big tail wheel

I want to get a oversized tailwheel, and was wondering if I should buy the floats alaska, or the baby bushwheel. I know that they are alot different in price, but wanted to get everyones opinion on what one they liked.

Got the cub on wheels today. 2 days ago I was on skis today strip is completely ready for wheel use. I love this strip! Fixed the Intercom lets go flying.

there has been past post on this. bushwheels product is excellent. However it is not worth the extra money in my opinion. Plus it is not made in alaska, not that it makes it any better, but i just like to support our local economy first.

I think with ALL mods a person really needs to consider exactly what they're getting, why they want it, purpose, cost, weight, will it do what its advertised to do, and there is always a give-and-take (advatanges & disadvantages) with all mods.

Its been said that if "Atlee Dodge put basketballs on the wings tips, other people would also". Maybe a harsh example of the mentality some folks have about mods, but true. Over the past 50+ years it has been proven time and again that its hard to improve on the basic Super Cub airplane.

I may be in the minority, however I've tried the big tail wheel set-up, a couple of times, and have always gone back to the original/"common" scott 3,200 series w/ a heavy 3 leaf spring.
In my epxerince the large tail wheel does exactly what its advertised to do; more surafce area= less weight per square inch, however it does it too well. Its nearly imposible to get the larger tail wheel to dig-in in sand to use as a brake, or snow, and on tundra. I don't buy into the theroy that the larger tail wheel keeps you from bending the back of the frame, this can be accomplished by lifting the tail when turning, using power. On the other hand, planes with a heavier tail.. such as a Pacer or -12, would benifit from the larger tail wheel.

Just my .02 cents worth....the smaller tail-wheel set up seems superior under most conditions.

hmmmmm... My reason for wanting a larger tail wheel is so that my wife (Susan) can reach the prop for starting with 8:50 or larger main gear tires. When I get 26 inch BushWheels, what is now a little difficult may become impossible for her. ...Clyde Davis

Not to contradict Luke the Drifter, because I am sure he has a ton more experience than me, but I love my baby bush wheel. I will give you the example that sold me on a wide tail wheel. I had a Scott 3200 on and landed on a sandy beach. I had to have my passenger get out so I could taxi off the beach without having to use gobs of power and blow sand all over. The next day my baby bush wheel came in and I installed it. The following day I landed on the same stretch of beach with a slightly heavier load. My tail stayed up and I was able to taxi without kicking my passenger out. I don't have any experience with the gar aero tail wheel, but I for one am a fan of the large tail wheel.

I had a gar-aero tail wheel on my old cub and I really liked it. I bought this long before there where any Baby-Bushwheels. I run a Baby-Bushwheel on my work 185 and it does a good job.

I was in getting an annual the other day for my 180 and was talking to my mechanic about the gar-aero tail wheels for the 180. He stated that in todays world of the FAA/337's/ and field approvals. Go with the STC'd tire. It may cost more, but it is sure less of a hassle.

Mike

I agree with Lukethedrifter for most uses the 3200 Scott is fine

I do like the Garaero tail set up for beach work. I have not tried the baby bush wheel but it looks nice.

Jerry Jacques

I have a Gar-Aero tailwheel and really like it. Only problem I have with it is in snow, it will drag me down but then so did the Scott.

RB

Most of the time I think my smaller 3200 tail wheel fork and tire work just fine for what I do. The tail wheel sinks into the sand for better braking. I wondered how long the bearings would last, and if the seals would keep the sand out....they didn't. Just replaced them. I don't like to power up to much to get moving in dry sand. Had a guy tell me, if I wasn't careful I could create a vortex tornado that would spiral the sand or water right into my motor. Creepy! I think that alone has sold me on the bigger tail wheel so I can get moving easier and with less power.
One morning I had landed on a Brazos sand bar, stopped in time to be in about 4 inches of shallow water. Look like I could have rolled another 50 feet and the depth would have been the same. I got out to lift the tail around and could feel the resistance of the 31's as they sucked themselves down into the sand. Not sure what the heck this story has to do with big tail wheel. Anyway, the more I lifted each side of the cub the more the wheels sank into the sand. Looked like about 3 inches in the sand but I could not roll the cub. I made the choice to power up and drive it out. Not sure I want to do that again. I might have started moving easier with the big tail wheel and thinking back I should have let air out of my 31's, never turned the cub around just backed it out. Live and learn. Anyway I want a baby bushwheel. teeweed

I am still running a stock 3200 tail wheel. I have looked at both over sized tires and really don't see much advantage of one over the other. The BW is a great tire but the GA looks like the same footprint. Neither tire have much of a sidewall so any shock absorption would be done with low tire pressure. I would be as much concerned as to how they handled on hard surfaces vs soft surfaces. You might find they are a advantage in soft stuff but cause shimmy on hard surfaces.

