RV-4 rudder gust lock

[ZemsRV4]

I am looking for a rudder gust lock for my RV-4. Any recommendations would be appreciated.

 

[swjohnsey]

I am looking for a rudder gust lock for my RV-4. Any recommendations would be appreciated.

Yes. Two pieces of 3/4" PVC wrapped in in pool noodle/pipe insulation connected with thumb screw on each end. There is always discussion leading up to Oshkosh and this is where I stole the idea, light, cheap, effective and it stows in my RV-4.

 

[Taltruda]

Why do you need a gust lock on the -4 rudder? Straighten the tailwheel so the detent locks in the tailwheel and tie down the tailwheel really short to the anchor point. The tailwheel springs act like a gust lock. It’s key that you have the tailwheel tied up short.

 

[ZemsRV4]

Why do you need a gust lock on the -4 rudder? Straighten the tailwheel so the detent locks in the tailwheel and tie down the tailwheel really short to the anchor point. The tailwheel springs act like a gust lock. It’s key that you have the tailwheel tied up short.

A lot of the places I have been do not have a tie down anchor for the tail wheel.

 

[Taltruda]

A lot of the places I have been do not have a tie down anchor for the tail wheel.

Really? That’s the most important of the tie downs! It’s been rare for me to see a place without a tail tie down.. Grand Canyon was one of those places.. their tie downs were sized for the twin otters and didn’t have a tail tiedown. I’ve seen other oddly spaced out places that aren’t ideal for out RVs. But basically if you can lock the tailwheel (and keep it from turning), the mechanism alone works pretty well for its own gustlock.

 

[Kyle Boatright]

Why do you need a gust lock on the -4 rudder? Straighten the tailwheel so the detent locks in the tailwheel and tie down the tailwheel really short to the anchor point. The tailwheel springs act like a gust lock. It’s key that you have the tailwheel tied up short.

That works in moderate winds. It won’t help much in a big storm. The PVC/Noodle apparatus works well in strong winds/gusts.

 

[Roadjunkie1]

Yes. Two pieces of 3/4" PVC wrapped in in pool noodle/pipe insulation connected with thumb screw on each end. There is always discussion leading up to Oshkosh and this is where I stole the idea, light, cheap, effective and it stows in my RV-4.

Pictures?

 

[rag]

I run loose cables to the rudder which allows it to bounce around in the wind or someone's prop wash. A few years ago the plane was caught in a nasty sand storm (tied down), which really beat up my airplane and pitted the plexi. I designed a heavy duty gust lock system to hold the rudder and the elevators, no matter which direction the wind was coming from. I also have a light duty gust lock for the rudder if I am only leaving the airplane for a short time in calm winds.

 

[DeltaRomeo]

Beautiful work, Rick! The tension springs on the tailwheel cables is a nice touch I never considered.
v/r,dr

 

[Roadjunkie1]

I run loose cables to the rudder which allows it to bounce around in the wind or someone's prop wash. A few years ago the plane was caught in a nasty sand storm (tied down), which really beat up my airplane and pitted the plexi. I designed a heavy duty gust lock system to hold the rudder and the elevators, no matter which direction the wind was coming from. I also have a light duty gust lock for the rudder if I am only leaving the airplane for a short time in calm winds.
View attachment 75463View attachment 75464View attachment 75466

Headrest......?

 

[rag]

Ha! No head rest. Long story - short - My Dynon ADAHRS is located under it. I had the Dynon puke twice at the most inopportune times on two separate cross country trips. Dynon was of no help. Both times it was very hot, direct sun on the turtle deck, so I added an aluminum cover with a space for air underneath. The Dynon has not failed since so I left it on the plane. I tell people it is a Megatron Mass Energy Detector for incoming UFOs.

Sorry for the large pictures, I thought I checked the thumb nail pictures.