CubLite
Registered User
BUCYRUS, KANSAS
Hi Everybody:
Need some help. After 15 years and 1600 hours flying the J-3 W/C-85, I recently experienced a couple occasions where in high wind situations, in taxi, I could not get it to turn away from the wind- that is that sometimes I would have to make a right 270 to make the intended left 90. I really felt like the rudder and steerable tailwheel were not working at all. I checked the tail springs on the tail and althought I thought they looked allright I went ahead and ordered and installed new compression springs from Wag-Aero. That really didn't change anything and a couple of days ago I noticed that the rudder cable's (especially the right) were very loose and just flopping around on the ground. This lead me to believe that the rudder return spring was broken. I took the bottom cowl off and removed the rudder pedal only to find that the spring is not broken and seems to have some pretty good force left to it. Can they wear out and not be broken? The $25.00 to Wag-Aero for the over-priced new springs is not a problem. I just want to know if I should be looking for something else or if new return springs will fix the problem. There is no problem in landing, take-off and flight. Taxi is the only problem. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Pat
Need some help. After 15 years and 1600 hours flying the J-3 W/C-85, I recently experienced a couple occasions where in high wind situations, in taxi, I could not get it to turn away from the wind- that is that sometimes I would have to make a right 270 to make the intended left 90. I really felt like the rudder and steerable tailwheel were not working at all. I checked the tail springs on the tail and althought I thought they looked allright I went ahead and ordered and installed new compression springs from Wag-Aero. That really didn't change anything and a couple of days ago I noticed that the rudder cable's (especially the right) were very loose and just flopping around on the ground. This lead me to believe that the rudder return spring was broken. I took the bottom cowl off and removed the rudder pedal only to find that the spring is not broken and seems to have some pretty good force left to it. Can they wear out and not be broken? The $25.00 to Wag-Aero for the over-priced new springs is not a problem. I just want to know if I should be looking for something else or if new return springs will fix the problem. There is no problem in landing, take-off and flight. Taxi is the only problem. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Pat