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Tow Bar

I use the Bogi bar on my -6A...

It works great and doubles as my rudder gust lock wedged between the rudder pedals and the seat back.
 
If you get the Bogie bar, get the extended screw set, too. The stock screws didn't hold the bar in place and I ended up tearing the nose wheel pants. With the longer screws and spacers in place, there is now no way the bar will slip and yet the screws are still inside the wheel pant. Bogart aviation made a good product there.
 
flion said:
If you get the Bogie bar, get the extended screw set, too. The stock screws didn't hold the bar in place and I ended up tearing the nose wheel pants. With the longer screws and spacers in place, there is now no way the bar will slip and yet the screws are still inside the wheel pant. Bogart aviation made a good product there.
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Patrick do you have specs for the extended screw set? Where did you get them?
 
flion said:
If you get the Bogie bar, get the extended screw set, too. The stock screws didn't hold the bar in place and I ended up tearing the nose wheel pants. With the longer screws and spacers in place, there is now no way the bar will slip and yet the screws are still inside the wheel pant.
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Not saying you did this, but I just wanted to add this because a lot of people get it wrong and then get mad that they have to re-make their nosewheel pants.

Nosewheel tow bars like this should never be used for actually *towing* an airplane. Tow bars are for *steering* an airplane that you're pulling by the propellor, with your hand down near the spinner. As soon as you've got the plane moving at all, a tow bar will steer the wheel around with next to zero effort.

I've seen dozens of Cessna towbars with the bolt pipes on the end stretched, cracked, and broken because students insist that they can't touch the prop and must push or pull with the towbar. I've seen a couple of RV-xA towbars in the same condition, just asking for trouble.
 
Yep, push/pull on prop, steer with bar. I think my crank seal can take the small relatively small forces involved. Or at least that's what I've always heard to justify not touching the prop.

Bogert Aviation makes both the bogi bar and the screw set for RVs. I don't see the info on their website anymore but here is the VAF link where they were discussed, including photos.
 
Weak Towbar

I got one from Wag-Aero that clamps on the nose gear by spring force. I find it pops off of the nose gear really easily, when only using it to stear. If I was going to do it over again I would purchase one that screws down onto the nose wheel. Its my faught as I believe Wag-Aero sells both.
 
TOWBAR/CONTROL LOCK

I also use my towbar as a control lock. Locks the rudder,ailerons and elevator with the seat belt.
 
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I have a Borgert tow bar too. 200 hours on the plane and the tow bar is broken. Tow bar works by flexing the metal just below the weld and this is where it failed. I think a bar held with spring tension might be a better way to go. I'm in the market for one.
 
Bogi-bar not bad, not great

I have only a few dozen flights and push-pull sessions with the Bogi-bar.
Fairly easy to engage and dis-engage, but I wouldn't let just anyone do it, and the expense of your pant & paint scratches.

I think it is nice & light, but it has popped off the nut a few times, and wratched the pant holes when I was forced to REALLY push on it.
It's the spring-type, and the nuts also loosen off after a while.
I expect it will lose it's spring at some point, and I'll have to beef that up.
The foam rubber grip has also started to slide off, likely due to use when hot!

I do like that it can be spread around the nosewheel when at the pumps as a wheel chock!
Aligning the sliding handle, & Finding the tiny black hole when extending or retracting it could also use improvement....some of those nifty snap-pins would be great ( can't recall the real name!)
 
flion said:
Yep, push/pull on prop, steer with bar. I think my crank seal can take the small relatively small forces involved. Or at least that's what I've always heard to justify not touching the prop.
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Whenever someone tells me that, I point out that the prop pulls the entire weight of the aircraft in a climb, and acts as a big speed brake when throttled back on descent. I don't think you could apply as much force in either direction by leaning on the prop to push it around.
 
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