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RV-10 tugs - feedback on minimax, GoTow, etc.

KiloWhiskey1

Well Known Member
Looking for feedback on small hand operated tugs for moving RV-10s. My top priorities are ease of hooking up and handling in tight places.

I’ve read about the MiniMax and GoTow. Any feedback from owners of these? Any other brands to consider?

Thanks, Keith
 
Best tugs

I have been using my Hangar mate's Best Tug B5...It is awesome...probably overkill for a -10 but...it is awesome!
 
Minimax

Friend recently purchased for his Cessna Cardinal.....heavy bird, works great.
 
I can also vouch for the Best Tugs B5. I currently use it for my C172 going up a 5% grade hill coming out of the hangar. Discussed it with the mfgr. before buying and they guaranteed it would work for both the C172 and also for the RV10 when the time comes.
 
I purchased a Minimax years ago and had to return it. As long as you are on dead level ground, it will move the plane. Anything uphill and the wheels spin. Also, consider whether you want a tug that requires you to pick up when you want to turn, or one with a differential and swivel arm that allows easy maneuverability. I ended up with a DJ products 4K. I eventually modified it with a swivel arm option. About $1K less than the Best tug. If I did it all over again I would purchase the Best Tug for ease of hook up and design.
 
GoTow Parts to fit rv-10/14?

Can anyone please clarify what GoTow adapters suit the RV-10/14A’s nose wheel?
GoTow Web site lists fitment and the following optional adapter kits, but its not clear if they are sold individually nor that they will fit the Rv-10/14.

GoTow Compatible Aircraft with included lug tubes:
Cirrus SR20, SR22
Cessna 150, 152, 162, 172, 175, 177,
Cessnas without wheel pants: 182, 185, 205, 206, 207
Beechcraft Musketeer, Sport, Sierra, Sundowner
Vans RV6A, RV7A, RV8A, RV9A,
Piper Tomahawk


GoTow Compatible Aircraft with optional adapter set (sold separately):
Cessna 172RG, 177RG, 182RG, 210 series
Beechcraft Bonanza, Skipper
Lancair 400, Columbia 400, Cessna TTX
General Nose Wheels with approximately 0.84” hole diameter or 1.125” hole diameter or 0.25” diameter pins.
 
Cost is a factor

Sorry cost is a factor, Im not flying a lot at the moment and not sure how long I can keep flying. Im recovering from chemo and have passed my medical but I find pulling out the cessna 172 to then get the rv-14A out very tiring. Its a shared hangar and I'm on my own a lot so I struggle with the Cessna. Was looking at the GoTow as it is over 1/2 the cost of the Best Tug. Im in Australia so info is harder to get locally so getting info on the GoTow fitting an Rv-14a would help a lot please?
I plan on using the tow on both planes, needed for just a short run to outside the hangar doors.
 
Sorry cost is a factor, Im not flying a lot at the moment and not sure how long I can keep flying. Im recovering from chemo and have passed my medical but I find pulling out the cessna 172 to then get the rv-14A out very tiring. Its a shared hangar and I'm on my own a lot so I struggle with the Cessna. Was looking at the GoTow as it is over 1/2 the cost of the Best Tug. Im in Australia so info is harder to get locally so getting info on the GoTow fitting an Rv-14a would help a lot please?
I plan on using the tow on both planes, needed for just a short run to outside the hangar doors.

Just an idea - I'll bet there is someone on the field with a tug that you can use from time to time. Might take a few minutes to "drive" it to your hangar and back, but probably a lot cheaper than buying one. Even if you chip in for gas or electricity or buy the occasional adult beverage.
 
Two thumbs up for the MiniMax. For me, it has worked perfectly on the RV-10; easy to handle and the materials and construction quality is great. Just purchased a second one for my Cessna TR182.
 
Pants on

Two thumbs up for the MiniMax. For me, it has worked perfectly on the RV-10; easy to handle and the materials and construction quality is great. Just purchased a second one for my Cessna TR182.

The MiniMax does look good, but id like to confirm the MiniMax works with the nose wheel pants on?
 
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Actechnology is awesome but pricey. As you continue to recover from chemo you'll get stronger and eventually fully recover, God willing. I move a C182 and soon -10 with the actech unit.
 
