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Want to order the lite links for an 8. Do I need to order the standard ones your site? Or the custom length ones?Hey guys!
In typical fashion, building has taken longer than we expected. But, we have an RTB date set now! We'll be returning to Oregon at the end of August. Raw materials and fresh tooling are already waiting at the shop, and parts will be flowing back in stock starting the week we're back!
I appreciate everyone's patience, and I'm excited for the next wave of parts.
We do still have a few sets of Ti Down Rings and Locking Jack cups on hand. So if you were admiring your neighbors set at OshKosh, you don't have to wait to have a set of your own!
Foreshadowing: Maybe I've drunk a little too much Alaskan water while I'm up here, but I've got what I think are pretty cool new parts to bring to the RV and backcountry flying scene this winter
Just got back to your email inquiry, the "standard size" should fit assuming you have a standard tailwheel spring assembly!
I have the standard ones on my 8. Stock Vans tail spring and steering arm with a Bell fork. Looks and works great!
I imagine you could chuck it in a drill with a nut and bolt, then spin against sandpaper.
Does your Fairings Etc tailwheel have the "pillowed" shoulder? Mine is the pillowed type, and I used a bench grinder with a 80-100 grit wheel to taper in the "pillowed" shoulder part of the outer edges. Took maybe 20-30 minutes, didn't foul the grinding wheel and looked reasonably clean on the wheel edges when done. Mess wasn't bad either, the ground rubber sticks to itself and cleaned up easily. If it's the original non pillowed Fairings Etc tailwheel, the same probably applies, but you'll have to taper it further up the wheel towards the hub.
Taylor made a post about building in Alaska and would not be back till after the end of August. He posted that material was waiting in the shop and he would start making parts again once back in the lower 48. Yes August was over three weeks ago but between traveling and getting settled back at home could have delayed getting back in the shop. I hope Taylor puts family ahead of everything else.
Gary, thanks for holding down the PR while I'm settling back in
Sean,
Would love to order some lite links for the Tailwheel on my RV 7 when you get them back in stock. Thx
+1 set for me. I think my light fork will show up this week so I gotta have matching lite links.
Scott, I shipped a batch of hubs to DJM for rubber coating just over a month ago. I'd imagine they're nearly ready to come back my way, but Dayton didn't have an exact date for me.
Thank you, Taylor! I have the Lite Fork waiting in the wings for installation, all dependent on the tailwheel itself. Looking forward, and thanks again for the help!
Arnie, Can you tell me more about the titanuium stinger you have? I looked on his website and didnt see them.
Wow awesome! Probably would help the 14 with CG? I just went to the website, looks like everything is sold out. Where are you located?Hello VAF,
My name is Taylor, and I'm the owner/operator of the Aero Garage; a small company devoted to designing and manufacturing aftermarket components for experimental aircraft. I spent 7 years on the engineering team at Van's Aircraft during which time I designed, manufactured, and tested hundreds of components and tools for everything from the RV-3 to the RV-15. Nearly every machined part on the RV-15 came out of the Haas mill in my garage, and the ones too big to run at home I went in and machined on the larger factory machines. In August, when new-management decided to eliminate all remote work, I opted to dive into my "side hustle" full time.
I currently fly/own an RV-4 that I co-built with the help of some amazing colleagues. Having used a composite MT prop, I have since developed an obsession with weight reduction; particularly at the tail of the aircraft.
One of the first products I developed and just recently launched, Lite Links (below), are inspired by the previous Tail Lynx. However, I redesigned them to utilize a titanium body, titanium tongue and tang. I also reconfigured the spring to use a considerably lighter weight spring, while still delivering an appropriate spring rate. Furthermore, each end gets a bronze clamp-up bushing and brass capture washers which the eye and tongue pivot on, for smooth motion with tight fasteners at each end. The total installed weight, is just 120 grams (4.2 oz) per pair, less than half the weight of anything else I've found available. (Factory chains and springs are 260 grams).
View attachment 75339View attachment 75338
With over 100 hours of flight test, and 250 takeoffs/landings, Lite Links are available now and will start shipping next week. I'm running an introductory/holiday sale through the weekend on https://www.aero-garage.com/store
View attachment 75340
To all the early-adopters who've already ordered after seeing them in the "Tail Lynx" thread, I thank you sincerely, and am excited to get these into your hands.
Now that you've seen what's out, I'd like to share a product that's currently in testing... The Lite Fork.
View attachment 75341
View attachment 75342
View attachment 75343
The fork is machined from a single piece of billet aluminum on the 5 axis CNC mill. In the next machine over, the steerer spindle is turned and milled from titanium bar. And of course, a custom hollow titanium axle has been designed to perfectly fit the assembly, offering easy grabbing for a pin-style tow bar.
There's already half a dozen tailwheel forks out there, so what sets the Lite Fork apart?
Lightweight: 6.7 oz with axle (10 oz lighter than a standard Van's TW Fork assembly)
Lower profile: Designed to perfectly fit a lightweight DJM tailwheel, there is no extra width that needs to be shimmed with washers or spacers. In fact, the inside of the fork has a machined boss on each side for clean bearing contact, eliminating the need to try and slide washers into the cracks.
Better rudder clearance: The typical top stud, jam nut, and washer were omitted in favor of a low profile titanium top cap, saving 1/2" of vertical room. For airplanes equipped with titanium tails prings, this significantly reduces the chance of damaging your rudder fairing.
Static and dynamic testing are under way, as well as wear-surface material/treatment comparison. Production forks will be anodized in a variety of colors, and shared in this forum post when ready.
