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Tailwheel

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lcfitt(at)sbcglobal.net
Guest

Posted: Sat Oct 21, 2006 1:12 pm Post subject: Tailwheel

Several years ago I opted to change out to the Homebuilders Special dual 

fork tailwheel.  I got the immediate quieting that others have mentioned.  I 

also ordered the spare sealed bearing as the word was that the original 

bearings were unsealed and un-lubeable.



Well, the unsealed part is true but the un-lubeable part is only partly 

true.  There is a grease fitting, but to force grease into the bearings you 

would have to fill the entire hub cavity between the bearings - probably 

about three or four ounces of grease.  My guess is that with that much 

lubricant in the hub and unsealed, you would eventually throw all that 

grease onto the underside of the aft fuselage.   Essentially, the original 

equipment bearings are junk and the provision for lubrication is haphazard 

at best - a real disappointment in an otherwise great tailwheel.



In short, I was getting more tail wheel noise than I was used to so I lifted 

the tail and sure enough the bearings were shot.  I removed the wheel and 

bearings and pressed in the new ones and voila - the replacement bearings 

from ACS were 5/8" ID whereas I needed 1/2" ID bearings as exact 

replacements for the originals.  So much for buying early and keeping them 

on hand.  If course I didn't check the ID against the axle until I had them 

pressed into the hub - dumb me again.



Just a general heads-up here.  ACS sold the bearing as an exact replacement 

upgade.  I know of others that have replaced them.  What is your experience 

with the replacement bearings?  I have ordered new bearings from my favorite 

bearing shop and they are a bit more expensive, but I know for sure what I 

will be getting - dual contact sealed bearings, 1.375" OD X .5" ID with 

retaining ring.



Lowell

temco(at)telusplanet.net
Guest

Posted: Sat Oct 21, 2006 3:21 pm Post subject: Tailwheel

Lowell



Couldn't you just go down to a commercial bearing supplier and give them the

OD and ID of the bearing you need and have them match up those dimensions

with a good industrial sealed, permanently lubed unit??



Just a thought



Ted



DO NOT ARCHIVE



--

henrysfork1(at)msn.com
Guest

Posted: Sat Oct 21, 2006 6:24 pm Post subject: Tailwheel

<?xml:namespace prefix="v" /><?xml:namespace prefix="o" /><![endif]-->  I also purchased the bearings from the local bearing shop for the same  reason. I was lucky and figured it out before finding out the hard way.

  

 Dee

  

  

 I know of others that have replaced them.  What is your experience  

with the replacement bearings?  I have ordered new bearings from my  favorite 

bearing shop and they are a bit more expensive, but I know for sure  what I 

will be getting - dual contact sealed bearings, 1.375" OD X 5" ID  with 

retaining ring.



Lowell 



  

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   [quote][b]

Jim Shumaker

Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 106

Posted: Sat Oct 21, 2006 10:02 pm Post subject: Tailwheel

Lowell

  

 I had the same experience with the bearing size.  I just made a sleeve of 1/2 inch ID x 5/8 OD steel tubing over the axle.  I also noted that the new bearings did not have a ridge around their outside circumference to trap the wheel between the bearings so in installed a couple of 1/2 inch fender washers on the axle also.  Just like on a control arm with a ball and socket joint.  My recollection is that the exact replacement statement came from a list member who recommended them and not from ACS.

  

 Jim Shumaker

 ---

_________________
Jim Shumaker

Lynn Matteson

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 2778
Location: Grass Lake, Michigan

Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2006 4:37 am Post subject: Tailwheel

Hi Lowell-

I ordered one foot each of two different sizes of tubing stock from 

Spruce, and used the one that fit the axle the best...it was p/n 

03-03900, and it is in the catalog under 4130 seamless tubing, 5/8" OD. 

The other tubing I ordered was under bushing stock #03-17100. They both 

show as .065" wall, but the 03-03900 fits better to the axle. It seems 

like I had to polish the axle slightly. I'm using this sleeve method 

and I sent a piece of the same stock to Jimmie Blackwell, who is also 

using it.

Yes, those bearings from Spruce, that come in the wheel, are junk, 

suitable only for lawn carts etc.  And if you order the "replacement 

bearings" from Spruce, be aware that you get only ONE....yes, it says 

"bearings" but bearings in this case is ONE.



Lynn

On Saturday, October 21, 2006, at 05:12  PM, Lowell Fitt wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   



 Several years ago I opted to change out to the Homebuilders Special 

 dual fork tailwheel.  I got the immediate quieting that others have 

 mentioned.  I also ordered the spare sealed bearing as the word was 

 that the original bearings were unsealed and un-lubeable.



 Well, the unsealed part is true but the un-lubeable part is only 

 partly true.  There is a grease fitting, but to force grease into the 

 bearings you would have to fill the entire hub cavity between the 

 bearings - probably about three or four ounces of grease.  My guess is 

 that with that much lubricant in the hub and unsealed, you would 

 eventually throw all that grease onto the underside of the aft 

 fuselage.   Essentially, the original equipment bearings are junk and 

 the provision for lubrication is haphazard at best - a real 

 disappointment in an otherwise great tailwheel.



 In short, I was getting more tail wheel noise than I was used to so I 

 lifted the tail and sure enough the bearings were shot.  I removed the 

 wheel and bearings and pressed in the new ones and voila - the 

 replacement bearings from ACS were 5/8" ID whereas I needed 1/2" ID 

 bearings as exact replacements for the originals.  So much for buying 

 early and keeping them on hand.  If course I didn't check the ID 

 against the axle until I had them pressed into the hub - dumb me > again.



