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Iron design tailwheel

22 posts in this topic

Posted

Hi all I'm in the process of researching new tailwheel options for my mk4 does anyone have any experiences with the iron design . Thanks

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Posted

I have a ton of experience with it. Scott Weinberg in a great guy and the tailwheel is an amazing piece of art.

 

That said, it does have an issue with very light aircraft. The Iron Design Tail wheel has no damping and as such is more subject to shimmy depending on airframe/tire size/weight and a host of other variables. Scott was working on a version that used friction only with no steering linkage. I do not know if he ever finished it, but that type of system would definitely work. I would ask him about it. You might be fine with the 7 inch tire version (I do not know what plae you have) but unless Scott has incorporated some sort of friction (damping) into the design, you might very well end up with tailwheel shimmy on a small plane.

 

Chris

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Posted

If you are flying an Avid or Kitfox, a non locking tailwheel is a sure way to wreck your plane.

These planes are short coupled, light, short on rudder at low speed and usually have questionable brake systems. Add in a non locking tailwheel and ground looping is nearly a guarantee.

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Posted

I had mine unlock at an inopportune time.... had it swung left I would ate the trees, but it swung right and I only chewed up some scrub brush.  Make sure you update the brakes and spend a few bucks on them to get them working properly!

 

:BC:

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Posted

The iron designs tailwheel has a super effective and excellant working locking mechanism that releases precicely as it should. The only issue is that it has no damping.

 

Tailwheel locking characteristics are completely independent of damping characteristics. Do not confuse the two.

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Posted

Thanks for the replys I have read some of the posts on here regarding tail wheels ,I will be flying off a dirt runway and don't think the solid tailwheel is the way to go .any advice would be great , thanks

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Posted

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Posted

I have the Matco WHLT-8W.  It is the wide version of the 8" pneumatic and I really like it for the money.  The dual fork would be nice if your really going to be beating it on big rocks etc. but for normal gravel and sand beaches etc. it works really well.  Night and day from the 6" narrow pneumatic I had on there before, and that one was a 100% improvement over the 6" Maule that it came with.

 

For 250 bucks, the 8" wide is tough to beat for these planes.

 

:BC:

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Posted

Thanks for the replys I ordered the matco 8inch wide tonight

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Posted (edited)

Great choice, I really like mine.  Several of us have order and are using the other cams that help with the release.

Edited by Paul S

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Posted

Paul can you explain the cam change

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Posted

Here is a link to the part, it takes two.

 

http://www.matcomfg.com/WINGTAILWHEEL25DEGREEPLATED-idv-3507-44.html

 

I found that I was unable to get the tailwheel to release during normal operations from the cockpit due to the Avid's limited rudder swing.  This 25 degree plate (cam) solved the issue.  Try it the way it comes and get used to the handling and then decide if you need to make the change.

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Posted

Thanks for the info

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Posted

+1 on the Matco tailwheels, I have owned two of them (put them on Taylorcrafts) and both times I loved it. I particularly like the simple design that does not use highly loaded parts in the lock/unlock mechanisms. Some other tailwheels use highly heat treated parts that are pretty darn small, and they wear out. You can cut out a replacement cam/steering arm for the Matco using a hacksaw and a file from hardware store steel if you need to make an emergency field repair.

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Posted

How did you ever get those approved on a certified airplane?  Kudos to you for doing it, though!!

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Posted

Larry its easy, you just use the Matco between Annuals and the stock tail wheel the day of annual :lol:

 

:BC:

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Posted

"------, and use stock tailwheel at annual."  - Unless you fly in Alaska and cant fly to Anchorage for an annual, because you don't have a pilot license or owner papers for the plane!   :lol:

EDMO

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Posted

One of the Taylorcrafts was experimental-exhibition... it was a British "Auster" which is a license built variation on the T-craft. It was originally certified in Britain with a full-swivel, non-steerable tailwheel, so the fact that my Matco could both steer and lock was seen as an un-challenged safety upgrade.

 

The other airplane was a BC-12D, which was certified under CAR-3 instead of FAR 23 (now called 14 CFR Part 23). The wise, old, grizzled, clever IA mechanic I was working with informed me that (under CAR-3) any airplane originally certified with a tail skid as an option could use any tailwheel, because even the CAA (now FAA) realized that any tailwheel of any quality could not ever be any worse than having no tailwheel.

 

I never actually had to assert or defend this principle, but I do believe that the IA's understanding of CAR-3 would have held up at an enforcement hearing.

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Posted

Bill,

 

I had 2 IA's tell me the same thing about putting the 185 tail spring and tail wheel on my 180 as its on the same type certificate under CAR 3.   One of the guys is the Director Of Maintenance for a local air taxi and has been playing this game for a very long time.  Time will tell, but I seriously doubt that anyone would question it, there are not too many old timers around the ranks of the feds that really know whats spose to be on what plane, and most ( that I have dealt with lately) would be hard pressed to tell the difference in a 180 / 185 or a Tcrate and a cub...

 

:BC:

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Posted

Love this thread. I know which tail wheel to order now! The solid 6" Maule seems to shake the tail apart!

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Posted (edited)

I also plan on going the Matco 8".  Would this also require a main leaf spring change as well, or can I just bolt the new tail wheel onto the double leaf system supplied with my Kitfox III?  I.e. unbolt the Maule and bolt on the Matco?

Edited by LSaupe

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Posted

your spring should be just fine. I have a friend running this 8" on a single leaf and I run it on the double leaf. works great either way. just make sure the angle is correct. can easily be adjusted in a floor press. you're going to love that tailwheel 

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