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  #21  
Old 07-06-2012, 08:15 PM
David-aviator David-aviator is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Chesterfield, Missouri
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Are not all tail wheel aircraft a bit squirrly?

A friend who recently completed and is flying his RV-7 inadvertently touched the mike switch during landing and was heard to say ....keep it straight, keep it straight, keep it straight.... and straight he kept it. I hope I do as well with the 8, he is doing very well with the 7.

I had a check out in a RV-6 several years ago and had a devil of a time steering it during take off and landing but managed not to wreck the machine and was signed off. Later I learned the tail wheel center lock mechanism was broken on that airplane that day, the tail wheel was free wheeling as could be.
It was an interesting ride to say the least and was part of the reason I decided to forgo a tail wheel airplane at that time. I couldn't figure why anyone would want to put up with that challenge on every flight.
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  #22  
Old 07-07-2012, 06:52 PM
hudgin hudgin is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Cedar Hill, Tx.
Posts: 159
Default two silver bullets

We put two on our RV7 cause we have had them fail three times. The other one of course saves the day. Personally I like the tail wheel springs tighter than the silver bullet provides but the springs get into the rudder henc the other link.
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  #23  
Old 07-07-2012, 07:53 PM
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bird bird is offline
 
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Chains or a link are both good. If you use chains make sure you have the 1/2inch droop that is called out for in the manual. Make sure your brakes are not dragging. It sounds like you may be introducing brakes during take off's and landings. The 8 is very smooth and docile and as far as taildraggers go. It has plenty of rudder authority. Make sure you are not pushing on the brakes and it should not be squirrely at all.

bird
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  #24  
Old 10-26-2012, 09:16 AM
pouldney pouldney is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Winnipeg Canada
Posts: 2
Default Toe in Toe out

I checked Toe in by laying a straight 2x4 across
the front of wheels and using a large set square.
Just sight down the tire (or brake disk if tires are out of round)
I checked my RV8 this way and the wheels were 2% toe in.
After I shimmed to slightly toe out the plane was much less
squirly on roll-out.
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  #25  
Old 10-26-2012, 09:37 AM
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vfrazier vfrazier is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Mount Vernon, IN
Posts: 1,270
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Several years ago, we had a spirited discussion about toe on another forum. That discussion led to the email quoted below.

Here is the email correspondence between me and Ladislao Pazmany:

Dear Mr. Pazmany:

For a conventional gear lightplane with tapered rod spring main gear, should the main wheels have any toe-in or toe-out?
Vince

Dear Vince:

Unfortunately your question doesn't have a straight answer. There is a big controversy on the subject. Please review the attached document in order to understand it better. (the attached document was scanned from my book Landing Gear Design For Light Aircraft )
Regards Paz


toe-in vs toe-out


I don't think that anyone can argue that ideally zero toe is the best. Personally, I shoot for a slight toe-in or zero toe, preferably zero if possible.

I think if you surveyed 10,000 mechanics, you'd likely find a 50/50 split on stories about how toe-in or toe-out was reset to zero and the plane magically became a pussycat.
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  #26  
Old 10-26-2012, 09:52 AM
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rocketbob rocketbob is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: 8I3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by redhawk View Post
Hello out there,
In the operation of my new -8 I recently purchased (I'm a former -4 owner),
It is noticeably "squirrly" on taxi out and especially on landing after the tail comes down (almost ground looped it the other day - thought my rocket steering link broke or went over center!!). I have checked my toe in and out and have determined its slightly toed in.
Your toe-in is the problem, not the steering link. Did you check your toe with the airplane set up with a typical flight condition, ie 3/4 fuel, pilot in the front seat?
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  #27  
Old 11-01-2012, 05:26 AM
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flyenforfun flyenforfun is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Wilmington DE
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Adam View Post
Mel,
What is the best way to check for toe in toe out?
I do not have the rocket link, just the springs, and the tail controlability is a bit more squirrely after the tailwheel comes down, but not bad.. when the tail is up its no work at all, when the tail comes down you have to work a tad to keep straight.

I have read that toe in will definitely give your plane some squirreliness if that is a word. How about this, on taxi, if you take your feet off of the pedals how stable is it? I can roll straight all the way down a taxi way without having to move my feet much if at all. It seems if you have a toe in, once the plane starts to turn, the toe in will make it turn harder and harder.

I would maybe set the plane to longerons level, clamp a long straight angle or something to each gear leg on the flat part where the axles bolt in, and measure the distance between the angle pieces in front and behind the gear. If it toes in, buy the axle shims that Van's sells and try to even it up and see what that does for you. Our gear legs turned out pretty straight, probably by luck, and didn't require any shimming.
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  #28  
Old 11-01-2012, 05:28 AM
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flyenforfun flyenforfun is offline
 
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Location: Wilmington DE
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Side question, does the rocket link make the tailwheel noticeably more touchy? Because I really want one..
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  #29  
Old 11-01-2012, 05:40 AM
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rocketbob rocketbob is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by flyenforfun View Post
I would maybe set the plane to longerons level,
Why do that. The airplane never taxi's or is on the ground at that attitude. If you check the toe you check it in the attitude the airplane will spend 99.999~% of the time and thats the three point attitude.
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N9187P PA-24-260B Comanche, flying
N678X F1 Rocket, under const.
N244BJ RV-6 "victim of SNF tornado" 1200+ hrs, rebuilding
N8155F C150 flying
N7925P PA-24-250 Comanche, restoring
Not a thing I own is stock.
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  #30  
Old 11-01-2012, 07:17 AM
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flyenforfun flyenforfun is offline
 
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Location: Wilmington DE
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rocketbob View Post
Why do that. The airplane never taxi's or is on the ground at that attitude. If you check the toe you check it in the attitude the airplane will spend 99.999~% of the time and thats the three point attitude.
Because I'm pretty sure the Van's instruction manual tells you to check this with the airplane longerons level.

Plus when I touch down in a wheel landing with the tail in the air and the longerons near level, I'd like my wheels to not toe in when im moving fast. If that means I'll be toe out (more stable) when my tailwheel comes down, I am fine with that.

Just basing this off of my airplane that is in this config and has very stable ground handling characteristics.
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