Tail tie down weight - Page 2

RV10Pilot · #11 10-04-2019, 10:38 AM

Resurrecting this old thread.
I understand the concept of raising the nose by pulling down the tail with a ratcheting strap. And I am using six 5 gallon jugs of water as my weight. To test the concept I added tension to the strap and was able to pull the nose up. I only went as far and pulling most of the weight off the nose. However, when I went to release the strap, it releases all at once and the nose drops rather quickly. Glad the nose wheel wasn't up off the ground. So how are you releasing the strap? Should I just add my body wight to the tail and then release?

bsvantho · #12 10-04-2019, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RV10Pilot

Resurrecting this old thread.
I understand the concept of raising the nose by pulling down the tail with a ratcheting strap. And I am using six 5 gallon jugs of water as my weight. To test the concept I added tension to the strap and was able to pull the nose up. I only went as far and pulling most of the weight off the nose. However, when I went to release the strap, it releases all at once and the nose drops rather quickly. Glad the nose wheel wasn't up off the ground. So how are you releasing the strap? Should I just add my body wight to the tail and then release?

A 1.5 Ton Aluminum floor jack from HF fits nicely under the spindle of the front nose gear. It has worked well for most nose lifting tasks - checking breakout force, tire/wheel servicing, lifting onto scale, etc. In your case you could use it to let down the nose in a controlled manner.

Like so....

Electrogunner · #13 10-04-2019, 02:51 PM

I installed a 3/8 threaded anchor in the concrete floor directly under the tail tie down. Screw in a tie down and use a come a long to pull the tail down. You can also control it when you lower the nose back down, which is why I don?t use a ratchet strap.

dhmoose · #14 10-04-2019, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RV10Pilot

Resurrecting this old thread.
I understand the concept of raising the nose by pulling down the tail with a ratcheting strap. And I am using six 5 gallon jugs of water as my weight. To test the concept I added tension to the strap and was able to pull the nose up. I only went as far and pulling most of the weight off the nose. However, when I went to release the strap, it releases all at once and the nose drops rather quickly. Glad the nose wheel wasn't up off the ground. So how are you releasing the strap? Should I just add my body wight to the tail and then release?

I use my cars scissor jack to lift the nose wheel off the ground. Once elevated, I then attach the concrete bucket to the tail. With it attached, I lower the scissor jack until the nose wheel hangs freely. The process is reversed which then allows the scissor jack to slowly lower the nose.

Auburntsts · #15 10-05-2019, 04:42 AM

I use my engine crane to lift the nose using straps connected to the engine mount vs pulling the tail down.

Aviaman · #16 10-11-2019, 05:58 AM

I use a ratcheting winch bolted to a concrete filled container to pull down the tail ring. It takes a LOT of force. Is there any danger of damaging the structure with this method of raising the nose?

Electrogunner · #17 10-11-2019, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aviaman

I use a ratcheting winch bolted to a concrete filled container to pull down the tail ring. It takes a LOT of force. Is there any danger of damaging the structure with this method of raising the nose?

I'll have to put a dynamometer on it next time but I'm betting it's 300lbs or slightly less on a -10. It would be interesting what the mothership says.

Carl Froehlich · #18 10-11-2019, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aviaman

I use a ratcheting winch bolted to a concrete filled container to pull down the tail ring. It takes a LOT of force. Is there any danger of damaging the structure with this method of raising the nose?

Perhaps you should consider how much you trust the aluminum anchor that you cut the tail tie down threads into.

For me, I would never raise the nose by pulling down on the tail tie down. Lifting the nose up with an engine hoist is simple and safe.

Carl

Bill Boyd · #19 10-11-2019, 09:51 AM

There must be something I'm not following here - how is the pull-down force on the tail to lift the nose any greater than the air load on the horizontal stab/elevator that's required to take off or land on the mains? Are we worried somehow about the fuselage structure not handling that load - or the tail tie-down ring? Off the cuff, neither one would worry me - seems like expected loads that would have been designed for.

But I see Carl's point - and thus far have only ever raised my -10 nose wheel by lifting the engine ring with a hoist. Last night I raised my 6A nose by ratcheting the tail down to the deck of my 60" mower - but that's a welded stainless tie-down ring with two AN-3 bolts in shear holding it on.

Paddy · #20 10-11-2019, 10:03 AM

An important distinction here is where the aircraft is supported to get the nose wheel off the ground. If the wings are supported at the jack points under the main spar, then the weight required on the tail tie down isn't much and is comparable to the aerodynamic load on the HS in level flight. If the main gear wheels on the floor are the fulcrum, then it'a a different story since they're well behind the main spar and a long way behind the CG. This requires a lot more weight and probably isn't a great idea...