Tail wheel Question

[JoeW]

In the never ending saga to improve this new toy of mine, I have another question for all of you experts. My cub has a 8" maule tail wheel on it, and it looks too large for the aircraft, and I would like to go w/something smaller. Besides a scott for over $1300.00, what other options do I have? Full swivel is nice, but not necessary. Any Ideas? Thanks in advance. Also what is the going rate for a top overhaul on a O-235( parts then labor)?

Joe

[Steve Pierce]

I have had great luck with the solid Maule tailwheel on light tailed, no sandbar landing planes. They swivel easily and are light. Topping an O-235 is not cheap but is better than it used to be. ECI makes rings with a much better price than Lycoming. $1100 each for a new cylinder last I checked. Can get yours overhauled for around $600. If they need welding in my opinion you might as well buy new.

[pzinck]

i have bought a couple of planes with maule t wheels on them,never could get them to work good for long espescially heavy.last time i looked the 3200s were around 600.00.also make sure springs are tight and the correct angle.the first thing most maule ownwrs do is get a scott,thats what i did when i bought 1 years ago.

[mvivion]

Yup. It's pretty near impossible to beat a Scott wheel. I'd agree that the price you noted sounds high. Shop around and I think you can do better than that.

MTV

[mvivion]

Yup. It's pretty near impossible to beat a Scott wheel. I'd agree that the price you noted sounds high. Shop around and I think you can do better than that.

MTV

[PA12driver]

If you are going to "really" use your cub in soft/ rough stuff, you will not go wrong with Alaskan Bushwheels Baby bushwheel tire and Large fork! Cubs are most often damaged swinging the tail around and hitting a hole and tweaking the tail!--Some damage will even go un-noticed if the fabric doesn't wrinkle? The other damage is to your back if you have ever tried to push a heavy loaded cub around in rough or sand.

Bill and Wup are the greatest to work with and their product is top notch!

Tim

[Steve Pierce]

It's a J-3 and he feels the 8" pneumatic Maule is to big. I love the Scott 3200. I have 3 rebuilt on the shelf ready to go anytime one goes south. However on a J-3, Champ, T'Craft or Clipper that is not going off airport I prefer the small Maule SFSA solid 6.50x2.50 tire. Cost a little over $200. The problem I have with a light tailed airplane and the Scott 3200 is they are hard to get to break over past the locking mechanism. The Scott 2000 is a lot better tailwheel than the Maule but for $1200 they can keep it. I have 2 of them I will sell for much less than that. One thing about the Maule is the quality is hit or miss. I have had them that where not machined straight. I always check them right out of the box. That being said I have gotten good service out of them if they were manufactured right and serviced regularly.

[JoeW]

Yeah, whats happening is that my deck angle is off (by the tail being higher), and with the larger TW, I'm concerned that, because of the larger "arm" the wheel makes, my cub would be more succeptable to tail damage. I initially thought it was the spring that was too large, ordered another one for a cub, and it was the same the one I have. The scott 2000 is the expensive one right? Can I put the solid 6" maule tire on a 8" tundra tire set up

[cobblemaster]

Scott 2000 on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=26439&item=2482799930&rd=1

[PA12driver]

Sorry,

In a hurry I didn't notice the plane was a J3, yup, I would do the Same Steve. 3200 or anything like that is way overkill for that light of a plane and will likely cause more problems.

Tim