Bell tail wheel

Bwing96 · #1 03-13-2013, 07:41 PM

How much difference will 7 more ounces make by adding the Bell fork?
My soon to be new to me -6 has a Van's tail wheel with fairing. Doug Bell said they weighed both with the bolts but less the wheel and the Bell was 7 ounces more. I would have to weigh the fairing and subtract that amount from the 7 ounces to see what the exact difference would be for my plane.

Just wonder how much effect a few ounces back there is going to have on handling? I have read all the posts I could find and ereyone that has made this change seemed to really like it.

Sam Buchanan · #2 03-13-2013, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bwing96

Just wonder how much effect a few ounces back there is going to have on handling? I have read all the posts I could find and ereyone that has made this change seemed to really like it.

So what are you asking?

Enjoy your new plane!

N941WR · #3 03-13-2013, 07:51 PM

It isn't so much about the weight of the TW fork but allowing the TW to ride up and over things rather than getting hooked and damaging the plane.

Bwing96 · #4 03-13-2013, 07:53 PM

Just curious if it would make the tail feel more heavy when slow or if it would make the elevator feel more sensitive.

N941WR · #5 03-13-2013, 07:54 PM

I doubt you would even notice it.

Not a single person on this forum has talked about feeling the extra weight back there.

I started with the Bell TW fork and never flew with the Van's fork.

You can always buy a DJM tail wheel, which is lighter than stock and has sealed bearings. That will help balance things out a little bit.

flynwest · #6 03-13-2013, 09:39 PM

If you are worried get one of Dayton Murdocks light tail wheels. It's alot lighter than the original.

N941WR · #7 03-14-2013, 05:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flynwest

If you are worried get one of Dayton Murdocks light tail wheels. It's alot lighter than the original.

DJM = Dayton J. Murdock

Dayton is the same guy who makes the throttle quadrants and one smoken' fast RV-4.

Here is a picture of mine, after 250 hours. I measured the wear for Dayton, that's why the tape measure is in the picture. (It has warn an 1/8 of an inch, flying off of pavement.)

Notice the lightening slots and sealed bearings. Every annual I simply clean it and put it back on.

Snowflake · #8 03-14-2013, 08:00 AM

You'll never notice the weight difference in performance or handling.

gereed75 · #9 03-14-2013, 08:50 AM

I ran the weight and balance on this once - the movement in CG is very small for a few ounces on the tail. Don't recall the exact numbers, but it equated to a few pounds (maybe 4) in aft baggage capacity.

Another way to say it is changes of ounces at the tail wheel are not an effective or practical way to move CG. It takes pounds on the nose (changes in props or moving the engine with different mounts) to effect significant changes in CG.

The small effect on CG of the OP's tail wheel change will not be dramatically noticed in flight characteristics or utility.

vfrazier · #10 03-14-2013, 11:14 AM

There are other alternatives for tailwheel forks, including our retrofit fork. Ours weighs virtually the same as a Van's fork (within an ounce). Our Screaming Eagle fork gives better clearance and superior handling. It is a 5 minute job to install it, excluding painting it to match your colors.

Screaming Eagle retrofit fork for Van's RV type tailwheels

Our fork will also accept a tailwheel pant, if desired, and still retain complete full swiveling capabilities.

Please check out our other RV accessories at the URL below.