Landing Gear question

[XL-C-100]

No I used heavier material for the tabs on the axle tubes as well as a heavier axle.

[Tom XL-7]

wire cable tether could be a short term insurance policy
if a bolt did pull through there would be a limit on movement.
tape or tie wrap it so it doesn't wildly slap things in the wind

[914pete]

Thanks for all the replies.  I might leave the V-strut brackets at .032.  It seems pretty sturdy.  I can easily cut off the .032 tabs I have tacked on the axle tubes and replace with .065 4130 that I have.  The .032 material for the tabs seemed weak.  I wanted to make the tabs a little longer anyway.

[Leonard]

To all builders of the XL the V strut metal that reads .032 metal should read .062 this is a change in the plans.    Leonard
.

[914pete]

Thanks Leonard.  Sorry we kept missing each other on the phone.  Finished the main gear and want to work on the tail wheel next.  I was looking at Aircraft Spruce.  They have a Matco tail wheel/1 1/2" spring for more $ then I want to spend but look solid.  Only thing holding me back is the weight.  Total weight is around 8lbs.

[scottiniowa]

Thanks Leonard.  Sorry we kept missing each other on the phone.  Finished the main gear and want to work on the tail wheel next.  I was looking at Aircraft Spruce.  They have a Matco tail wheel/1 1/2" spring for more $ then I want to spend but look solid.  Only thing holding me back is the weight.  Total weight is around 8lbs.

I suspect that would be about 7# to much.
    I have often wondered but never heard it mentioned why, the Super simple and very light Soneri tail wheel wasn’t used by more than a few  (Sam B being one of them)  Many of you might know that I build tail wheels (though not anything this light)  but am thinking that something that works well-functions right and does all that it needs to do for about 1.25# and might include the tapered rod spring.   

My large set up, for up to 2500# gross aircraft only weighs 8#  so it certainly is possible to do much smaller and in at 1.25#.

And before someone ask, why I don’t provide- the present reason is simply the price point is to low. That being many can get it made  by scrounging up parts on the cheap.  A good plan.

[914pete]

Thanks Leonard.  Sorry we kept missing each other on the phone.  Finished the main gear and want to work on the tail wheel next.  I was looking at Aircraft Spruce.  They have a Matco tail wheel/1 1/2" spring for more $ then I want to spend but look solid.  Only thing holding me back is the weight.  Total weight is around 8lbs.

I suspect that would be about 7# to much.
   I have often wondered but never heard it mentioned why, the Super simple and very light Soneri tail wheel wasn’t used by more than a few  (Sam B being one of them)  Many of you might know that I build tail wheels (though not anything this light)  but am thinking that something that works well-functions right and does all that it needs to do for about 1.25# and might include the tapered rod spring.  

My large set up, for up to 2500# gross aircraft only weighs 8#  so it certainly is possible to do much smaller and in at 1.25#.

And before someone ask, why I don’t provide- the present reason is simply the price point is to low. That being many can get it made  by scrounging up parts on the cheap.  A good plan.


The Soneri tail wheel assembly is close to $300.     

[scottiniowa]

 


The Soneri tail wheel assembly is close to $300.      

wow,  I had better rethink this…. not much to it for $300, but then again, it does work well.

[914pete]

The Soneri tail wheel assembly looks great but is cost prohibitive (for me anyway). 

I have this wheel I could build an assembly around.  It's 3" diameter x 1 1/4" wide, solid rubber. It has high quality sealed bearings, very smooth operation and weighs a little over 1/2 pound. 

Question, is 3" dia. too small?  What would be the negatives using a 3" wheel. 

I know its also a lot heavier then the roller blade wheels some are using but its very solid and free!

[Dan_]

  What would be the negatives using a 3" wheel. 

I know a guy that put that exact wheel on an airplane that lands at 70 mph along about 2010. 

It is very worn but still on there.

[Bob Wood]

I am running the Aluminum Sonerai tailwheel casting from Great Planes (about $35.00) with scooter wheels. The 4" wheels I got on Ebay for 12.00 for 4 wheels. Bolts to the spring gear and can be drilled for lightening and connecting the rudder cable tabs. An AN4 bolt and spacers hold the wheel on. The 4 Wheels should last a long time.

It works Great!

Hopefully the pic is attached.
Bob

[scottiniowa]

I am running the Aluminum Sonerai tailwheel casting from Great Planes (about $35.00) with scooter wheels. The 4" wheels I got on Ebay for 12.00 for 4 wheels. Bolts to the spring gear and can be drilled for lightening and connecting the rudder cable tabs. An AN4 bolt and spacers hold the wheel on. The 4 Wheels should last a long time.

It works Great!

Hopefully the pic is attached.
Bob

Thanks Bob,   Folks it doesn’t get much simpler than that.  Nor much lower cost.   And best of all, it works and has been proven. 

 Special note, if  you look at this, you will see how the shapes produce a hole “shedding” effect, in other words, if this drops in a hole, it can easily slide out without hooking or catching on the hole.  Even if you lost the wheel, the shape of the spring easily allows you to “drag yourself out of the airstrip” and get back home.

Well done!

[914pete]

I am running the Aluminum Sonerai tailwheel casting from Great Planes (about $35.00) with scooter wheels. The 4" wheels I got on Ebay for 12.00 for 4 wheels. Bolts to the spring gear and can be drilled for lightening and connecting the rudder cable tabs. An AN4 bolt and spacers hold the wheel on. The 4 Wheels should last a long time.

It works Great!

Hopefully the pic is attached.
Bob

Well that's simple.  And after some searching I found the link for the Soneri caster $30.  Wish I saw this before building one yesterday LOL.  The Soneri spring is $230.  Bob, where did you source your spring from?

[Bob Wood]

My flat gear spring spring is a junk yard piece ( dumpster at alignment shop ($10.00) I cut with a steel cutting disk on a table saw and bent it seems to be holding its shape nicely..Also used the cutting disk to shape it and round corners before primer.

I have about 25 flights on my tailwheel and have worn maybe 1/8" off.  They used to have a 5" casting but I could not fine a 5" scooter wheel. There is enough room on the 4" caster to get a 4 1/4 wheel if you can find one.

The 5" one would be perfect for bumpy fields.

I have a good field but on my opinion 3" would be too small, I sometimes pick up grass and weeds on my cable attach bolts from the little potholes.

Would be a lot worse with a 3" wheel.

Good luck

Bob

[914pete]

This is what I built before seeing Bobs simple cost effective proven set up below LOL.  The 3" wheel is a really nice wheel but I'm still concerned about the size.  I built the arms to plans using .065 4130 which I also used to construct the caster. The whole thing with bolts weighs 1.16lbs.  I had some bronze shoulder bushings which fit nicely in the 5/8x.049 tube for the 5/16 dia. center bolt.  Deflection is a little more then 45 degrees and smooth.

I know nothing about tail wheels.  Thoughts? 

Also, there's nothing noted in my plans regarding the tail wheel height.  How does one determine how high the tail should be off the ground? 

Pete