Bubblehead
Well Known Member
I am installing a Bell tailwheel fork this weekend. I had the new one powder coated in the matching color for my -8 this last week, and started taking things apart today. In addition to replacing the fork I planned to touch up the paint on the tail rod.
When I removed the tail wheel and spun the old bearings one of them was moved freely but the other one was binding a little in one spot, so I was glad I had thought ahead and had new bearings on hand. The old bearings were the original bearings installed when the plane was built in the late 1990's and had about 400 hours on them.
Both the new and the old bearings are completely sealed and they don't appear to need separate lubrication like the bearings on the main gear do, but the tailwheel has a zerk fitting! There was a lot of old grease inside the hub - I know because I put it there - but I don't see how that grease could do any good at all.
Do the tailwheel bearings need to be lubricated or are they used "as is" from the package?
When I removed the tail wheel and spun the old bearings one of them was moved freely but the other one was binding a little in one spot, so I was glad I had thought ahead and had new bearings on hand. The old bearings were the original bearings installed when the plane was built in the late 1990's and had about 400 hours on them.
Both the new and the old bearings are completely sealed and they don't appear to need separate lubrication like the bearings on the main gear do, but the tailwheel has a zerk fitting! There was a lot of old grease inside the hub - I know because I put it there - but I don't see how that grease could do any good at all.
Do the tailwheel bearings need to be lubricated or are they used "as is" from the package?