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Tail wheel to trigear gear.

10 posts in this topic

Posted (edited)

Hi all,

After a not so nice landing this past week, I have decided to convert to trigear as I repair the damaged parts.

N844RS flys beautiful and takeoffs are o.k. The landings are crap. I have been told the main gear swapped left to right side will work. I need the weldment and nose gear setup. Any advice or help will be appreciated.

Russ. former TD pilot.

Edited by Russ.

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Posted

Russ - Stop. Take a deep breath. How can we help you fix the problem without needing to do major surgery like a nose dragger conversion?

Before you jump headlong into a major modification like this, what happened? Tell us the story.

Do you have a simple toe-in/toe-out problem that's making the roll out unstable?

Do you have a brake issue that makes them too sensitive or not sensitive enough?

Do you have enough training with an instructor to give you the confidence to control the plane?

Would the wider bush-gear work better to help your stability issues?

These planes are not uncontrollable widow-makers. Lets help you fix the problem not mask it...

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Posted

Russ - Stop. Take a deep breath. How can we help you fix the problem without needing to do major surgery like a nose dragger conversion?

Before you jump headlong into a major modification like this, what happened? Tell us the story.

Do you have a simple toe-in/toe-out problem that's making the roll out unstable?

Do you have a brake issue that makes them too sensitive or not sensitive enough?

Do you have enough training with an instructor to give you the confidence to control the plane?

Would the wider bush-gear work better to help your stability issues?

These planes are not uncontrollable widow-makers. Lets help you fix the problem not mask it...

X2 Dont give up on a damn good plane or make alot of extra work for yourself. Could be something as simple as tail wheel geometry (kicked my ass once before) or a tail wheel that needs to be rebuild so it wont unlock so easy. Or Or Or Or...

:BC:

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X2 Dont give up on a damn good plane or make alot of extra work for yourself. Could be something as simple as tail wheel geometry (kicked my ass once before) or a tail wheel that needs to be rebuild so it wont unlock so easy. Or Or Or Or...

:BC:

I'll make it X3.You can do so much more with a tail dragger avid than if you tri it out.there is lots of stuff you can do to your plane to get better control of it...alter the tail wheel pivot bolt geometry;get your brakes up to snuff so you can directional control mostly with differential brake and leave the tail wheel out of the picture as much as possible on rollout. :2cent:

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Posted (edited)

Don't give up yet Russ. Go to the thread I started on the Avids new Cabane spring gear. Read the last post on my flight Saturday evening, it is hard to believe, but true. The wide gear really seems to tame them down, and I have just about no brakes. I can't even hold my airplane at 4000rpm for run up. Once the airplane is done flying get that stick pulled back into your crotch and keep it there until your rollout is done. That tailwheel has to be held on the runway. If you need hard brakes to help yourself out on rollout you are to far behind the airplane already. I agree with AK make sure you check your tailwheel. My Maule was unlocking on rollout at first. Ground looped 3 or 4 times before I figured it out. If you have a Maule make sure you set it so it does not brake loose, or switch to the Matco. When you are flying in normal conditions you do not need a full swivel tailwheel anyway. I don't know if I ever broke mine loose.

Edited by Bandit

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Posted

Now that I have had a couple days to think over all the great advice I have received, I will keep N844RS a TD. Thanks for all the help. I checked all of the problems that could have caused the ground loops on my landings, 4 in all. The Aircraft Products tail wheel was breaking free with full left rudder and close to free with full right. I moved the holes on the rudder bell crank in on each side problem solved. I

took slack out of the springs. Checked for tow in and out. Ground handeling was much improved. The take off was straight and true. The landing was the problem again. I now know the problem is my lack of TD

ability. With repairs will be installation of wider main gear, and TD

training. Russ. N844RS

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Posted

Now that I have had a couple days to think over all the great advice I have received, I will keep N844RS a TD. Thanks for all the help. I checked all of the problems that could have caused the ground loops on my landings, 4 in all. The Aircraft Products tail wheel was breaking free with full left rudder and close to free with full right. I moved the holes on the rudder bell crank in on each side problem solved. I

took slack out of the springs. Checked for tow in and out. Ground handeling was much improved. The take off was straight and true. The landing was the problem again. I now know the problem is my lack of TD

ability. With repairs will be installation of wider main gear, and TD

training. Russ. N844RS

Dont feel bad Russ, Ive been going through the same thing with my Skyraider.I had to tighten my tail wheel chains up one link and that helped alot on both takeoff and landing.On my landings I started watching the end of the runway instead of what is right in front of me and that also helped.I doubt if any of our forum buddies mastered it right off the bat and if they did more power to them.Remember keep the stick planted in your navel when you land,that was the hardest thing for me. Randy

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First 4 or 5 landings I am surprised I did not get called in for flying drunk in my brothers KF. I dont like them on asphalt. I stick to the dirt or grass as much as possible. I still like my chains a little loose so the tailwheel can unlock a little easier, but I am going into strips at times that I am dragging the wingtips thru the trees on each side and dont have room to turn around unless it unlocks RIGHT NOW. I will try and get some vids in the next day or two of one such spot at a buddies fishing camp.

#1 rule is the feet NEVER stop moving. You have to anticipate and correct before it ever starts to go anywhere.

#2 Get your brakes up to snuff. Spending a few hundred on better pedals and masters is a whole lot cheaper than repairs. Took me alot of hours to justify the cost, but once I did it, I was pretty pissed at myself I had not done it right away!

#3 Burn lots of gas. You dont have a prayer at getting better if your not out practicing. Lots of evenings I will just hit the airport and do 5 or 6 touch n goes (or stop and goes) and call it a night, but I try and fly every day I am home and the weather cooperates.

:BC:

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Posted

Now that I have had a couple days to think over all the great advice I have received, I will keep N844RS a TD. Thanks for all the help.

ATTA BOY RUSS!! :bday:

:BC:

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ATTA BOY RUSS!! :bday:

:BC:

X2

:BC:

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