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0ptions

Active Member
Folks, has anyone else noticed chaffing on the inboard portion of your wheel pants? I have a close gap between the brake caliper bolts and the inboard wheel pant. I landed in a stiff x-wind yesterday and both pants have bruise marks showing through the glass. Wheel pants have about 4 landings, 1.5 hours total time.

Could this pressure actuate the brakes during a x-wind? I'll tell you why later in the thread.
 
I have not experienced this Doug, but I remember a number of posts a couple of years ago on the RV-8 Yahoo list where people were saying that their brake calipers were hitting their wheel pants. It is certainly a close fit - a minor variation in mounting could certainly cause it. I think I got lucky.

Paul
 
Chaffing

It's a close fit so I resorted to drilling a 3/4" hole for clearance. Last landing with them on resulted in a violent 90 deg turn to the right during roll out. Not sure whether it was the 16knt direct x-wind or the break caliper being nudged by the wheel pant. No problems after removing. No more 16knt x-wind landings either!

Considering closing up the hole with a button instead of glassing.
 
Doug,

I won't call myself an expert by any means, but I think a 16 knot direct crosswind is pretty challenging for me - all it takes is a surface irregularity and a gust, and I think it's possible to get pretty sideways without any brake interaction. Since the pant is bolted to the gear leg, and so is the brake caliper mount, I'm not sure how much force the pant could put on it. Not saying it's not possible...but I had a couple of "interesting" swerve experiences with gusty crosswinds when I was getting used to the -8.

Hopefully, others will chime in here.

Paul
 
I would rather it be the gusts than a wheel pant anomoly. I'm still in the test phase and just trying to rule out probable cause. As always I appreciate the feedback and forum.

I'm still relatively new to trail dragging and now appreciate how fast you can get behind the plane. But, it's still the best thing with wings.
 
Tall Tails in beam gales

Doug,

I am new to the RV8 also and can attest to the fact that it is a hand full in a crosswind. I would be willing to bet that your problem was the crosswind. I would also be willing to bet you were on a hard surface runway and your problem started shortly after letting the tail down. I read all posts by the many experienced RV8 drivers here when they begin discussing crosswind landings. I think the most recommended method is to fly the tail as long as possible (wheel landing) to make sure she is slow as possible before planting the tail. It seems the tail can get squirrelly fairly quick at speed. :eek: Anyway, that’s my impression after scanning the many posts on crosswind landings.

I am always looking for more insight from experienced 8 drivers.
 
Perspective....

Just so folks don't get the wrong idea....I don't personally think that the RV-8 has any worse crosswind handling manners than any other tail dragger of my acquaintance, and in fact, is one of the easiest tailwheel airplanes I have flown. Like anything with the little wheel on the back, you have to pay attention when the wind is gusty. In a three-point attitude on landing, the airplane really isn't done flying, so you need to plant the tail wheel carefully, but firmly, and then get her slowed down...

The experiences I alluded to earlier were in the first hundred hours or so, and since then, I have stopped worrying too much about what the winds will be at the end of a flight - to a point. Anything greater than 15 knots or so gets and keeps my attention - just as they would if I was flying a Cub....
 
As soon as I bled the air speed off and lowered the tail onto the pavement was when things became interesting. The more I examine the details the more I feel it was x-wind rather than a brake anomoly. I did have full opposite rudder, plenty of up-wind aeleron and 1/4 flaps.

I would not trade anything for this airplane but as a new tail dragger pilot any insight into x-wind technique is appreciated.

Just 10 more hrs to the magic 40 and SUn-n-Fun.
 
The joys of taildraggers

Ironflight said:
Like anything with the little wheel on the back, you have to pay attention when the wind is gusty. In a three-point attitude on landing, the airplane really isn't done flying, so you need to plant the tail wheel carefully, but firmly, and then get her slowed down...
Click to expand...

Paul is spot-on here. The transition from flying machine to "driving" machine is the toughest part of landing a taildragger in a crosswind. You are just about out of aerodynamic control, but you are only connected to the surface with the main wheels. Which, you may have noticed, are forward of the CG making the airplane really want to "weathervane" into the wind. A wheel landing with a timely planting of the tailwheel is the answer.

John Clark
RV8 N18U
KSBA
 
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