Pietenpol-List: Tailwheel

matronics · Post by **matronics** » Wed Oct 30, 2002 2:53 pm

Original Posted By: Gdascomb(at)aol.com
Hi Group: Does anyone have plans for using a tailwheel with the coil spring type tail?Or does anyone sell plans or have plans ever been in the newsletters?Dennis Engelkenjohn________________________________________________________________________________

matronics · Post by **matronics** » Wed Oct 30, 2002 3:15 pm

Original Posted By: "Dennis Engelkenjohn"
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: TailwheelTry this for plans: http://www.geocities.com/keriannprice/P ... __________

matronics · Post by **matronics** » Wed Oct 30, 2002 11:33 pm

Original Posted By:
----- Original Message -----

matronics · Post by **matronics** » Thu Oct 31, 2002 11:32 am

Original Posted By: Kent Hallsten
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matronics · Post by **matronics** » Fri Nov 01, 2002 10:37 am

Original Posted By:

matronics · Post by **matronics** » Sun Dec 26, 2004 3:45 pm

Original Posted By: "Richard Navratil"
Subject: Pietenpol-List: TailwheelI want to build my own tailwheel -- don't want to use a tailskid. Would like to avoid buying a commercial tailwheel assembly. What makes the best tailwheel? Should I use Bernie's design for the strut and attachment but simplyattach a wheel at the end of the spring steel? What kind of wheel? I think I read that one fellow used a hockey puck....Am open to suggestions... By the way -- had to prove it for myself -- bought a nice piece of 5-ply birch plywood from Home Depot. Stuck a little piece in boiling water -- after twohours I peeled it apart like a banana! Not that any Piet would be exposed to boiling water for 2 hours, but I won't be using that stuff in my plane...Hope you all had a nice Christmas! And will have a happy New Year! "Here's to the duck that swam in the lake and never lost a feather -- may this time in another year we'll still all be together..."Fred B. ________________________________________________________________________________

matronics · Post by **matronics** » Sun Dec 26, 2004 5:29 pm

Original Posted By: TBYH(at)aol.com
I usedc the leaf spring with a Matco wheel assy. I don't like it and will be changingit over the winter. I am going to the design in the plans with a muchlighter wheel. Keep us posted on what you find for a wheel, I will be lookingalso.Dick N. ----- Original Message -----

matronics · Post by **matronics** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 4:37 pm

Original Posted By: Richard Navratil
RichardTake a look at clothes dryer wheel they are lignt and rugged.I didn't see you on the ice iceboating today.Dale Johnson----- Original Message -----

matronics · Post by **matronics** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 10:05 pm

Original Posted By:> "Richard Navratil"
Dick,What didn't you like about the Matco wheel assy.?Ted

matronics · Post by **matronics** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 11:30 pm

Original Posted By: "Ted Brousseau"
the matco is a fairly heavy unit. one could most likely fabricate something that weighs half as much.I, on the otherhand, need the tailweight to counter my Corvair installation so the Matco fits the bill nicelyDJ----- Original Message -----

matronics · Post by **matronics** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 1:05 am

Original Posted By: Clif Dawson

matronics · Post by **matronics** » Wed Dec 29, 2004 1:07 pm

Original Posted By: Rcaprd(at)aol.com
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: TailwheelIn a message dated 12/26/04 1:46:44 PM Pacific Standard Time, TBYH(at)aol.com writes:> I want to build my own tailwheel -- don't want to use a tailskid. Would > like to avoid buying a commercial tailwheel assembly. What makes the best > tailwheel? Should I use Bernie's design for the strut and attachment but simply> attach a wheel at the end of the spring steel? What kind of wheel? I think I> read that one fellow used a hockey puck....Am open to suggestions... Fred,I used the plans tail skid for quite a while, even flew to Brodhead & Oshkosh '03 with the tail skid. Let me tell ya...the skid is a GRASS ONLY tail dragger. I almost lost it on hard surface, several times !! I'm sure there wereseveral chuckles from the crowd watching me land at Oshkosh !! When I got back, I bought a heavy duty 3 1/2" caster wheel from Harbor Freight, and installeda bronze bushing in it, and installed it on the end of the tail skid, using the single arm method. The wheel didn't last long. The bronze bushing quicklywore out and the wheel wobbled a little, even though I kept it lubricated with grease. The tire came loose a little from the plastic wheel, also. I havesince bought a 3 1/2" wheel from Wicks, with the ball bearings in it, for $16,and it works fairly well. My only squawk about that wheel is it should have been a 4" wheel, because in tall grass I have to use differential braking to make sharp turns. Since I built the axle to the 3 1/2" dimension wheel, I can't go to a 4" wheel, unless I cut off the wheel mount, and start over.Chuck G.________________________________________________________________________________

matronics · Post by **matronics** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 1:19 pm

Original Posted By: horzpool(at)goldengate.net
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Tailwheel

matronics · Post by **matronics** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 1:23 pm

Original Posted By: horzpool(at)goldengate.net
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Tailwheel

matronics · Post by **matronics** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 9:09 pm

Original Posted By: Jim Ash

matronics · Post by **matronics** » Sat Jan 01, 2005 6:28 pm

Original Posted By: Rcaprd(at)aol.com
It's not the tail wheel . you need anti shim springs on your tail wheel.________________________________________________________________________________

matronics · Post by **matronics** » Sat Jan 01, 2005 11:10 pm

Original Posted By: Rcaprd(at)aol.com
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Aileron control horn and stopsIn a message dated 1/1/05 11:35:38 AM Central Standard Time, at7000ft(at)gmail.com writes:>Rick,For my aileron stops, I use the inside of my thighs !! There is No Way, I could go full aileron stick, with my feet on the rudder bar. If I move my leg,and go full stick, so the bottom of one aileron touches the aileron spar, there is probably 1/8" or 3/16" between the horn on the stick, and the floor.Chuck G.________________________________________________________________________________

matronics · Post by **matronics** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 1:20 am

Original Posted By: "walt evans"
Well the list is very quiet today so I figure I will show you my recently completed tailwheel. I used the stock "A"-arm with the compression spring. I then ran a 1" tubing through the bottom of the arm inside the spring cup to act as a bearing for 7/8" tubing with the wheel fork on it. The fork is 0.063 u-channel I bent on my bench vice mounted bending brake (see http://westcoastpiet.com/bench-top_bender.htm for details on this contraption that works amazingly well). The wheel is a 4" job from ACS. I had to put in a bushing to bring the axel diameter from 5/8 to 3/8. 3/8" bolt was chosen because it's head fit inside the u-channel. As soon as I get it finished I will weigh it and compare it to a leaf spring setup. I will have large pictures posted on my website soon @ http://westcoastpiet.com/chris_tracy.htm Thanks to everyone on this list who sent me pictures of their tailwheel and helped with advice. Unfortunately it will be a long time before I know if this works or not.Chris TracySacramento, Ca________________________________________________________________________________Date: Thu, 07 Sep 2006 06:41:56 -0400

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