plagergren
Member
Re: tail wheel spring on RV-8
I'm having to modify my tail wheel system because the holes in the aft portion of the spring where the tail wheel socket is located were drilled slightly off line so the tail wheel is tilted 1 degree to the right. Doesn't sound like much but it wore off the right side of the tire and the airplane really wants to turn right when the tail wheel is down. I've bought all new parts including tail wheel fork, tire and mounting socket. My question, since I didn't build the airplane, are the AN3 bolt(s) that hold the spring in the tailcone drilled accurately by Van's or is that left to the builder? I would hate to drill the new socket and the spring and find that all of it is still crooked.
BTW, as a former Staggerwing owner, one of the primary takeoff checklist items was to get the airplane straight on the runway and lock the tailwheel before you made the R985 angry. If you didn't lock it you were going to do a circle on the runway. Locked, it went straight and accelerated like crazy. Anyone know why Van's doesn't use a lockable tailwheel?
I'm having to modify my tail wheel system because the holes in the aft portion of the spring where the tail wheel socket is located were drilled slightly off line so the tail wheel is tilted 1 degree to the right. Doesn't sound like much but it wore off the right side of the tire and the airplane really wants to turn right when the tail wheel is down. I've bought all new parts including tail wheel fork, tire and mounting socket. My question, since I didn't build the airplane, are the AN3 bolt(s) that hold the spring in the tailcone drilled accurately by Van's or is that left to the builder? I would hate to drill the new socket and the spring and find that all of it is still crooked.
BTW, as a former Staggerwing owner, one of the primary takeoff checklist items was to get the airplane straight on the runway and lock the tailwheel before you made the R985 angry. If you didn't lock it you were going to do a circle on the runway. Locked, it went straight and accelerated like crazy. Anyone know why Van's doesn't use a lockable tailwheel?