Tailwheel failure

[Paul Agaliotis]

Robert,
I purchased a pad from one supplier, can't remember who, that was pretty soft. I ended up using a truck mud flap. I still have some.
Paul

[MikeB]

Paul,
Is the pad really that necessary? Seems to me all it does is let the tail spring kind of wander around or lean from side to side. I used a chunk of mudflap off one of our school buses also.
Mike

[Paul Agaliotis]

Mike,
That was the concern I had with the soft one. I think it helps to cushion the spring but needs to be tough enough to keep it from squrming around. I don't like to see the spring solid to the tail post.
Paul

[NC86036]

The pad I used was a pretty stiff rubber. Not sure what it may have originally came from. It was about 1/4" thick, or maybe a little less, but compressed a bit when under the torque. I dont see any sway in the spring while it is compressed. I'd say a truck mud flap would be made of sufficient density to do the job just fine. I may buy some myself and re do this one. I only used the rubber on the bottom, because its all I had. I should put some on the top as well. I think it is supposed to have one there anyway. That gives me good reason to try the mud flap idea.

Oh, sorry about the large pictures, I will re size the next ones I post.

[NC86036]

My tailfeathers are scheduled to be delivered from Panama City, where the fabric and metal work was being done, on Friday. A friend of mine who is restoring his Champ is going to help me with the paint prepping and spraying starting next Monday. I cant wait to get her back together again. These past two months seem like 2 YEARS!! I'm going through withdrawls. I haven't even got my endorsement yet.

[flyingfool]

There should be a "rubber" pad on both the top and bottom of the leaf spring.

I actually just got some of the original material used. i got it from a person on the fAA e-mail list. he was able to get the same manufacturer (still in business) to send him the material. He also sent out a couple batches of these to several people. It was very reasonable. I would recommend posting a request for this material on the fAA site and see if the person still has some of the tailwheel pad material left. Not saying other materials won't work. Just saying if you can get the original material that would be the best option.

You have to punch a hole in the top and bottom of the rubber.

The material is rubber but also has like laminated into it strings of cords. It is very dense material and you can hardly bend it with your hands. You can get the original Aeronca drawing for this material the way it is supposed to be. I may still have the drawing somewhere in the hangar.

The picture looks to me like the rear fuselage is twisted. Maybe from this accident, maybe from one in the past. I do not know what to do about this. An IA/A&P will have to help you out with that. A shim seems possible but also complicates things as well. You will have to somehow ensure the shim does not move which may entail welding it in place.

[NC86036]

The fuselage is perfectly straight. The only area that has been bent was right at the tailwheel bracket itself. It must have been that way for a long time. I doubt it happened durring this last incident, because it is bent in the opposite direction of the ground loop. I am still debating weather to try to cold bend it back a bit, or just use a shim.

The tailfeathers have arrived from Panama City where the metal work was completed by my father in law's EAA chapter, and the fabric work was almost done. I have a completed elevator, and the rudder has an envelope on it with the perimeter glued in place, but that is as far as they got in the 2 months they had them. Now its time for me to take over and really make things happen. My friend Rick and I will complete the fabric work on Monday and hopefully have everything done and painted by the end of the week. I am very excited!

I am still waiting on my prop spinner to arrive. It failed a week before this incident, and scraped up the front of my nose bowl a little. Luckily I now have the matched paint to touch it up. The guy making my spinner is Charles Finch out of North Carolina. If I dont get the prop spinner back by the time the rest of the plane is ready, I will just fly without it for now. I'd hate to do that, because it looks wierd, a Chief without the big spinner in front. But I hope it will be here by that time.

[joea]

Robert,

Quoting Brian Safran, who has Bill Pancake's old Champ fuselage jig, "I have yet to see a fuselage come into the shop and fit into the jig without something being tweaked!"

These old birds have in many cases not lead a quiet life, and either flying students, cropdusting or just being plopped down on too many rough runways, the tubing gets bent.

I do not know of a Chief jig, but sure wish that we had one. Charles does fantastic work, so its worth waiting for. Your Chief will appreciate it.

Joe

[NC86036]

Joe,

I am sure you are right about the history on these planes. One of my airframe logs from back in the early 60's tells of a student pilot putting her through the fence at the end of a runway, causing damage to landing gear, prop, rear fuselage etc. Engine was rebuilt, frame was re constructed, and new landing gear installed, among several other odds and ends. I am lucky enought to have all of the logs since new. It is interesting to read about its history. I would love to get in touch with previous owners one day.

I'll post more pictures as I make progress starting monday. Hope to be back in the air in a week or two tops. Maybe Charles will have my spinner back to me by then. That would be great!

[NC86036]

Ok, its update time. I have completed the covering process. I am fairly pleased with the outcome. Not bad for my first time, anyway. I followed the Polyfiber manual step by step. I have completed up through the brushing of the Poly-Brush. I will be taking the parts to a friends house tomorrow to get the painting stages started. Hope to have parts back on the plane this weekend. I'll post more pics when done. Still have to pick up some rubber for that tailwheel spring, but I'm getting much closer. Cant wait to get in the air again.

[NC86036]

Updates...
I have the parts done through the silver stage. I found out the hard way that the color I ordered was WAY too bright yellow to even be close "Lemon Yellow" #136. I looked in the logs from when the plane was restored in 1988, and the Stits paint they used was #141 "Air Tractor Yellow", and #320 "Newport Blue". NONE of which are available through Polyfiber! I cant return the $150 worth of paint I purchased, so I will attempt to take it down to a local automotive paint shop to see if they can alter the tint to match the tail fabric swatch I removed from the old rudder. I hope and pray they can get it close. I am getting tired of the setbacks. The plane has been grounded for MONTHS! Its killing me. I want it to be right though. While it is down I am going over the brakes and lubing pulleys etc, just to have something worth while to do.

[CptKelly]

I don't think its possible to alter the color of Polyfiber finish coats at your local paint store. You may run into lots of problems at a later date, even if the color looks right, and on top of that, you will render the Polyfiber STC invalid unless you use Polyfiber approved materials.

Mike

[NC86036]

Mike,

I didn't think about that. I may just have to use what I have even though it is way off. I'd hate to do that, but at the same time, I dont want to run into any issues with compatibilty. It is really going to make the plane look odd with bright yellow tail feathers that dont match. I'm in a real jam here.

[NC86036]

Mike,

I just found the solution to my paint problem. I contacted Polyfiber and talked to a tech rep. They will custom make a color for me using a swatch (in this case I am sending an inspection cover from the tail) from my plane. They require a minimum 1 gal purchase, but the best part is, they dont charge ANY additional fees for doing so. They just charge the regular cost for the paint. This is a big relief for me. Also I got in touch with Charles Finch who is doing my spinner, and he is still waiting on shims from the machine shop to get done so he can finish my back plate. I hope the spinner will be ready and shipped by the time the paint gets here so I can paint it at the same time I do the tailfeathers. Anyways.. things are finally moving forward again. I just might be able to fly again before the end of september.

[NC86036]

All repairs have been made, and signed off by my local A&P IA. Completed tailwheel endorsement just before Thanksgiving. New born son keeping me busy, but managed to get to the airport yesterday and enjoy a 3hr pleasure flight with lots of landing practice at several local airports. I'll post some pics soon of the completed repairs.