B
Barnstormer
Thought a before and after video might be of interest. Here is the before.
https://vimeo.com/149720442
https://vimeo.com/149720442
lvgbr
Registered User
Argentina
Very interesting! I´d like to buy it. How can i do? paypal and US address. Tks fdrovetta@hotmail.com
B
Barnstormer
Got the T3 Tailwheel Suspension installed on the SQ2 yesterday. Only had time for a couple of grass landings and a couple of off-airport landings so don't have anything to say yet about its functionality. The plan is to fly it this morning with the video camera rolling.
Installation was mostly straightforward although I did have to make a few "tweaks" due to design differences between my SQ2 and a Super Cub that I'll report on later with photos. I was surprised that the leaf spring stack I removed from the SQ2 weighed about the same as the entire T3 assembly with its included hardware, so no weight increase at the tail.
The height to the bottom of the tail post with the leaf spring set up was 17". With the T3 it's 22" with the pressures Dan thought would be a good place for me to start.
Installation was mostly straightforward although I did have to make a few "tweaks" due to design differences between my SQ2 and a Super Cub that I'll report on later with photos. I was surprised that the leaf spring stack I removed from the SQ2 weighed about the same as the entire T3 assembly with its included hardware, so no weight increase at the tail.
The height to the bottom of the tail post with the leaf spring set up was 17". With the T3 it's 22" with the pressures Dan thought would be a good place for me to start.
Attachments
Steve Pierce
BENEFACTOR
Graham, TX
Bobby Breeden
Registered User
Spruce Creek, Florida. Sterling, Alaska
That picture shows the bottoming out point of the suspension at a rather low pressure setting. As you can see nothing broke and there was little to no bounce, a whole lot more would have been bent and broken if the same drop test was done with a steel spring. For those who have not seen the video, Jay picked the tail up over his head to about 6 feet and dropped it. It is quite a spectacle although I would have liked him to have more pressure in the shocks for such an impact. So far Jay and Phil are the first two to receive the T3 and we are looking forwards to hearing their reports.
Phil is using the Matco tail wheel. He is out flying right now and I have only heard one thing from him so far which was a text message saying, "WOW!"
The suspension accommodates a wide range of aircraft loading and can be adjusted very quickly if needed with a small handheld shock pump. As the compression increases so does the pressure which adds to the dampening. Right now with the shocks we included there is no 'bump stop' but it is simple to replace the shocks with higher end shocks off the shelf if you wanted more options. We felt that these were the simplest and easiest to use for the intended mission.
PM me to order or ask more questions.
Phil, we cant wait to see that video!
Bobby Breeden
Phil is using the Matco tail wheel. He is out flying right now and I have only heard one thing from him so far which was a text message saying, "WOW!"
The suspension accommodates a wide range of aircraft loading and can be adjusted very quickly if needed with a small handheld shock pump. As the compression increases so does the pressure which adds to the dampening. Right now with the shocks we included there is no 'bump stop' but it is simple to replace the shocks with higher end shocks off the shelf if you wanted more options. We felt that these were the simplest and easiest to use for the intended mission.
PM me to order or ask more questions.
Phil, we cant wait to see that video!
Bobby Breeden
Chicken Hawk
Registered User
Southern NH & Eastern Maine
Thats the beauty of compressed air shocks, adjust pressure according to your load with small hand pump. ($30 & small) Pressure increases as shock is compressed providing greater resistance as shock is being compressed. Hydraulic shocks are becoming history in most racing applications. Nitrogen shocks are becoming the norm, but you need nitrogen system to adjust. (Not practical on for this setup)
Mauleguy
MEMBER
Looks like in the picture it comes pretty close to getting the rudder, is the geometry such to keep that from happening when it is bottomed totally out. To be more clear would the T3 have to break in order for the tail wheel to hit the rudder.
I also don't think dropping it from over your head is not a real test, I am sure you can do the same thing with a spring with no adverse effects with a Super Cub. The tail of mine only weighs 50 pounds at flight attitude and 80 on the ground. You also have no momentum in the test over your head.
It looks like a good thing for a Maule or Bear Hawk if it works well (heavy tails). I can not really see a lot of benefit on a cub if you wheel land off airport like most do except for taxi. I would not want to have to deal with the air it up or let it down thing for different tail weights. Maybe some kind of pressure pump that you could set from inside the airplane that would be cool. While your at that make it so you can air up or let down the Bushwheels too. That would be the best invention. I hate rolling around my airplane with 3 psi but love landing it that way.
I also don't think dropping it from over your head is not a real test, I am sure you can do the same thing with a spring with no adverse effects with a Super Cub. The tail of mine only weighs 50 pounds at flight attitude and 80 on the ground. You also have no momentum in the test over your head.
