Matco 8" wide dual fork TW installed

13 posts in this topic

Posted

I had my last flat on my POS 7" pneumatic the other day. It had a tube and was only 1 3/4 wide. It was nice on grass and pavement but dug a trench on anything soft off airport. This was my third flat and my rim was all beat up from rocks. I called Matco and found out they sell a conversion to swap your existing Matco over to one of their new dual fork set ups. It came fully assembled and was literally a 10 minute job to swap if you already have a Matco TW. It's one cotter pin and castle nut...drop the old one off and slide the new one on. I borrowed a 6" hard tire from a guy the other day after my flat so I could fly. That's whats in the pics. The difference in height between that one and my new one was right at 2". Not bad considering the tire alone is 3" taller. They call the tire a 8" but it's actually a Carlisle 9 X 3.5 4 ply tubeless. That's the advantage of the dual fork. The arms are WAY shorter than the old single arm they had for an 8". It weighs 3.3 lbs more than my 7" "lightweight" one did. It shifted my CG back about 2" which is perfect. With my E gearbox and the 8lb starter right on the nose my CG was close to the forward edge.

I didn't get to test it because our weather was total garbage here today but hopefully next week I can get out and play with it some. Now I'm really chomping at the bit to get my new spring gear which is 10" wider and 2.5" taller. For those thinking of swapping the price was right around $300.

The wheel on my new one is dang near the size of my borrowed 6" hard rubber tire. The wheel on the new one is Matco's 4" front wheel.

Sorry for the crappy pics. I forgot about taking pictures until I had it back on the lift and about to put it away.

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Posted (edited)

Looks awesome!!

I'm curious where you got your tail spring from. Mine appears to have a much shallower angle on it.

Edited by TheDeltaFox

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Posted

Looks awesome!!

I'm curious where you got your tail spring from. Mine appears to have a much shallower angle on it.

Brett at Airdale carries the double tailwheel spring. It's a very worthwhile investment especially if you have the old original single spring.

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Posted

Brett at Airdale carries the double tailwheel spring. It's a very worthwhile investment especially if you have the old original single spring.

Hey guys, gonna check out AIRDALE on the spring situation. I've gaot an AVID Heavy Hauler with a NSI Subaru EA81 engine. Gets touchy on takeoff. Original length fuselage and standard gear. Have custom built trailer and would like to increase my tailwheel length for a little more stability on takeoff and landing. Have Scott steerable tailwheel with original strut length and mounting. Would like to increase the length but keep the Scott. Nothing major desired here just a little more tailwheel strut length. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks .. Jim

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Posted

Finally got my seat back today so I could go out and go test this thing. It's SCHWEET! On the pavement it slowed the tail way down so it's not nearly as squirrely. Off airport it's like a cushion back there...sooooo smooth! I did a really slow approach and I touched TW first so I did lose some height but I will more than make it up with my new main gear. Till then I just have to adjust my sight picture and pitch and power combo a little bit. The dual fork shifts the entire TW back a few inches also. It puts a longer arm on the TW spring and makes it a little softer. I'm going to keep a close eye on my fuse to make sure it's not bending stuff back there. It also shifted my CG back some which is good. I noticed in cruise today it took a little less nose up trim than it used to. Overall I'm super happy with the new set up.

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Posted

Finally got my seat back today so I could go out and go test this thing. It's SCHWEET! On the pavement it slowed the tail way down so it's not nearly as squirrely. Off airport it's like a cushion back there...sooooo smooth! I did a really slow approach and I touched TW first so I did lose some height but I will more than make it up with my new main gear. Till then I just have to adjust my sight picture and pitch and power combo a little bit. The dual fork shifts the entire TW back a few inches also. It puts a longer arm on the TW spring and makes it a little softer. I'm going to keep a close eye on my fuse to make sure it's not bending stuff back there. It also shifted my CG back some which is good. I noticed in cruise today it took a little less nose up trim than it used to. Overall I'm super happy with the new set up.

'C5' you're a real resource. Every time I mention a mod (as in the tailwheel strut length), I get verbally mauled. Makes sense to me that a little wheelbase increase should give a little better track and landing attitude on touchdown. As I mentioned previously, I'm using a SCOTT steerable. My buddies (one of them is the original builder), keep telling me to just learn to handle the little beast. I have lots of tail dragging time but this little guy with the EA81 is trying to eat my lunch. I've torn down one fence and ground looped three times, one purposefully. These are the same guys that are telling me I don't really need the brakes - just drive and act your age (three yrs old next week).

I truly do thank you 'C5', I like your style fellow. You're explanations along with the well-lite photos are first rate ... Jim

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Posted

Jim,

Have you checked the ttracking on the main gear? Alot of guys have had major issues with it. I would think that I would too if I was flying off pavement as the tracking is a bit out on mine. Insead of fixing it right (cause I spend 99% of my time on floats) I just keep my landings to the gravel runway or the beaches etc.

When I first flew my brothers kitfox with the narrow gear it was a real ass kicker for me as I was flying off the pavement. I switched to the gravel runway till I got used to the little beast and then I didnt have any issues on the pavement after that.

The scott is a great tailwheel but if the inner workings of it are hosed up she can be a bear! Do you have compression springs or standard springs on it?

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Posted

Jim,

Have you checked the ttracking on the main gear? Alot of guys have had major issues with it. I would think that I would too if I was flying off pavement as the tracking is a bit out on mine. Insead of fixing it right (cause I spend 99% of my time on floats) I just keep my landings to the gravel runway or the beaches etc.

