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01-24-2013, 04:50 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Ashland, OR
Posts: 2,573
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Lower drag, better integration
Your yoke design has significantly less aerodynamic drag than the Bell and Aviation Products yokes. Also, it would not be difficult to design a nice tail wheel pant that fits onto it. Perhaps you could provide the yoke with a couple of #8-32 tapped holes in it that would facilitate mounting of a fairing?
I do like the added tail height of the Bell style, helps see over the nose, but that is by no means a deciding criterion.
Nicely done!
An additional thought on the links, in response to some folks' desire for a bit of "play". If you could maintain the basic design, but increase the amount of travel in the springs by making the outer tube longer, and using somewhat softer springs, then you might get the best of all worlds. No actual play, instant response, but somewhat softer, more gradual 'transition' that would help in cross winds.
__________________
Steve Smith
Aeronautical Engineer
RV-8 N825RV
IO-360 A1A
WW 200RV
"The Magic Carpet"
Hobbs 625
LS6-15/18W sailplane SOLD
bought my old LS6-A back!! 
VAF donation Jan 2020
Last edited by scsmith : 01-24-2013 at 04:53 PM.
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01-24-2013, 05:15 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: 8I3
Posts: 3,564
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scsmith
No actual play, instant response, but somewhat softer, more gradual 'transition' that would help in cross winds.
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I've made a couple tailwheel links for guys and my design is a little bit simpler and more robust than some of the commercially available ones. Its hard to find variable springs to do what you are talking about but its entirely possible to use a couple of different stacked short springs of varying spring rate to do this. I've also thought about using elastomers but the spring rate changes with temperature.
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Please don't PM me! Email only!
Bob Japundza CFI A&PIA
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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01-24-2013, 05:21 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Glendale, AZ
Posts: 65
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Hey guys,
Guess I should not have opened that can of worms. I would really prefer to keep this thread on track with the yoke, not about steering spring design.
Thanks for understanding.
__________________
Jason Krause
RV-7 SB Finish Kit
Flying other people's stuff RV-9, Kit Fox.....
www.JDair.com
RV accessories including TailWheel Steering Links,
Upgraded Tailwheel Forks and Rudder Pedal Extensions.
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02-02-2013, 04:34 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: 8I3
Posts: 3,564
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Today I modified the tailwheel assembly to use a sealed angular contact mountain bike headset bearing. Machined some spacers and cut 0.400" off the bottom of the weldment with my mill. The cup is not pressed on or part of the weldment, the three pieces just drop onto the shaft and are sandwiched between the weldment and the fork. Just pushing the airplane around the hangar it makes a huge difference and the side effect could be that the airplane could easily weathervane if its not chocked or have the parking brake on. I like it.
Bearing, available on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/AheadSet-Ahead...ords=HSS20133K

__________________
Please don't PM me! Email only!
Bob Japundza CFI A&PIA
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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02-03-2013, 06:31 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Posts: 149
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Steering linkage
I would love to see somebody come up with a steering linkage that is less sensitive than the JD airparts! There has to be an affordable way to do it. The JD airparts is to sensitive for crosswind landings but looks great.
One other thing, does a tailwheel pant really make a difference in speed?
I know this is not the original intent for this forum but since we are on the "tailwheel subject" why not!
Dave
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02-03-2013, 06:42 AM
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: 8I3
Posts: 3,564
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The Wizzard
I would love to see somebody come up with a steering linkage that is less sensitive than the JD airparts! There has to be an affordable way to do it. The JD airparts is to sensitive for crosswind landings but looks great.
One other thing, does a tailwheel pant really make a difference in speed?
I know this is not the original intent for this forum but since we are on the "tailwheel subject" why not!
Dave
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Dave, you could take it apart and put softer springs in it. In my picture you can see part of the link I made and its a bit larger, the size dictated by my choice of springs which are a bit softer (what I had laying around.) The springs really don't have to be heavy at all, as long as they don't "bump" if they bottom out.
__________________
Please don't PM me! Email only!
Bob Japundza CFI A&PIA
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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02-03-2013, 07:25 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: 08A
Posts: 9,500
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The Wizzard
I would love to see somebody come up with a steering linkage that is less sensitive than the JD airparts! There has to be an affordable way to do it. The JD airparts is to sensitive for crosswind landings but looks great.
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The sensitivity thing isn't a matter of spring rate. It is lever ratio.
In a stock setup we usually connect the chains, cables, or single link to the rudder arm at the outermost end of the arm, just so the chains/cables/link does not rub against the fiberglass bottom fairing when the rudder is fully deflected. The result is roughly a 1-to-1 ratio (rudder deflection angle is matched by tailwheel angle), since the rudder arm and the tailwheel arm are about the same length.
You make a tailwheel less twitchy by reducing the ratio, i.e. less tailwheel deflection than rudder deflection for any given displacement of the pedal. You do it by reducing the length of the arm at the rudder connection (move the connection point inboard) or extending the length of the tailwheel arm.
If you are using dual chains or cables, drill a hole in the rudder arm inboard of the usual hole and install a AN42B-10A upside down with a stack of washers to space the eye a low as possible. Connecting to the eye will probably allow your chain/cable to clear the rudder fairing.
Many of the lovely links out there come with a single sided replacement arm for the tailwheel. Reducing the ratio is merely a matter of making that arm longer.
__________________
Dan Horton
RV-8 SS
Barrett IO-390
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02-03-2013, 08:10 AM
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: 8I3
Posts: 3,564
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Not a good idea Dan, have fixed a couple of broken links for myself and others where the the 1/4" tubes failed. I fixed them by changing over to stainless rod. Changing the ratio would increase the stress on these parts.
__________________
Please don't PM me! Email only!
Bob Japundza CFI A&PIA
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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02-03-2013, 08:23 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: 08A
Posts: 9,500
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rocketbob
Changing the ratio would increase the stress on these parts.
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Nope........
__________________
Dan Horton
RV-8 SS
Barrett IO-390
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02-03-2013, 08:30 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Davis, CA
Posts: 1,156
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bearing grease
Almost didn't dare write that title, for fear of starting yet another "grease war"...
But. I have several bikes (another weakness of mine) with that type of bearing. In my experience, the grease installed by the manufacturers isn't the greatest. Even on my road bikes the stuff seems to find its way out quickly despite the seal, particularly the bottom bearing. I've taken to popping the seal out with a dental pick before first use, and forcing in (fingers work great) what ever red synthetic grease I have lying around. The bearings last noticeably longer for a couple minutes work.
__________________
Lars Pedersen
Davis, CA
RV-7 Flying as of June 24, 2012
960+ hours as of June 30, 2020. Where did the time go?
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