Thorp Air Command - T18.net

Floo the plane yesterday - a sunday mid day "get closer to the creator" (or the black hole at the center of our galaxy sucking us in to a space/time continuum if you're a astro dweeb) flight - picture perfect landing - toofy smile and taxi back to hangar - went to spin plane to line up for hangar entry and "pop" - port tailwheel chain broke - well, not the chain, but that teardrop shaped wire clip thingy right where the 150 deg bends happen. Shirley glad it didn't go pop during rollout, or ground loop city. Mee wunders whether I had the chains a tad on the tight side, and have been over loading said teardrop clips to the point of premature fatigue.

So...what's does one call those little teardrop shaped clips, anyway?

Tho I think it scared me enuff to do away with them, re-design and get sumpin a little stronger.......It got me thinkin about doing a single rod rigid connx on just one side of the tiller bars, unless the hole to hole dimensions are the same on both the rudder bar and the tiller bar, then you could hard connect both sides for symetry purposes.

Thots???

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Fraser MacPhee
N926WM
Serial #279-1
Angel Fire, NM (KAXX)

I'm not sure that thingy has a name, ACS just calls it a "clip".

I wouldn't do the single sided rigid setup, you need the springs and there's too much force on that tailwheel, something has to give a little during operations, if it's not the spring it's going to be in the form of something fatiguing and breaking.

The best set-up around come from Bob and Bill. I'll let them speak up but put short they use swaged cables and turnbuckles. I'd like to swap mine out as well, maybe we could talk them into making a couple of sets for us (hint hint).

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Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

I've got a little tailwheel rehab to do myself, so you could count me in on the group purchase price if Bob and Bill decide to take us up on it.

Before things go south on this discussion I'll add that those little clips have served many a tailwheel for countless hours and are completely airworthy.

The main reason I want a set of cables is that they look nice, N51863 has been using the same set of "clips" for 30 years + and they still look fine and show no signs of wear.

I think we had this discussion about a year or so ago, but I think what happened here is that Frase had his clips attached directly to the tailwheel arm rather than to an AN eye bolt. (incorrect Frase has his attached to AN-42(s)) This created pressure points on the clip. Frase did you in fact have the clips attached directly the arm?

Here's what I think works best (if using chains);

tailwheel arm -> AN-42 -> 'clip' -> chain -> compression springs -> AN-43 > rudder

Also before we swamp Bill or Bob with this, ACS sells custom cable assemblies, all they need are the dimensions.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/a ... leassy.php

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Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

I just ordered 4 clips off of ACS - 2.98 each - it occured to me after I ordered them that during rollout with a strong x-wind, my life may depend on a 2.98 clip - sumpin ain't right there.
It also occures to me that, having had everything reasonably tight and sensitive - maybe two inches of play up and down total, that during any of my carrier trap landing impressions, the rod spring would bend up and may put a decent load on those life giving clips.
Thanks for the reminder about B&Bs setup Lee - I think a swaged cable maybe the way to go - eliminate as many connxs as possible and KISS.
Other than that stoopid "upside down engine quit inverted flat spin fall out of the high altitood loop **** went everywhere" attempt, this reminded me the devil's in the details, in this case a 2.98 clip.

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Fraser MacPhee
N926WM
Serial #279-1
Angel Fire, NM (KAXX)

Whoops - posted at the same time Lee - the clip that broke was connecting the spring to the chain - and I realize that these clips are one the majority of tailwheel aircraft - I think I may have had mine too tight, and that put excess stresses on the clip - nonetheless, I intend to rid my setup of them and go with the nswaged cables.

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Fraser MacPhee
N926WM
Serial #279-1
Angel Fire, NM (KAXX)

You need to order <2> AN-42 eye bolts as well or they'll break again brother!

NOTE: Frase has AN-42(s) but leaving this for those who do not!

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Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

I'm with you Frase the swagged cables are superior, just didn't want the whole fleet grounded due to "clip panic". [;)]

BTW ... If you want to fly in the mean time you don't need a clip at the spring. The chain attaches directly to the spring. You pull the compression spring apart and run the spring attach through the last link in the chain, again the radius of the chain matches the spring, using the clip there creates a pressure point on the clip.

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Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

I hear ya Lee - I have the AN-42s on both tiller bars - I found and mounted an adjustable swigit copulator (self named cuz I have no idea what it's called) and put it on until the clips get here.

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Fraser MacPhee
N926WM
Serial #279-1
Angel Fire, NM (KAXX)

Maule now offers 'quick links' in lieu of the clips. I have swapped to something similar after seeing a Super Cub do dounts off into the grass. You can get some stainless ones at the hardware store & drill them for a cotterpin. http://seasense.com/index.php?page=shop ... &Itemid=26

Pics of the cable and turnbuckle ? I most certainly want to see pics of the swigit coupulator ! [:I]

RB

Bill (if memory serves me correctly) has a couple of pics of the cable/turnbuckle setup on his tailwheel, but if anyone is going out there to take more pics of their tailwheel assembly, I could use some pics from the underside showing the tailwheel assembly.

Looks like the FL gang is out at the airport and or working on Model A's

Here's Bill Williams tailwheel install ..very slick!

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Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

Doug - that link you posted is my "swigit copulator" - that's what connects my turnbuckle to the AN 42s on the wheel tiller bar - I have never drilled out for a cotter pin, as they wrench tighten into a flare - I check them before every flight and have never discovered them loose in 4 years - having said that, a cotter pin is a good idea - thanks

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Fraser MacPhee
N926WM
Serial #279-1
Angel Fire, NM (KAXX)

Here's a photo of my setup using turnbuckles and Fraser's "swigit copulator" that I procured from Home Depot Aerospace. My chains connect directly to the springs and a clip is used from the chain to the turnbuckle.

Image Insert:



Fraser, if it would make you feel better I'm willing to sell you some of those clips that your life depends on for $25.00 each. [:)]

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Bruce Finney
N18JF T-18C #262
Yelm, WA USA