: 22 Sep 2006
Posts: 1382

Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2006 5:12 pm Post subject: Tailwheel aka Nosewheels

Lowell  ,

For arguments sake I have  the same 6 inch solid tailwheels on the nose gear 

of my Amphibs.   I think Gary Walsh has the same ones. I operated off of 

grass and they take a pounding as there little cushioning from the solid 

wheels.



As far as bearings go - well lets see what they get  -- Grass, dirt, sand, 

water,sand dirt water,river slime,algae,sand,dirt,mud, dirt,water, sand 

ETC  !!!

And they still ticking ,,,,,,,, I never greased them since in installed 2 

years ago .Plus they sit in snow as well .



For the record I am going to go full pneumatic wheels when I find one that 

fits the odd sizing for those floats.

Dave



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Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2006 8:52 pm Post subject: Tailwheel aka Nosewheels

Far be it to me to get into an argument about tail wheel bearings.  I just 

posted my experience primarily to express frustration in the 5/8" rather 

than the 1/2" axle measurement in the ACS supplied bearings and give a 

heads-up to anyone planning a bearing replacement.



However, based on my experience with mine which were probably 70% hard 

surface and 30% otherwise and about 3 years old, with your usage you will 

have 0, read zero, lubricant in your bearings and they are failing as we 

speak.



On mine the entire interior of the wheel hub was coated with black gunk 

presumably the original lubricant which somehow exited the bearings and 

deposited itself there, and there was actually dirt - not congealed oil or 

grease - on the inner surfaces of the bearings in clumps.  These bearings 

are not sealed despite the Stainless steel shield.  Everything you expose 

them  to is being used as lubricant whether it be dirt, sand or water.  They 

will fail, if not catastrophically, they will become noisy, indicating 

bearing failure.  Jack up the front of your float and spin them.  If after 

two years in the environment you describe they spin silently, we will all 

have witnessed a miracle.  Failed bearings on a tailwheel could be an 

annoyance.  Failed bearings on a nose wheel just might provide an amazing 

adventure, but to each his own, I guess.



Frankly, I love this list especially when someone reports factual 

information and there are predictable responses from people who are 

opinionating, bragging, or just guessing, as to why the real life experience 

is a bunch of you know what.



Regards,

Lowell



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dave

Joined: 22 Sep 2006
Posts: 1382

Posted: Mon Oct 23, 2006 2:14 am Post subject: Tailwheel aka Nosewheels

Lowell,



Yes I will has the floats in the shop soon and will inspect the bearings and 

I will take some pics  etc  of the bearings.



Also I will add that time the wheels are actually in use on the ground that 

if would take many miles of usage before a failure was likely. Although  the 

wheels are  tiny and spin very fast at 40 mph  it is only for short spurts 

of under 10 seconds on take off and landing about the same at over 40 mph 

plus the minute or two of taxing at a slower speed.  A good example of 

bearing failure is boat trailers.  Look at the older ones with those small 

tires and it summer you use to see them on the side of the freeways allot 

but not with slower turning larger wheels you see allot less.  But these are 

traveling at high speeds for a long time before they fail. Un- lubricated 

bearing will fail in time,  no doubt about that.



I find when on wheels  that the spindle on the tailwheel needs greasing more 

than anything.  The tailwheel pivot gets stiff and hard to turn until it 

gets a few pumps from grease gun.



Dave



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