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Flimsy tie-down ring assembly?

Mtherr

Well Known Member
Patron
Last weekend, I had my engine run on the ground with aircraft attached using the tail die-down ring. I did not go over 1300 RPM and then, I noticed that the stainless steel plate to which the tie-down ring is attached severely bent.

Is this normal? The bracket is that soft?

I am a new RV6A owner. I used to check static RPM on my other plane having the tie-down attached to the ground... seems this is a no-no with the RV... Are you just relying on brakes for doing static RPM checks?

Thanks
Michel
 
I wouldn't trust the tiedown ring for loading in that direction. It's designed for mostly vertical loads from a rope to the ground, not high horizontal loads from a run-up.

Yes, every static RPM check i've done in my -6 has been with the brakes applied, flaps up, and the stick fully back.
 
For similar reasons, do not pull down on the tail tie down to raise the nose gear. The tie down is just a piece of aluminum tapped for the tie down ring.

Carl
 
lack of tie down strength

Well I never have used it for runup tie down and mine is bent back into the rudder.
But I supposed that our rough grass runway, an unfortunately placed dip helped and the tail hitting the ground could cause that for sure.
At least when you have grass hanging out of the crack in the bottom of the rudder it is a pretty good telltale sign.
Like others have said, it is tie down HaHa!!!
I learned by the green grass hangin in the air.
No I'm not proud of it, just a fact, and probably not the first.
Enjoy the ride Art
 
For similar reasons, do not pull down on the tail tie down to raise the nose gear. The tie down is just a piece of aluminum tapped for the tie down ring.

Carl

Actually, on the 6, it is SS eye bolt welded to a 40 or 50 thou SS plate and bolted to the rear Vert Spar. It bends in the horizontal plane much more easily than the more modern appoach you describe.

Larry
 
It does kind of address the recurring question of using the tail tie-down ring to ground winch an RV back into the hangar....
 
Well I never have used it for runup tie down and mine is bent back into the rudder.
But I supposed that our rough grass runway, an unfortunately placed dip helped and the tail hitting the ground could cause that for sure.
At least when you have grass hanging out of the crack in the bottom of the rudder it is a pretty good telltale sign.
Like others have said, it is tie down HaHa!!!
I learned by the green grass hangin in the air.
No I'm not proud of it, just a fact, and probably not the first.
Enjoy the ride Art

Same here. Two conditions that the tail tie-down ring doesn’t do well with. First is a tie-down that pulls aft on the ring, which I run into frequently since the RV is so short, and second was a grass runway with a hump at the wrong place that bounced the nose up and tail down ever so slightly, but bending the ring back. Somewhat flimsy in the aft direction.
 
I know an A&P who pulled the tail tiedown ring completely out of an 6A while doing a runup.
 
Did one better. I fabricated a skid that has a loop incorporated for tie down purposes. My 6 has the extrusion for a removable tie down loop so the skid is easily replaceable ever come the day someone (not me!) needs it for the skid capabilities.
 
Did one better. I fabricated a skid that has a loop incorporated for tie down purposes. My 6 has the extrusion for a removable tie down loop so the skid is easily replaceable ever come the day someone (not me!) needs it for the skid capabilities.

Any chance you could post a photo?
 
Sorry, don't do pictures here. Think of an aluminum wedge with a 3/8" hole vertically through it for a bolt and a 3/4" hole through the side of it for rope tie down....
 
Butch,

This is an aluminum extrusion? The part I have is a tie down ring welded on the side of a .050 SS plate. There are three bolts all on the right side of the tie down ring. Did you drill additional holes on the left side?

Michel
 
Butch,

This is an aluminum extrusion? The part I have is a tie down ring welded on the side of a .050 SS plate. There are three bolts all on the right side of the tie down ring. Did you drill additional holes on the left side?

Michel

Michel:

I am the guy that told Butch about the aluminum extrusion.

I used the mod that Butch did on an RV-6A that had the broken one you describe. I was able to match some of the existing holes / bolts to the extrusion and then added at least one additional hole so that the aluminum extrusion was solid mounted to the rear bulkhead and rear spar on the vertical stabilizer.
 
I hate when the line guy at any airport tries to rush out to help with the plane. inevitable they go to the tail tie-down and want to pull it tight, bending the plate. I feel rude, but I have to tell them "I will do it"
 
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