When I first flew my brothers kitfox with the narrow gear it was a real ass kicker for me as I was flying off the pavement. I switched to the gravel runway till I got used to the little beast and then I didnt have any issues on the pavement after that.

The scott is a great tailwheel but if the inner workings of it are hosed up she can be a bear! Do you have compression springs or standard springs on it?

AKF,

I hope some day I can meet up with some of you fellows. Your a prime bunch of humanity. I never thought of the track being off, another possible complication for sure. As soon as I can get turned loose, (told you about our part-time guest from next door cleaning me out in the dead of night), I'm going over this bird with a fine tooth comb. Have built new shop facilities but don't even have work benches at this time. Just a big old empty building! I have compression springs on my SCOTT and feel like there's just something missing from the formula. Guys it really and truly helps to have had the interest you great examples of the best there is to offer have shown. I don't believe I've had a bad sugestion of possible causes among the whole lot of you. I feel like you guys really know your stuff.

I'm burning the candle at both ends presently. I've owned this present property for several ions now and still haven't gotten moved! Been sleeping on a sectional sofa and eating sandwiches and opening cans. It will all work out but I'd rather be flying. If anyone ever says a disparageing word about what kind of people AVID flyers are, I'll take care of business big-time, remembering how each and every one of you has treated this complete stranger whom you've never met and possibly never will. My very best to you and your's ... Jim

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Posted

That Matco Tailwheel looks sweet. I am running an 8 inch pneumatic tire on a 4 inch wheel, but like that tire much better. What make and size tire is it?

Chris Bolkan

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Posted

C5E, forgot to tell you your photos of your ship are clear and concise. I may have just found a lead on a tailwheel mounting spring, gotta check it out. Belongs to the guy I sold my Pegasus Super Sport to (really great flying 'trike'.) Whish I could get him to the airport and trim his wing so I could take her for a few flights. He decided to rig her up himself, left of the washout tubes, and proceeded to wrestle her back to the strip with full left muscle power on the control bar. I had made the statement that the bird was incapable of controlled flight under these circumstances, but he brought her back (he's a really big guy and works out constantly.) Said he thought he could have held her for another 15 min. but admitted he, personally, was totally out of gas. Been trying to get him to bring her back up to the strip, let me trim the wings and take a few test flights. Think he might have gotten his 'wannabe' scared just a tad. Don't blame him.

Cheers to all, smooth air - blue skies ... Jim

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Posted

Joey, got your videos. Outstanding, am going to watch them again. Saved the web sites, they're great. Thanks loads man ... Jim

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Posted

That Matco Tailwheel looks sweet. I am running an 8 inch pneumatic tire on a 4 inch wheel, but like that tire much better. What make and size tire is it?

Chris Bolkan

Chris it's a 4ply 9x3.5 Carlisle tire. They sell it as an 8" though. It's mounted on one of their 4" front wheels. The only thing I see that may be an issue is the valve stem is near impossible to get to.

Jim glad you liked the videos. Were leaving June 21st to make that Idaho Backcountry trip again I can't wait!!

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Posted

Chris it's a 4ply 9x3.5 Carlisle tire. They sell it as an 8" though. It's mounted on one of their 4" front wheels. The only thing I see that may be an issue is the valve stem is near impossible to get to.

Jim glad you liked the videos. Were leaving June 21st to make that Idaho Backcountry trip again I can't wait!!

Joey, that was some of the most spectaclar big sky scenery I have ever witness. I as tried to get my motorcycle ridding buddy to make a run up there but on several different occasions he talked me into sailing out into the Bahamas. Had many wild adventures and 'boo coo' fun. We acted as our own crew (bare boat), he was the captain (licensed) and I was the mechanic and 1st mate. Really got into some hairy incidents with the Bahamian customs, police, and good old mother nature. Made a night crossing (usually due to the Gulf Stream) which gave us good landfall somewhere around mid two late afternon with about seven to eight of us aboard. We had a roster so who did the cooking and the dishwashing and guess who's last name started with an "A"? Yours truly which ment that I had to sail and keep a 60000 lb Morgan twin masted sloop ('stay on those whiches, trim the Genoa, look to the 'missin mast', whatch the wind, trim the sail tufts - loooved to sail, scuba dive [have two open water certifications] and very often get carried away when airplanes and boats come up.

Where were we - oh yeah, when I get my shop back in order I'm comming out to see some of you guys so don,t be mean when I began solicitiing invitations.Don't care what uou drive, where you live, what you eat or how many kids you have. Used to take trips on my Kawasaki, had duffle bags and a rear seat back , raided the convience stores and had a blast. Me and some of my EAA chapter buddies (I was co-chair sometimes and seeing you film Joey made me what tho get stocked up- my AVID MK VI loaded with some jeans and emergency gear and head to some fly-ins and mountain scenery with a light weight tent and pop some pork&beans. I've watched your video and some day, good buddy, you going to teach me some editing Not 'Gone With the Wind' but just a few little tricks. I love to show people the abolute wonders of flyin [some people call it flyinG(had it since about four years, stared at the rudder pedals and looved it) - nailing pieces of wood together banging on them with pieces of rock [had to bang on the rusty nails to rtraightened them with rocks (no hammer). For quite a while just couldn't figure out why my airplnes (didn,t wouldn't, sail through the air like birds and to glide in the air like the noisy things over which I was always suffering neck injuries try to keep in sight long after they hsd srunk to the size of less that a dot.

Be well Joey, you seem lie nice gus and my best to you relatives ... Jim

BTW am i getting priced out of the market? Seems that I noticed diferent wings an planformes of the supper looking KITFXOXES' and AVIDS? My GOd watch over you and yours ... Jim

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