Tailwheel steering

[TShort]

Ok... this is not directly RV related, but I was hoping for some expertise from some of you guys...

Yesterday I went out with the CFI and went to several grass strips and several other airports for more practice in the 170.
On returning home, I had a little more trouble keeping the plane straight ... nothing severe, just seemed like I was working more to maintain directional control on landing. I just figured I was tired.
When I went to pull the plane back in, I found both tailwheel chains dangling in the breeze! The teardrop shaped clips (http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...mp_springs.php) that attach to the horns on the tailwheel had both bent almost straight - not broken, just bent to where they came loose...? Seems like this would be tough to do, the way they are designed an axial load should not really be able to straighten them.
My landings were good - there were no hard landings, no tailwheel first landings, no hard / full rudder deflection in either direction. The only thing we could come up with was that on the grass runways there is a little bit of undulation, so on takeoff the plane would undulate a little before becoming airborne. If this was enough to compress the flat spring of the tailwheel assembly up towards the rudder, then it could have loaded both springs at once and maybe the clips were the weak point...?
I don't think the TW springs are too tight ... any guidelines for this? Any thoughts on what might have caused it?

Anyway, as Stu said, that just shows that you don't need the tailwheel to fly - the plane is plenty controllable with rudder alone! Good learning experience.







Had to throw in a pic of my copilot ... now if he could just hold a bucking bar...!

Thomas
-8 wings

[Ironflight]

Thomas,

A few months back, I had this happen on my -8, but only to one side. I landed and taxied in (with turns in both directions!), and didn't even notice there was a problem until I got out and saw the spring hanging loose. I guess this is a testament to the fact that you can do fine without the sterring...

Anyway, the clip that failed for me retained it's general shape - just stretched out and let the chain go. I have no idea how it could have done this. But I replaced the clips with stainless steel sailboat shackles, safety-wired in place, so I know that my next problem will be when a chain snaps...

Paul

[McFly]

I had a T-Craft and took a perspective buyer for a test drive. The buyer who had not had any recent tailwheel time would jab the rudder petals with large, fast aggressive inputs even at slow speeds when the wheel does not want to caster easily.

The chains were hanging at the end of the flight, which included some touch and go's. The clips showed the same symptoms.

I think aggressive inputs on the rudders at low speed cause too much stress and the clips give.

Hugh