MiniMax

The MiniMax does look good, but id like to confirm the MiniMax works with the nose wheel pants on?


I have a MiniMax for my RV-10 with the extended pins and it works great for my situation (slight uphill slope into hangar) with the nose wheel pant installed. If you get it I would suggest getting a spare battery. Because one minute it is working and the next the battery is dead. No gradual slowdown from the battery. Once recharged it's great. Hence a spare.
 
Tug for an RV-10

Like most other things, it depends--on the situation, on personal preference, and yes, probably cost.

I used a Powertow 40 for a year or so. Nothing wrong with the design per se, I just didn't like a couple of things about the way it worked. The back of my hangar is pretty tight v the horizontal stab when backing in, and the "arm" from nosewheel to tail is long, so a slight lateral movement on the nose translates to a lot of movement of the tail. Additionally, there is an upslope into the hangar and a "lip" right at the entry itself (or I wouldn't need a tug at all). With the Powertow, both directional control and speed control were a little course. Not impossible to use safely, but required both experience and focus.

A friend has a BestTug A3, another has an A1 (I think). Both love them, although at least in the latter case speed control is on v. off. For the A3, I think there is "high" and "low".

I eventually purchased a used AirTug, pics below with a little luck. It needed a bit of modification to fit the -10. I built a "shoe" on the nosewheel-bearing plate to keep it aligned and prevent it from rolling too far forward and crushing the wheelpant. I also needed to build a crossbar to add to the frame. The previous owner had a Cessna 400 (can we say that on VAF?), which has a vertical nose strut. He used a short strap wrapped around the strut to connect to the winch/tow strap. That's not possible with the -10 strut design. Absent the cross bar, when connected to the tow points the winch strap would put pressure on top of the engine. Full confession, the 2 bolts tack welded into the crossbar as guides aren't AN hardware--they came from the aviation aisle at my neighborhood Ace :). Same is true for the eyebolt that adapts the lower part of a Bogeybar to the winch strap...strike two. I designed several options to connect the strap to the tow points, but in the end, half a bogeybar was simple and very secure. For me, the beauty of the AirTug is control--it will pivot on a dime if needed. It also has a hydrostatic transmission, so I have an essentially infinite choice of speeds from a foot or so/min to a walking pace. The only downside I can think of, unless you have a strong preference for electric v gasoline as an energy source, is size. The footprint of the AirTug is certainly much larger than a Best. At ~25% the cost of a new A3, I'm OK with that.

AirTug_1.jpg

AirTug_3.jpg

AirTug_2.jpg
 
I'm in a similar situation to the post above. Bought an Aerotow on the used market for about 30% of what a new Best Tugs would have cost. This thing is the predecessor to their current "GetJet" model. Its previous owner used it on an Aerostar. The owner before that used it on a Navajo and a King Air C90. It's not rated for the King Air but this thing is built like a tank and shows no harm from having been overloaded. It's a real beast and at first glance appears to be huge overkill for the task. OK, it IS huge overkill for the task, and I love having the confidence of knowing this tug will have no trouble moving my airplane uphill and over the humps and bumps to get into our hangar.

In our northern climate there is a huge advantage to having the nosewheel weight over the drive wheels of the tug. I've used many different gasoline-powered tugs but wow do I ever enjoy the 24V electric power of this tug. Never a worry about getting it started in the winter. It stays charged via the built-in battery minder, so just unplug and you're ready to tug.
 
Best Tug A2

Have had a Best Tug A2 since summer of 2020. Really like it! It has the option of pivoting or staying rigid by removing a pin. I found it tricky to push with the arm pivoting, so I keep it rigid and pick up the tug when needed. It isn't that heavy when you're just re-positioning it. Variable speed depending on how far you push in the drive lever. Yes, it was expensive. Yes, it was worth it to me.
 
Trailer Dolly

If you dont mind a bit of work, this may be a good option. With the 2" ball already included it may be as easy as getting a tow bar that that connects to a hitch. It is quite a bit less expensive. I really like the BestTug but they are pricy.

