Tailwheel spring pad

[12 Geezer]

Well, here's a problem that somebody may have a clever solution for.

The pad that supports my tailwheel spring, the one right under the tail post, is tilted slightly to one side, so the spring and tailwheel assembly are also tilted. I've had a lot of trouble with shimmy (maule, 8") and settng the caster to zero and re-fitting the bearing haven't helped much. So I'm thinking the side angle is probably the villian.

Does anybody have a sneaky shortcut way of effectively modifying the pad angle? I could build it up by welding and grind it flat, but - - -.

I'd appreciate any good ideas - Thanks!

[Dave Calkins]

Weld build-up sound like a sneaky shortcut. Or you could grind it off and weld on a new one.

http://www.supercubs.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=28_27&sort=3a&page=2&osCsid=7e9ac9966ad5807d83841e7712374d47

$35 from Airframes, Inc.

[teeweed]

Keeser...My tail wheel had a slight tilt to it..I think my frame is lower frame is twisted a bit. I fabricated a small wedge out of sleel and it seems to work. Mark

[musket]

Just a thought -- you might try to find some of the 'wedges' that Cessna used between the axle and the landing gear leg (spring steel / Wittman-style) and see if you can adapt one of them to cure your problem. They come in different 'amounts of wedge', so you might want to try more than one.

[12 Geezer]

Thanks guys. I hadn't even thought of just a new pad - - DUH. And the Cessna wedge is a novel idea. I'll put all the ideas together, and come up with a solution - thanks again!