I look forward to meeting more of you, and revealing the next several components under development at The Aero Garage. Most updates/new products/sales will be announced in this thread, so subscribe to stay in the loop. You can also sign up for updates on the site, at:
-Taylor
View attachment 75344
I got everything for my tail wheel setup made in titanium as a one-off. Combined with Taylor’s lite links, this saved 2.4lb on the tail of my 6, which shifted empty CG forward by 0.4”, effectively buying me an extra 15lb in the baggage bay than before.
A big shout out to Taylor...I received my Lite Fork yesterday and the workmanship is phenomenal. I saw the box in the porch from Aero Garage with the link, axle, hardware and towbar pin adapters (thanks Taylor!Cool! Looking forward to my spiffy new blue Lite Fork!
ds
) , picked it up, and couldn't believe how light it was.
Dave I agree. It is extraordinarily light and a work of art. I have the lite links as well. Get yourself a JDM tailwheel as soon as they are back in stock. Originally I purchased the " The gold standard" wheel from Fairings Inc but the tire is too wide and the hub not wide enough,(needing spacers).A big shout out to Taylor...I received my Lite Fork yesterday and the workmanship is phenomenal. I saw the box in the porch from Aero Garage with the link, axle, hardware and towbar pin adapters (thanks Taylor!
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It's almost too nice to put on the airplane, but I'm gonna do it!
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Dave
Taylor, thanks! I have over 120 landings on my Lite Links, fork and tailwheel set from your store. They save me a bit over a pound on the back end and have survived some bounces and crosswinds quite well. Many thanks!Hello VAF,
My name is Taylor, and I'm the owner/operator of the Aero Garage; a small company devoted to designing and manufacturing aftermarket components for experimental aircraft. I spent 7 years on the engineering team at Van's Aircraft during which time I designed, manufactured, and tested hundreds of components and tools for everything from the RV-3 to the RV-15. Nearly every machined part on the RV-15 came out of the Haas mill in my garage, and the ones too big to run at home I went in and machined on the larger factory machines. In August, when new-management decided to eliminate all remote work, I opted to dive into my "side hustle" full time.
I currently fly/own an RV-4 that I co-built with the help of some amazing colleagues. Having used a composite MT prop, I have since developed an obsession with weight reduction; particularly at the tail of the aircraft.
One of the first products I developed and just recently launched, Lite Links (below), are inspired by the previous Tail Lynx. However, I redesigned them to utilize a titanium body, titanium tongue and tang. I also reconfigured the spring to use a considerably lighter weight spring, while still delivering an appropriate spring rate. Furthermore, each end gets a bronze clamp-up bushing and brass capture washers which the eye and tongue pivot on, for smooth motion with tight fasteners at each end. The total installed weight, is just 120 grams (4.2 oz) per pair, less than half the weight of anything else I've found available. (Factory chains and springs are 260 grams).
View attachment 75339View attachment 75338
With over 100 hours of flight test, and 250 takeoffs/landings, Lite Links are available now and will start shipping next week. I'm running an introductory/holiday sale through the weekend on https://www.aero-garage.com/store
View attachment 75340
To all the early-adopters who've already ordered after seeing them in the "Tail Lynx" thread, I thank you sincerely, and am excited to get these into your hands.
Now that you've seen what's out, I'd like to share a product that's currently in testing... The Lite Fork.
View attachment 75341
View attachment 75342
View attachment 75343
The fork is machined from a single piece of billet aluminum on the 5 axis CNC mill. In the next machine over, the steerer spindle is turned and milled from titanium bar. And of course, a custom hollow titanium axle has been designed to perfectly fit the assembly, offering easy grabbing for a pin-style tow bar.
There's already half a dozen tailwheel forks out there, so what sets the Lite Fork apart?
Lightweight: 6.7 oz with axle (10 oz lighter than a standard Van's TW Fork assembly)
Lower profile: Designed to perfectly fit a lightweight DJM tailwheel, there is no extra width that needs to be shimmed with washers or spacers. In fact, the inside of the fork has a machined boss on each side for clean bearing contact, eliminating the need to try and slide washers into the cracks.
Better rudder clearance: The typical top stud, jam nut, and washer were omitted in favor of a low profile titanium top cap, saving 1/2" of vertical room. For airplanes equipped with titanium tails prings, this significantly reduces the chance of damaging your rudder fairing.
Static and dynamic testing are under way, as well as wear-surface material/treatment comparison. Production forks will be anodized in a variety of colors, and shared in this forum post when ready.
I look forward to meeting more of you, and revealing the next several components under development at The Aero Garage. Most updates/new products/sales will be announced in this thread, so subscribe to stay in the loop. You can also sign up for updates on the site, at:
-Taylor
View attachment 75344
My experience with replacing Aviation Products tailwheel and fork is a bit over a pound which is a lot that far back.
I don't have a weight number for the Condor Fork, but considering it looks like a stretched Bell Fork, I'd expect for you to to see 22+ oz saved for the fork, and you'd save another 2 oz with the Lite Links. So a pound and a half, at the aft-most point on the aircraft
I installed my fork last night. It's the only item I can now call finished on this project
. But damn it looks good!
If you go to the "Downloads" tab and look at the instructions for the Lite Links, it will make a little more sense. An RV-7 should definitely be the "Standard RV FSTW" unless the builder really went off the reservation with something. Really the only reason a custom length would be needed is if you had an older RV-3, -4, or -6 with the old style non-swiveling tailwheel that was converted to a full-swivel, or the builder just deviated from the plans otherwise. Or, you want a set of links for a completely different airplane.