Maybe some one with experience can address these concerns.

Cub_Driver

I prefer a small tailwheel for use in soft sand (for braking). On the other topic, when the mains sink in after sitting for a while, I break them out by lifting the tail with power and down elevator while working the rudder slowly back and forth. That will gradually lever the mains back up on top of the sand. Usually after about 3 or 4 rudder reversals, you will be on top and rolling and can lower the tail.
JimC

If you do off airport stuff in the rough, the Baby Bush is the only way to go. It is a huge difference in shock absorption, and steering. Cub_Driver, you should come to my garage, I have about 5 stock Scott 3200's in various pieces from destruction by big rocks. The Baby Bush steers fine on pavement, but will take a bit more rudder pressure to turn. Feels more like a C-180 taxiing on pavement. Off pavement, it turns and feels much better than a stock 3200, and really bounces less. Floats like a dream too. I sent Wup a photo of my plane up in some soft sand this spring where you could see four-wheeler ATVs were sinking in 3 inches or so. The tracks for my plane on 31" and Baby bush, hardly made an imprint and it was a taxi to a stop, pivot on one wheel and turn 180 degrees with three persons and gear on board. I run 8lbs in the BB as well as the mains.

I have no experience with the GA, only the BB.

As i recall, the garAero conversion for a 3200 costs about $550 while the baby bushwheel conversion is about $1000. A replacement tire & tube for the Gar (400x4) costs about $75-ish, replacement BBW is $350.

Rooster

tailwheel

I've run the GA for 15yrs. The bigger tw rolls over rocks and through dips. The 3200 scott smashes into rocks and digs into dips. Which one do you think is easier on your empenage? Don't believe the crap that somehow a bigger tw is creating more stress...Just the opposite is true...

Nanook is totally right.... I've done a bunch of the G/A conversions on Citabria's and Pacers...it really takes the stress of the aft end of the fuselage if you're off the pavement!
JH

Scott 3200 weight = 6.2 lbs.



Bushwheel weight = 10.4 lbs.

I have both and run both on occasion. Lately I've been running just the Scott 3200 unless going somewhere that the beaches are really soft or places with lots of big rocks.

Personally... $1,400.00 and the extra weight you've got to ask yourself if you can get by without one. Most of the time I can and did for many years before.

Crash

Crash said:

Scott 3200 weight = 6.2 lbs.

Bushwheel weight = 10.4 lbs.

I have both and run both on occasion. Lately I've been running just the Scott 3200 unless going somewhere that the beaches are really soft or places with lots of big rocks.

Personally... $1,400.00 and the extra weight you've got to ask yourself if you can get by without one. Most of the time I can and did for many years before.

Crash

Click to expand...

Crash-

What is the change to CG with the bushwheel installed? What effect does it have on your rearmost baggage capacity? 4 lbs on the tail seems like quite a bit on that moment arm.

Tim

Tim, I don't know what actual CG change the 4.2 lbs makes, but it seems like a lot of additional weight to add that far out on the arm to me as well.

That said....in actual flying the plane you can't tell much difference with or with out the big tail wheel installed. A little but not much.

I've never liked the thought of adding a bunch of weight to the tail of a Cub or anywhere else for that matter. I think we can all agree that a light Cub just flies better then a heavy one.

Take care.

Crash

The "Bob" Tailwheel

Have any of you folks going or gone 'experimental' any experience with this tail wheel assembly?

http://www.irondesign-airparts.com/Tailwheels.htm

The price is downright moderate in comparison to the 3200 or BBW.

Irondesign tailwheel looks like a Bob Barrows/Bearhawk t/w. Website text sez this is a follow-on, improved version of Barrows' design . $650. Less than ABW 3200, but more than maule tundra.