Thorp Air Command - T18.net

Purchased a few tailwheel parts from Aviation Products Inc. Ojai, CA and they included a catalog which has tailspring shafts listed. The 7/8 x 5/8 could adapt to the Thorp. They are heat treated stainless, $125.00

That's what I have on mine. They do not come bent. I bent mine.
What's the consensus in the group....
I can get those springs straight or batch order Trusty ones that need painting but are bent.
What say you?
Cubes

Can we get more info on the stainless. Mostly interested in the spring rate. Don't need it any more bouncy than the Lange ones. Stainless would go a long way here in Florida. What did it take to bend yours?

_________________
Bob Highley
N711SH
SN 835
KLAL

Got tired of painting mine . Had the spring and fork powder coated . About $75.00 here in SAN .

It wasn't hard to bend. I used three blocks and a vice. Also, we could look at a different mount that would include the bend. I'll see what I can drum up on spring rate.
Cubes

Guys,

The Trusty spring is 1" diameter at the fat end and tapers down to 5/8". Changing to a spring that is 7/8" at the fat end and tapering to the standard 5/8" will not be as stiff as the Trusty spring. The question about this is, "is it stiff enough"? I really like my Trusty spring and the hole was exactly perpendicular to the bend, which made installation a breeze.

Jim

Thanks for the input Jim
Cubes

In case folks have been trying to contact Aviation Products... I talked to Karen today. She has been forced to take another job. She is still in the tail wheel business.. Please let the phone ring a lot, like 15 times, for it to go to voicemail. She will eventually get back to you.
Cubes

Flyboyaccessories.com has RV tailsprings for $95 and many different TW's.
One of our members retro-ed one to fit his T18. I'll look for photo.

BobMO

Rich,

This is off topic of this thread, but in the pictures above, it looks like you have electric rudder trim.

Do you find rudder trim useful or not worth the effort?

OK, I'll bite. The original T-18 seems to have had a flat tailwheel spring. Are these rod springs part of the S-18 plans or just a common modification, perhaps to take advantage of ready-made Van's RV parts?

_________________
Matthew Long, Editor
cluttonfred.info
A site for builders, owners and fans of Eric Clutton's FRED

« Voici ce que j'ai fait...vous pouvez en faire autant! »
"This is what I have done...you can do the same!"
--Henri Mignet (1893-1965)

I find the electric trim very useful during cruise especially with the auto pilot on . Anything I can do to reduce fatigue in the cockpit , I'm up for it . During the landing phase I just reset it to the takeoff position . I have a small green LED lite next to the trim switch to indicate the T/O position as can be seen in the attached pic .

I bought a tail wheel assembly from Flyboyaccessories.com. I bought the tail wheel spring thru a group buy here on the T-18 forum.
The socket in the tail wheel assembly was custom bored by Vince, to the T-18 spring spec. His customer service is great as is his product.

_________________
Scott Emery
EAA Chapter 326
T-18 N18TE

The tapered rod tail spring was designed by Lyle Trusty for the T18. It lowers the tail and extends the moment arm. It is not according to plans, but I have LTs original plans to modify the bird. The RV guys picked up on the idea and LT started selling to them.
I have collars made for both the LT version (which I sell) and the Aviation Products version.
Cubes

Thanks! I can understand extending the moment arm to make the steering less twitchy, but what is the advantage to lowering the tail?

_________________
Matthew Long, Editor
cluttonfred.info
A site for builders, owners and fans of Eric Clutton's FRED

« Voici ce que j'ai fait...vous pouvez en faire autant! »
"This is what I have done...you can do the same!"
--Henri Mignet (1893-1965)