It looks like a good thing for a Maule or Bear Hawk if it works well (heavy tails). I can not really see a lot of benefit on a cub if you wheel land off airport like most do except for taxi. I would not want to have to deal with the air it up or let it down thing for different tail weights. Maybe some kind of pressure pump that you could set from inside the airplane that would be cool. While your at that make it so you can air up or let down the Bushwheels too. That would be the best invention. I hate rolling around my airplane with 3 psi but love landing it that way.
Steve Pierce
BENEFACTOR
Graham, TX
Neat product but I tend to disagree on "bent and broken" on a conventional spring. We wheel land all the time and carry the tail with brakes. I fly with Tom almost everyday and he is very good at carrying the tail and then dropping it when he stops. It is from a level attitude and I haven't seen him break anything. I don't want to sound negative just an observation.
Steve Pierce
BENEFACTOR
Graham, TX
tedwaltman1
FOUNDER
Delta, CO
Wow, that picture sure seems to be a very adverse, shimmy prone, position for the tailwheel. Reference the article (that many of you have probably read many times already) here: http://www.pierceaero.net/tws.php. I note that the picture references no air pressure in the shocks (worst case scenario). Seems like a pretty extreme worst case though?
I can email anyone the PDF of the article if needed, just PM me.
I also have seen a 2nd iteration on the previously posted picture of the tailwheel shock system offered (?) by tk1racing.com. Seems the picture that was up on this thread earlier is no longer here?
I can email anyone the PDF of the article if needed, just PM me.
I also have seen a 2nd iteration on the previously posted picture of the tailwheel shock system offered (?) by tk1racing.com. Seems the picture that was up on this thread earlier is no longer here?
tedwaltman1
FOUNDER
Delta, CO
As Bobby mentioned above, there are a variety of higher-end mountain bike shock systems available, e.g. http://www.ridefox.com/2016/filter.php?m=bike&t=shocks&ref=topnav, available, but they get pretty darn pricey. I assume these Fox-type shocks are what you are alluding to Bobby? Have you tried any of them?
B
Barnstormer
Flight test completed. Very cool. You rarely even know the tail is back there no matter what is is rolling over. I even intentionaly 3-pointed in the rocks, knowing how the old leaf spring suspension reacted. I was pretty near astonished. Here is the video from this morning.
https://vimeo.com/149978527
https://vimeo.com/149978527
I have to re-arch my tailspring every year so this this product is.interesting. The issues that distract from it are loss of AOA, head angle when heavy ( shimmy) and steering issues due to interconnect angle ( think 170 Cessna). I think it will protect the airframe tail from a lot of abuse at the hand of pilots with my skill set. Someone needs to hook up the steering and give feedback.
DENNY
DENNY
tcraft128
FRIEND
St. Marys GA; GA36
Denny, I have the prototype steering setup currently hooked up. Your comment about the C170 is exactly how I explained it to Dan. Right now, I would say that the steering system needs some tweaks, and Dan has assured me that he has an idea. As for the loss of camber angle when loaded and AOI, I go back to the advice that Bill Rusk gives, build it for 95% of your mission. I have a 30 dollar, less than 1lb shock pump that will stay in the plane, adjustments are VERY easy for those 5% mission profiles. AOI loss seems to be only when the system is static, when I do a max effort TO, with the stick comming back hard from 2 pt stance, the tail touches and the shocks compress allowing for that to be a non issue. I also measures the difference and on my plane, the static loss is about 1 degree.
Hope this helps.
Hope this helps.
RaisedByWolves
FRIEND
Tx
Thanks for the pic dan, it's hard to see in the video.
Timmy taught me to keep the tail up.
Timmy taught me to keep the tail up.
Tim
FRIEND
Petersburgh, NY
cubdriver2
FRIEND
upstate NY
RaisedByWolves
FRIEND
Tx
And look what he's doing now.
B
Barnstormer
A friend stopped by a few days ago when I was experimenting with shock pressures. I guess he figured I couldn't carry my nitrogen tanks, regulator and hose around in the back of the SQ2 cause he reappeared a day later with this.
Very cool, weighs about the same as the bicycle hand pump I carry around for the tires which now gets replaced with this high pressure pump.
I can use this pump on both the T3 and on the TK 1 Racing Front Shocks, at no additional weight or storage penalty.
Very cool, weighs about the same as the bicycle hand pump I carry around for the tires which now gets replaced with this high pressure pump.
I can use this pump on both the T3 and on the TK 1 Racing Front Shocks, at no additional weight or storage penalty.
Attachments
Randy Foster
FOUNDER
My brother sent me a link to the T3 tailwheel company but there is no contact info on their website. I have a PA12 and would like to talk to them before I order one. Can anyone give a contact number or email address?
Bobby Breeden
Registered User
Spruce Creek, Florida. Sterling, Alaska
Randy,
I will work on getting the contact info more visible on the sight. Call me at 5 4 O - 905-9238 or email me at bobbybreeden@gmail.
I will work on getting the contact info more visible on the sight. Call me at 5 4 O - 905-9238 or email me at bobbybreeden@gmail.
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