ACS Single Fork tailwheel on RV-3

What is involved with replacing the original Van's RV3 tailwheel with a
single fork ACS tailwheel. I have heard that the ACS casting is strong
enough to ream out to larger hole for tailspring rod. Any advice welcome.

Thanks
Jim Miller

Jim,

Take a look at our tailwheel products. We can help. You can convert from the old style tailwheel to a full swivel. Free advice is only a phone call away!

Some of the single sided forks have problems with them leaning over, or sagging to one side. Choose carefully if you go that route.

Vince
I will give you a call. My tail wheel and spring doesn't look easy to
mod. The spring is bent 90 degrees at the wheel end and the short bent
part goes into the tailwheel bushing. To use a ACS type either dual or single
fork the tailspring would have to be cut forward of the bend or be replaced.
My cub project is using a dual fork ACS stinger type and as I recall the tailwheel takes a 5/8" round tailspring. Does my tailwheel and spring sound
like a standard van's set-uo from the mid-eighties?

Thanks

Jim Miller

Jim,
You can also have your existing spring cut off and reground to be able to bolt on the Van's or Flyboy Accesories Full Swivel tail wheel brackets.

We have in the past cut off the tailspring just ahead of the 90 degree bend and reground it right there. Seems to work well, but ends up being shorter than the new design tailspring.

Just another idea to think about is all!!!

Richard

For anyone who may be considering cutting off the older non-swiveling TW and installing a new FS TW (preferably ours), I have a tech sheet that I can email to you that describes the process. Send requests to [email protected]

RV3 tailwheel fork

"Any advice welcome". Ok, here's a contrary opinion for your consideration:

A friend of mine with an -8 had his full-swivel tailwheel unlock on rollout. If he'd had a x-wind, it would have been a ground-loop. Had maybe 250 landings on it, brand new. A number of others have reported the same thing - search VAF.

No comment on the products mentioned in this thread, I'm sure they are fine. It's just that the -3 doesn't need that additional complexity. Change ANYTHING with the tailwheel springs, and it might feel and/or behave radically different.

Checkout the attached pics of my setup: that's a h/w store spring, double chains and double clips on each end, with a little bit of slack when weight is on. It's the finest tailwheel arrangement I've ever flown, perfect positive control at all speed ranges, 2000+ landings, never even close to a ground loop (knock on wood!). If I ever do one, it will be my fault, not this tailwheel fork + springs arrangement. Note the extended axel bolt. This is for the tow-back bar, bought at Spruce. Most of the time, I'm pulling back into the hanger with the tow-bar; anywhere else, just pick it up by the gear leg and pull, the RV3 tail is plenty lightweight enough.

Good luck!

- Steven
700+ RV3 hours
two more last Sunday!

Steven
The only reason I was considering going to a different tailwheel was for
operation off grass. The original tailwheel like mine and yours is very low
to ground and I have heard of problems of catching it on something and
damaging rear of aircraft. I plan to fly off THA's two grass runways for
several hours to help compensate for my low tailwheel experience. If this
is nothing to be concerned about then I would not even consider changing
tailwheels.

Jim Miller

New spring

Langair made me a new straight spring that Vans swivel tail wheel bolted to. They had to whittle down the top to fit the older socket which is a little smaller diameter than their current spring. It worked great.

Bill Newkirk