I think I will give one of these a try. Any thoughts?

https://www.amazon.com/Tow-Tuff-TMD-3500ETD-Electric-Trailer/dp/B089QX3CL2/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwtMCKBhDAARIsAG-2Eu-16HKmoqmsQu2qxf46hztFR_m-CY12euTvPNAfw7t4YO55C-kZQiYaAgSlEALw_wcB&hvadid=177564024376&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9017214&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=12519879647451171157&hvtargid=kwd-19083379387&hydadcr=7026_9585510&keywords=trailer+dolly&qid=1632696763&sr=8-6
 

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Please give one of those a try. Should be the basis for a decent tug at a reasonable price.
I agree with Kyle - this looks great - I'm delighted to see some crossover from the non-aviation world to tugs.

I've "converted" an old electric wheelchair to allow it to grab the towbar as others have done, and the results are "meh". It needs more work, mainly because it is not heavy enough without me sitting or standing on it to maintain traction. Heavy batteries are not enough. Not sure if you will have a similar issue with this one - the tires look much better than mine. Please keep us posted!
 
If you dont mind a bit of work, this may be a good option. With the 2" ball already included it may be as easy as getting a tow bar that that connects to a hitch. It is quite a bit less expensive. I really like the BestTug but they are pricy.

I think I will give one of these a try. Any thoughts?

https://www.amazon.com/Tow-Tuff-TMD-3500ETD-Electric-Trailer/dp/B089QX3CL2/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwtMCKBhDAARIsAG-2Eu-16HKmoqmsQu2qxf46hztFR_m-CY12euTvPNAfw7t4YO55C-kZQiYaAgSlEALw_wcB&hvadid=177564024376&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9017214&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=12519879647451171157&hvtargid=kwd-19083379387&hydadcr=7026_9585510&keywords=trailer+dolly&qid=1632696763&sr=8-6
I have one of those that I recently purchased off Amazon for moving my -9A in and out of the hangar. It's very clever and works great for actually moving trailers because the trailer puts the entire tongue weight on the drive wheels. It has plenty of power for pulling my airplane around...no issues at all there. I use a Bogert nosewheel towing thing and replaced the handle with a rod and steel ring that I slip over the two inch ball. The power is sufficient, and the speed control is perfect.

The problem is the geometry. When pulling the airplane out of the hangar, it levers the thing such that it put a lot of weight on the wheels when I put down pressure on the handle, which is necessary for there to be enough traction. Pulling the plane is therefore not an issue and with some down-pressure on the handle, it pulls the plane pretty much without effort. Pushing the plane, however, is problematic...given the geometry of the device, when pushing the airplane, there's not enough down-pressure on the drive wheels to give sufficient traction and the wheels just spin even on no-slope concrete or asphalt. I did try adding a couple of 40-lb tractor suitcase weights, but even with 80 extra pounds of pressure directly over the wheels, it still has some traction problems.

Pulling the airplane is not a problem with this tug as-is. If I can solve the traction problem when pushing the airplane back into the hangar, it will work great. I've only had the thing a week have been out of town for 5 of those days. Haven't had a chance to contemplate the necessary changes.

If anybody comes up with a solution to modify this cost-effective and well-made device, please post.
 
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I'm in the market for a tug and this solution intrigues me. To solve the "push" issue, my 10 sec analysis would be to weld a section of horizontal square tube to the front in order to create a receiver like on a typical tow bar on the back of a truck/SUVs and ditch the vertical one. That would lower the tow point to be more inline with the direction of travel and allow the use of regular receiver draw bar/ball that you can get anywhere or any variety of customized roll your own solutions.
 
I'm in the market for a tug and this solution intrigues me. To solve the "push" issue, my 10 sec analysis would be to weld a section of horizontal square tube to the front in order to create a receiver like on a typical tow bar on the back of a truck/SUVs and ditch the vertical one. That would lower the tow point to be more inline with the direction of travel and allow the use of regular receiver draw bar/ball that you can get anywhere or any variety of customized roll your own solutions.

That is the modification I was thinking and lowering the angle of the handle. I will wait to hear back from Mr MacCool after he has a few more times to see if he can make it work before ordering.
 
