Taildragger Conversion

[RoyHelsing]

I am considering buying a used KitFox4. It was not originally built as convdrtiable from tricycle to tail wheel, but last owner had it modified. The A&P tat did the conversion told me that the mains are located where they were originally, all he did was add what was needed to install that tricycle gear. Conversion is simply removing the nose wheel assembly, and putting the wheel (tire) on the rear. What is bothering me, is the mains are located toward the rear of the door, and most of the pictures i see of tail dragger KitFoxes side the mains quite a bit forward of that (more near the front of the door). I know the A&P and I believe him when he tells me the mains are where they where when it was a tail dragged —- but still, they seem too far aft to me and I can’t find any pictures of KitFoxes with he means that far aft. If any of you can provide any insight on this I would appreciate it.

[Benbell4140]

I don’t know anything about the model 4 but this doesn’t sound correct. The model 6-7 have two different points to attach the main gear. One towards the rear of the door (for tricycle) and another mounting point towards the front of the door (for tailwheel config). Possibly the A and P was trying to say that they have two different attach points. It’s possible that someone welded in some additional attach points prior to covering the fuselage with fabric.


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[desertdave]

Hoisting the BS flag on that.
Taildragger, mains are towards the front of the door
Trike, mains are towards the back.
Same airplane as a trike and a taildragger
IMG_0617.jpg
IMG_0706.jpg

[109JB]

The Kitfox 4 gear does mount toward the back of the door when in taildragger configuration.

20200705_071713.jpg

[Benbell4140]

The Kitfox 4 gear does mount toward the back of the door when in taildragger configuration.

20200705_071713.jpg

Ahh.. like I said I know nothing about the -4 but it looks as if you could “almost” swap the gear legs left and right to move the mains fore or aft. Of coarse this would most likely require some mods to the gear. Just me thinking out loud.


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[Dusty]

I am assuming you have Grove gear? There is a different mount to locate forward (taildragger) or rear (nose roller)
If you need the rear mounts I have a pair you can have for the price of freight from NZ .
The original style nosegear uses the mount under the lift strut as the rearmost attach point. The taildragger gear uses the two mounts between the lift strut and float mount

[RoyHelsing]

I am assuming you have Grove gear? There is a different mount to locate forward (taildragger) or rear (nose roller)
If you need the rear mounts I have a pair you can have for the price of freight from NZ .
The original style nosegear uses the mount under the lift strut as the rearmost attach point. The taildragger gear uses the two mounts between the lift strut and float mount

I am considering buying a used KitFox4. It was not originally built as convdrtiable from tricycle to tail wheel, but last owner had it modified. The A&P tat did the conversion told me that the mains are located where they were originally, all he did was add what was needed to install that tricycle gear. Conversion is simply removing the nose wheel assembly, and putting the wheel (tire) on the rear. What is bothering me, is the mains are located toward the rear of the door, and most of the pictures i see of tail dragger KitFoxes side the mains quite a bit forward of that (more near the front of the door). I know the A&P and I believe him when he tells me the mains are where they where when it was a tail dragged —- but still, they seem too far aft to me and I can’t find any pictures of KitFoxes with he means that far aft. If any of you can provide any insight on this I would appreciate it.

Thanks to everyone. Most of you have the same opinion I hand, I thing the A and P is wrong - mains need to move forward if in tricycle mode. I have not seen the pane yet, going to look at it in about 10 days, but maybe it will be cleared when I see it. Here is a photo if that helps.DC1B3020-5DF1-4D3A-9CC4-9F6497960039.jpg

[rv9ralph]

So here is another possibility. On the 4, with the gear design, if you put the right gear on the left, and the left on the right, it will change the location of the axel to be proper location for either conventional or Tri gear.

The attach points on the fuselage are the same. That may be part of the confusion.

Ralph

[bogmonster]

Take a look at the pictures in my classified ad.

https://teamkitfox.com/Forums/thread...ALE-Nose-Wheel

There are different grove mounts that attach to the forward attach points for taildragger and aft for nose wheel.