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Tailwheel mount

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Posted

I had the KF2 in normal flight attitude today giving things a careful visual check. One of the things I noticed is the tailwheel (aft nose wheel) mount points slightly to starboard at the forward end. I'll try to paint a picture since I am encountering script errors when attempting to upload a photo. The "spring" is a square piece of metal, I believe aluminum. It has a bolt at the forward attach point. The square piece continues aft between two bolts passing through a upper and lower plate, bends downward and then level to the rear where the wheel bracket is mounted. The offset from the front mount to the bolts is perhaps an eighth of an inch. The offset at the wheel bracket is, in my opinion, significant. If you understand the picture I have painted, what think you? :dunno:

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Posted (edited)

Thats a Grove tail spring. It was offered for a few years, but not any longer.

Does the plane roll out okay? Do you notice any ground handling quirks?

If yes, then you'll need to use a press to try and straighten the spring.

If no, then "It ain't broke, don't fix it."

Edited by Av8r3400

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Posted (edited)

I acquired the plane last October & have not yet flown it and probably will not for another month. The spring does not seem to be deformed but rather to have been improperly installed. The purchase included an unused Matco wheel with a 9x3.5 pneumatic tire. Witness marks indicate it was mounted on something but the tire shows no sign of use. The mounting hole has been stripped out. The last owner to fly it advised the Matco was purchased due to the original wheel banging harshly on the runway cracks. He also advised he never mounted it.

 

I know not what the person from whom I purchased it did. He did not fly it.

 

 

 

 

edit because of afterthought

Edited by KFfan

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Posted

I spent most of the day today looking at things on the plane. I took the Matco assembly with me. It looks like it will bolt onto the Grove spring. If I choose to install it, the pivot bolt looks like it will be very close to, if not, vertical. I plan to analyze the perceived offset of the spring with more precision than "eyeballing" it.

Drained old fuel from the in cabin tank. Put 3 gal of fresh fuel in to mark a known quantity level on the face of the tank. There were no markings for level of fuel onboard. I could not see any sign of fuel while in level attitude. Saw and marked the level in the 3 point attitude. I will repeat this process with additional known quantities of fuel.

I also addressed squawks from 2 previous owners of fuel leaking from one of the carbs. The first thing I noticed was the bail securing the bowl on the forward carb was not properly installed! Checking the aft carb I detected a slight binding feel of the needle that shuts off the fuel when the bowl is full. I also noted on that carb that the floats DO NOT rise to the same level. Perhaps a difference of 1//32". My brain causes me to reason that perhaps one low float coupled with the slight binding may be preventing the fuel from shutting off. My intent is to order rebuild parts for the aft carb.

Any insight/input?

Thanks

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Posted

If the floats are not set right it will give you issues. I've seen corrosion on the pin the float pivots on as well. Sounds like your getting a handle on it mr!

If your going to "rebuild" one carb, spend a few more bucks and rebuild them both.. it's cheap!

:BC:

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Posted

The inside of the bowls are very clean. No sediment in the bottom. Screens are in good condition and clean. Its just the one float not rising the same as the other and the binding of the shutoff needle.

Rebuild is cheap, caskets are not...

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