H

hudgin

Well Known Member
Ours came apart on landing yesterday and one of the springs was lost. I see on the forums that the guy doesn't respond any more. Does any one know the specs of the springs that are used? I would like to put it back on. Also has any one ever tried using two of them? One on each side.
 
The Silver bullet replaces both springs and chains with a single unit on one side. I would like to install one on each side to stiffen up the steering like the springs do. Also the rod that has the S bend in it has bent more to about 90 deg. I think that having one on each side would prevent that.
 
I'm curious how the unit separated. Did it break where the two pieces join, or somehow get unscrewed as happened in a previous post? I've never seen a plane with two attached. Mine seems to give very positive control much nicer than springs IMO.
 
It came unscrewed. There was a lot of grease on the threads. I think this would not have happened if it had a pin in it or a least some "LockTite". ----- To fly for now I put the springs on but tight enough to leave no slack in the chains. The control is much more positive IMO. ---- The reason I thought about two of them is cause the rod with the "S" curve in it bent to 90 deg and has needed to be straightened out. When this happens the rudder is way out of line with the tailwheel. I am thinking that it would not bend if it had one on each side. It has bent twice and we don't have 100 hours on it yet. And yes there is a lot of grease on the king post. I just put a Bell fork on it but never got to fly it with the Silver Bullet on that fork. That might be another reason it is easier to taxi now too.
 
If you're going to put something on each side anyways, and don't like the look of regular chains, you could go with the Tail-Lynx that Van's sells. Spring/cable things - look better than chains.

I always take a look at my Silver Bullet during preflight to make sure there is no "seam" visible, indicating it might be unscrewing - have never seen it budge.

Paul
 
Its not so much the looks as the innerferance. The rudder hits the chains and the silver bullet has the S curve in it to clear the rudder. I thought about putting some stand offs on rudder but am afraid it would bend/break with the extra leverage. I will have to take a look at the Tail-Lynx. As far as the pre flight goes I think it would have been better if fingers were put on it. But I can't say. I was the next to last guy to fly it and it looked fine then, but that was before installing the Bell fork. I put on the fork and of course messed with the link and it didn't seem loose. But didn't literally try to unscrew it. You could feel the spring resistance when twisting it. Probably broke loose then.
 
I keep an eye on mine like Paul does especially since there was a post a while back about another separation. Never have had an issue. I have about 375 landings on the steering link and as a datapoint I located mine on the passenger side. I felt that more right rudder would be required under load and the Silver Bullet may provide better control in the pulling mode vice pushing. Just my $.02
 
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