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Tailwheel Assembly

Mr. Ed

Mr. Ed

MEMBER
PNW
Looking for recommendations on tailwheel assemblies for my supercub project. I purchased the Acme Stinger tail suspension. I currently have the Scott/ABW 3200 baby Bushwheel on my Maule. I’m getting irritated with that because the thrust plate has three pins that are press fit. The pins fall out of the plate. I’ve tried a number of fixes but nothing lasts. I called Airframes AK and was told it was a common problem which they were not inclined to fix because it would require FAA approval. The part is $76 and only seems to last 50 to 100 hours.

I’m experimental so I don’t need certified stuff but do want good stuff. Are there any tried and true field tested alternatives to the 3200? (Hopefully without the frequent parts failure built in)

Thanks.
 
Stewart,
Do you have a Matco tailwheel on your cub. If so, has it survived long? Have you had a 3200 in the past?
 
I used an ABW assembly. I did so because Airframes and Dan Dufalt were good enough to give me a credit for returning a T3 so I had money to spend. Most of the exp guys I know use the Matco and like it. Mine is surplus.
 
Did you know that there is no TSO for tailwheels? CAR 4a makes some kind of statement about tailwheels - maybe CAR 3 says the same thing.
 
I on occasion find those pins broken but not on tailwheels I have been maintaining. Not sure wat I am doing different but I do not see that very often at all.
 
Suggest you check for play in all the primary bolts of the Acme Stinger tail suspension. Mine has a lot of slop right out of the box. Also, suggest when assembling the Acme Stinger tail suspension, you torque to published AN specs, rather than to the torques listed in the Acme manual. Acme recommended torque values are significantly higher than recommended for AN hardware.
 
tedwaltman1 said:
Suggest you check for play in all the primary bolts of the Acme Stinger tail suspension. Mine has a lot of slop right out of the box. Acme recommended torque values are significantly higher than recommended for AN hardware
Click to expand...


Trying to remove the slop?

Glenn
 
To reduce/eliminate bolt-to-oversized hole slop, Acme told me to —way— over tighten bolts. As in greater than 50% over-torqued. I did not do that. I can, and probably should, post pictures and video. Maybe in a separate thread later…
 
If the pins are getting sloppy I just hold the pin and peen the other side above the plate to tighten them. Watch steves video and make sure all the parts are working correctly. Doing tail first landings with a tail heavy plane will be hard on any tailwheel so I would opt for a wheel landing if possible. DENNY
 
Denny,
I’ve tried peening. I’ve also brazed them and resurfaced the plate. That held up the longest but still failed. I can’t tell that they have failed until I pull it apart at annual. Since I can’t tell they failed I guess I don’t know what their function is.
 
Mr. Ed said:
Since I can’t tell they failed I guess I don’t know what their function is.
Click to expand...

I had assumed those pins provide the rotational coupling between the fork and the thrust plate. If that is correct then any time the tail wheel shimmies the pins are subjected to a rapidly reversing side load. If the pins fail then doesn't the friction damper become ineffective?

If that analysis is correct then pin failure would be expected to be more common on tail wheeels that shimmy often. I think you said this was a BBW which appears to be more likely to shimmy than the standard wheel and fork.

(I have never completely dismantled my tailwheel so happy to be corrected by those who know the assembly better than I do)
 
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