T3 tail clicking

[JoeRuscito]

Ive noticed some clicking that has gotten more and more noticeable when pushing my plane around. I have the T3 tail suspension and I notice it most when applying a side load to the assembly. For example if the tail wheel is locked in the straight forward position and I grab the handle and shift the tail back and forth but not enough to break the wheel loose to free caster. I cannot tell if it's coming from inside the tail or from the bolts/pivots and assembly of the T3 shifting slightly. Nothing seems to be loose and there isn't any apparent shifting at the attachment points to the fuselage. Im wondering if anyone else with the T3 notices this and if its maybe normal and something I shouldn't worry about.

[Jcard]

Same type of noise on mine.
The flex in the tubes is enough to make the aluminum cover on the vertical stabilizer make the noise.
It moves enough that I ran a scope all through the tail to try and find any issues, but none found.
The lenth of the T3 and the baby bush is long enough to have more side leverage on the tail.
Not going back to a leaf spring though.

[Shadowrider]

Mine did the same thing. I am running tundra lite tail wheel. Tighten the attachment bolt to the tailwheel. I did and it went away.

[JoeRuscito]

My wheel bolt is tight for sure. I took a video incase others have this too. Here’s what mine sounds like. Still need to tighten the T3 bolts to fuselage. It doesn’t seem that the movement is there. It seems like it’s in the T3 joints. So I lubricated them well. https://youtu.be/Rf7gucJUHDM

[airlina]

Wow , sounds just like my back in the mornin, when I get out of bed! Hope you get to the bottom of that . Bruce N199CL

[efwd]

That sounds like it could be wood rubbing on fiberglass. I would be looking closely at where your wood peices mate to the vertical stab fiberglass down just above the T3. Just a thought. I have this set up without that sound.

[jrevens]

Hi Joe,

You said it makes the noise mostly when applying a side load. Does it also make some similar noise when you push straight up & down on the tail? Have you supported the tail and moved the assembly by hand? You might try applying a little lube to the shaft of the spring dampener.

[Shadowrider]

Tighten the bolt that attaches your tailwheel to the t3. (Not your wheel bolt) Problem solved. Mine made the same noise, tighten it and noise is gone. You will not be able to visually see the movement, but there is slight movement between your tailwheel and t3.

[Shadowrider]

Tighten this bolt tighter

24364

[efwd]

Dustin sounds convincing. I can't recall but I believe there is also a shim in there as well. Not sure how it would behave if it were not in there.

[JoeRuscito]

Took the tail off the ground and did some more investigating. Its not the tail wheel connection but point of note, I did not use the shim. After calling customer service they told me this was not needed with the T3 and ABI tail wheel.

It seems there is movement at the top three pivots. I can see the two side plate shifting relative to one another and the pivots. Im going to call (if they are open) and see if I can get some advice. I oiled everything and still clicking.

[desertdave]

That sounds like it could be wood rubbing on fiberglass. I would be looking closely at where your wood peices mate to the vertical stab fiberglass down just above the T3. Just a thought. I have this set up without that sound.


^^^^^^ This and this ^^^^^^

[efwd]

I know, I was grasping. I hope its just torque on the bolts that rectifies it.

[jrevens]

Joe,

Make sure the bolts are all tightened as they should be. I know that the 2 top ones on the fittings that attach to the fuselage should be torqued tight to specs. Any of the other joints that need to rotate need to be tightened as recommended by ABW. Those will be the ones that are using castle nuts.

[JoeRuscito]

Thanks all. Got it sorted. After Johns comment above I re-read the installation instructions and went about going through the system throughly. I did not catch that the top two bolts were supposed to be re-torqued after install. So I snugged those which took away some of the noise. Still some creaking. Then I checked the wood ribs. Nothing moving. Then I loosened all of the castle nuts and bingo it was gone! So I lubricated them one by one (while loose to get it in the joints) and retightened to the same position they were in from the factory. That did it. The majority of the noise was coming from the pivot bolt that holds the front of the swing arm. I think that joint was dry and the little float there is in that joint caused the noise.