I'm in the market for a tug and this solution intrigues me. To solve the "push" issue, my 10 sec analysis would be to weld a section of horizontal square tube to the front in order to create a receiver like on a typical tow bar on the back of a truck/SUVs and ditch the vertical one. That would lower the tow point to be more inline with the direction of travel and allow the use of regular receiver draw bar/ball that you can get anywhere or any variety of customized roll your own solutions.

Yeah, that's what I was contemplating. As it is, pushing the airplane with the tow bar attached to the 2" ball tends to angle the whole drive up, actually unweighting the wheels. Having the tow bar at or below the axle would mitigate that. Whether it would mitigate it enough to actually have enough traction...I don't know. If not...adding the tractor weights might overcome it. Anything below the axle will lever weight onto the wheels. Whether it's enough...we'll have to see.

FYI...the picture above has the 2" trailer ball at its max height. It's adjustable and I tried it using the lowest position, which is right flush with the up/down receiver tube.

I won't have time to work on this for the next week or so...will be out of the country...but I'm optimistic that this will work well eventually.


..
 
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Another option

Here is another home brewed tug.
Works very well and the best part is you don't need to bend over to grab the front wheel axle. All is controlled from a standing position following the tug.
If you notice the linear actuator opening and closing the forks from a switch on the console. It also locks the fork so no danger of slipping out and tearing up your wheel pants. Total cost about $300, but you have to build it and I do not have a parts list.
 

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I have one of those that I recently purchased off Amazon for moving my -9A in and out of the hangar. It's very clever and works great for actually moving trailers because the trailer puts the entire tongue weight on the drive wheels. It has plenty of power for pulling my airplane around...no issues at all there. I use a Bogert nosewheel towing thing and replaced the handle with a rod and steel ring that I slip over the two inch ball. The power is sufficient, and the speed control is perfect.

The problem is the geometry. When pulling the airplane out of the hangar, it levers the thing such that it put a lot of weight on the wheels when I put down pressure on the handle, which is necessary for there to be enough traction. Pulling the plane is therefore not an issue and with some down-pressure on the handle, it pulls the plane pretty much without effort. Pushing the plane, however, is problematic...given the geometry of the device, when pushing the airplane, there's not enough down-pressure on the drive wheels to give sufficient traction and the wheels just spin even on no-slope concrete or asphalt. I did try adding a couple of 40-lb tractor suitcase weights, but even with 80 extra pounds of pressure directly over the wheels, it still has some traction problems.

Pulling the airplane is not a problem with this tug as-is. If I can solve the traction problem when pushing the airplane back into the hangar, it will work great. I've only had the thing a week have been out of town for 5 of those days. Haven't had a chance to contemplate the necessary changes.

If anybody comes up with a solution to modify this cost-effective and well-made device, please post.

My earlier post addressed this issue directly... Getting the weight of the nosewheel right over the drive wheels of the tug is critical to obtaining sufficient traction to have control over the aircraft and sufficient oompf to get it up over humps and bumps while pushing and pulling.

With this in mind, I would stay away from anything that doesn't support the nosewheel if one is planning to operate on anything other than perfectly flat, smooth, dry, hard surfaces.

In our location we have snow, rain, massive heaving of the asphalt and an uphill push into the hangar. The AeroTow tug really makes the task of moving the aircraft a breeze. Yes, it's massive over-kill, but just take the concept and build one yourself, one that fits your requirements.

Electric power (24VDC) is the way to go - having to worry about starting a small gasoline engine is a pain in the keester.
 
With this in mind, I would stay away from anything that doesn't support the nosewheel if one is planning to operate on anything other than perfectly flat, smooth, dry, hard surfaces.

I’m theory, I agree. But the Best Alpha tugs get rave reviews and don’t work that way.
 
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This is a little tug that I made from a trailer/caravan mover, it’s one of the ones that fit on the trailer/caravan tow bar and takes the place of support stand and swivel wheel. Was easy enough to modify, I fitted spring loaded arms that are easy to fit onto the front strut. My hand mover uses the spring loaded arms as well. The unit moves our RV10 forward and reverse with a 12volt battery. Not a fast mover but is ok on inclines that make it just to hard to move the aircraft if only one person available. This is the first time Ive tried to attach a photo so hope it works.
 

