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DIY For (easier) Taper Pin Removal

HFS

Well Known Member
Here is a little "mod" I made to the Taper Pin holding the tail wheel spring into its steel receiver.

Just get a slightly longer "grip" length, machine the taper out of the end to allow sliding into a 5/16 - 18 (or 24) hex nut, then TIG weld together. Having the nut solidly attached to the pin, allows for greater and easier torque application during the removal process.

Since the pin is hidden inside the fuselage - no additional drag is incurred.

YMMV - and probably will.

HFS
 

Attachments

  • “Modified” Taper Pin.jpg
    “Modified” Taper Pin.jpg
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I love it when David shows off just how much FUN he is having! It takes a certain kind of self confidence to post a picture of a weld on the internet these days :). Good on you David!
 
This looks like a great idea. For those of us without the ability to weld, what about machining a simple slot across the wide end, to accommodate a flat-blade screwdriver? Not as nice as your solution but still maybe better than vise grips.
 
Clever idea, I am hard pressed to find anything wrong about this, there seem to be no down sides.

Now - if I can get mine out (paint shop error on torque) this will be perfect. Although, I will have to work on my welding skill to post a picture :eek:
 
Heat Treating After Mod

I did not - thinking that where I was doing the welding was far enough away from the shear load so as not to materially effect the pin's performance, and the load undertaken (from a shear standpoint) is pretty minimal.

HFS
 
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