 Just a general heads-up here.  ACS sold the bearing as an exact 

 replacement upgade.  I know of others that have replaced them.  What 

 is your experience with the replacement bearings?  I have ordered new 

 bearings from my favorite bearing shop and they are a bit more 

 expensive, but I know for sure what I will be getting - dual contact 

 sealed bearings, 1.375" OD X .5" ID with retaining ring.



 Lowell

_________________
Lynn
Kitfox IV-Jabiru 2200
N369LM

lcfitt(at)sbcglobal.net
Guest

Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2006 6:47 am Post subject: Tailwheel

Could do, Ted, but I have found a reliable web based company that has a 

great site for bearing shopping and I have found virtually everything I have 

ever needed there including The .75" ID X 1" OD ball bearings I used on the 

control stick of my video camera mount.



There is a local group that does an annual unlimited pinewood derby race for 

the dads of Cub Scouts.  I have purchased 1/8" X  1/4" bearings for my one 

pound full suspension current champion unlimited race car.  This size 

bearing comes in several configurations, sealed and unsealed and SS or 

ceramic.  For this application an unsealed bearing is best as all the lube 

can be removed - lube adds a little rolling resistance and in a 20 foot 

gravity run every bit helps.



With small bearings, my guess is that if they don't stock it, it would have 

to be custom made.  The typical no sales tax and here in less than a week. 

Some times it takes that long to just find time to get into town and I dare 

say the .75 X 1  bearing would have to have been special ordered.



Lowell



---

lcfitt(at)sbcglobal.net
Guest

Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2006 7:12 am Post subject: Tailwheel

Hi, Jim



I just checked the ACS catalogue and you are right, they don't use the 

phrase exact replacement, but the catalog entry is in the same  box as the 

replacement wheels and says,

"These high quality bearings are superior to  standard bearings furnished 

with homebuilder tailwheels"  I made an assumption that they were the same 

bearings.  Incidentally the ones ACS sent to me had a snap ring where the 

flange was on the old ones.  The side to side fit was exact and I made shims 

like you did, but made mine of Delron.



Lowell



---

Guy Buchanan

Joined: 16 Jul 2006
Posts: 1204
Location: Ramona, CA

Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2006 7:30 am Post subject: Tailwheel

At 07:47 AM 10/22/2006, you wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		  Could do, Ted, but I have found a reliable web based company that has a

great site for bearing shopping and I have found virtually everything I have

ever needed there including The .75" ID X 1" OD ball bearings I used on the

control stick of my video camera mount.


	


C'mon Lowell. Don't be shy. What's the name?

Guy

_________________
Guy Buchanan
Deceased K-IV 1200
A glider pilot too.

Michel

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 966
Location: Norway

Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2006 10:12 am Post subject: Tailwheel

On Oct 21, 2006, at 11:12 PM, Lowell Fitt wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   Several years ago I opted to change out to the Homebuilders Special 

 dual fork tailwheel.  I got the immediate quieting that others have 

 mentioned.  I also ordered the spare sealed bearing as the word was 

 that the original bearings were unsealed and un-lubeable.


	


Hello Lowell,

One and half year ago, I also changed my Maule tailwheel for a 

Homebuilders Special, but not the dual fork, the single fork one. Like 

you, I also read that the wheel bearing (not the swivel axle bearing) 

couldn't be greased. When installing it, I noticed that there was a 

grease nipple on both the swivel and the wheel axle. I tried to grease 

both but the wheel one wouldn't accept grease.

.. then I went flying. I have now maybe 100 hours on that tailwheel. 

Should I worry?



Cheers,

Michel

_________________
Kitfox 3 - Jabiru 2200

lcfitt(at)sbcglobal.net
Guest

Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2006 10:47 am Post subject: Tailwheel

The bearing Co is Boca Bearings - specializing in miniature bearings for 

hobby and industry.      http://www.bocabearings.com/



Lowell

---

lcfitt(at)sbcglobal.net
Guest

Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2006 4:52 pm Post subject: Tailwheel

Michel,



No.  I wouldn't worry.  The grease fitting feeds into the space beteen the 

bearings - a cylinder shape 1-3/8" by 2 or so inches.  It would take a lot 

of grease before any would be forced into the bearings themselves.  I 

checked mine because it seemed the original noise from the hard rubber in 

the Maule had returned.  It was bearing noise that triggered the 

replacement.   I guess with the single fork, though, if both bearings failed 

catastrophically the wheel could fall off, but in that case you would have a 

tail skid.  I think a reasonable pre flight would detect any problems.



Lowell



---

Guy Buchanan

Joined: 16 Jul 2006
Posts: 1204
Location: Ramona, CA

Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2006 5:29 pm Post subject: Tailwheel

At 10:46 AM 10/22/2006, you wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		  The bearing Co is Boca Bearings - specializing in miniature bearings for

hobby and industry.      http://www.bocabearings.com/


	


Thanks Lowell.

Guy Buchanan

K-IV 1200 / 582-C / Warp / 100% done, thanks mostly to Bob Ducar.



Do not archive

_________________
Guy Buchanan
Deceased K-IV 1200
A glider pilot too.

Michel

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 966
Location: Norway

Posted: Mon Oct 23, 2006 1:24 am Post subject: Tailwheel

 	  Quote: 	
		   From: Lowell Fitt [lcfitt(at)sbcglobal.net]

 No.  I wouldn't worry. 


	


Thank you, Lowell. Do you think I should remove the wheel axle and inspect the bearings? Should I grease it when opened? Or can I leave it as it is?

Thanks in advance.



Cheers,

Michel

<pre><b><font size  color="#000000" face="courier new,courier">

_________________
Kitfox 3 - Jabiru 2200

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