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I’m theory, I agree. But the Best Alpha tugs get rave reviews and don’t work that way.

Kyle - I've looked long and hard at the Best Tugs products and they are excellent - on that point we can agree to agree vehemently! :D

Where our opinions diverge on performance of a "tow" vs a "lift and tow" tug is almost certainly based on experience, and those experiences are almost certainly very different based on geography and climate.

The Alpha would be pretty much useless in the environment in which I operate. It's wheels offer little-to-no purchase on ice nor an up-slope covered in snow. Similarly, the small diameter of its wheels would be presented with a severe challenge in entering my hangar over the big crack which appears as a result of frost heaving in the winter. That crack can grow to 3" of vertical displacement of the asphalt - that's literally a 3" curb the tug has to overcome. It's a significant challenge even for my AeroTow which has large wheels and the weight of the aircraft nosewheel to aid in traction.

Suffice it to say that one should purchase a tug after researching the options available and comparing them to the mission at hand. Each of us will have a different mission. Old Man Winter has a nasty habit of taking a relatively simple mission and contorting it into the mission from, well, an unpleasant place. Unfortunately around here, Old Man Winter is a factor with which we are forced to deal for several months of the year... ;)
 
Best tugs

I actually talked to them at Oshkosh this past year about a tug for my -10. They said the A series will work but then asked if there was much slope to deal with or snow/ice. If the answer to those questions was yes, they recommended the B series.

I got lucky, my hangar mate sold his cirrus and I bought his tug…a B8 model. Way overkill but the price was right and I saved on tax and shipping…

It works GREAT.
 
Kyle - I've looked long and hard at the Best Tugs products and they are excellent - on that point we can agree to agree vehemently! :D

Where our opinions diverge on performance of a "tow" vs a "lift and tow" tug is almost certainly based on experience, and those experiences are almost certainly very different based on geography and climate.

The Alpha would be pretty much useless in the environment in which I operate. It's wheels offer little-to-no purchase on ice nor an up-slope covered in snow. Similarly, the small diameter of its wheels would be presented with a severe challenge in entering my hangar over the big crack which appears as a result of frost heaving in the winter. That crack can grow to 3" of vertical displacement of the asphalt - that's literally a 3" curb the tug has to overcome. It's a significant challenge even for my AeroTow which has large wheels and the weight of the aircraft nosewheel to aid in traction.

Suffice it to say that one should purchase a tug after researching the options available and comparing them to the mission at hand. Each of us will have a different mission. Old Man Winter has a nasty habit of taking a relatively simple mission and contorting it into the mission from, well, an unpleasant place. Unfortunately around here, Old Man Winter is a factor with which we are forced to deal for several months of the year... ;)

I did buy that Amazon trailer dolly and found it to be good from a power and speed standpoint. My problem came in trying to find a good way to connect it to the airplane nosewheel. It got complicated, with angles, lengths, and widths, and especially finding a convenient way to get the arms to attach to the nose gear axle. I got frustrated trying to make it attach easily without bending down under the nose, and in a fit of frustration I bit the bullet and bought a Best Tug Alpha 2. THAT solved all of my problems. Not cheap, but it's a very well-detailed unit, is immaculately engineered, and performs flawlessly. It's likely that someone with more engineering capablity and more patience could make one those $850 Amazon trailer dollies work. The trailer dolly itself will move the airplane no problem...it's the attachment method that drove me to Best Tug. I don't regret that now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQl9ubKROR0

Dealing with Best Tug was dead simple. I spoke with Paxton Patey on the phone, paid with a credit card, and he bent over backward to make it a smooth and efficient process. They are a class act that matches their YouTube persona in every way.

I from a traction standpoint, I will say that we do get a fair amount of snow here in Minnesota. I haven't had to face any major snow dumps since getting this Best Tug, but we've had a couple of 1-3 inch nuisance snows. My airport does an excellent job of keeping the hangar taxiways plowed, but they have to leave about a 1 foot strip in front of all the hangar doors. I had no trouble negotiating that little snowy strip with the Best Tug, and it did fine on the few areas of packed snow. I'm confident that this tug will more than meet my relatively simple all weather needs.
 
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