6" nosewheel

[dcsfoto]

has anyone seen a Kitfox with a 6" nosewheel ?


David
7SS 912iS Garmin Touch

soon to be a Big Bore 912iS

[Esser]

I'm pretty sure all of them are 6" nose wheels....

[Dave S]

Standard nose wheel is 5"

[Esser]

My mistake. Is it a 5.00x5?

[Dave S]

Josh,


You got it :)...5.00x5.


If anyone wanted to go to a 6", first deal is they would have to have a modification to the fork - the nosegear fork fits pretty close to the tire. Then it would raise the nose a bit too so it would not be a simple matter of just changing the wheel/tire.

[Paul Z]

I think Steve Wilson converted his nose wheel to a 6 inch wheel, you might check with him.

[SkySteve]

Yes I did. The front fork did have to be modified. I put a 6:00x6 on the front and 8:00x6 on the mains. It's a good mod.

https://i.imgur.com/XjqXsQX.jpg

[efwd]

Good Lord Steve, what process are you using to get your pics into the forum. It is so large that when I shrink it down to view it I can't even read your text because the letters are too small. We all need to use your method.

[SkySteve]

Eddie,
I tried really, really hard to downsize the photo to something sensible, but that bugger just would not shrink down!! I don't know what happened, but it IS HUGE!!:o:confused::eek:

In fact, I think the photo of the wheel is ACTUAL SIZE !!

Sorry, everyone.........:rolleyes:

[Paul Z]

Steve is just an Over Achiever. I hope everything is spelled correctly. The input area is the size of a postage stamp. I have no idea what I’m typing, and I can’t zoom in.

[Paul Z]

Steve is just an Over Achiever. I hope everything is spelled correctly. The input area is the size of a postage stamp. I have no idea what I’m typing, and I can’t zoom in.

[Frontier Fox]

Steve.
Isn’t your front wheel the famous patented “Brush Buster “ design?

[SkySteve]

Joe,
You've nailed it, buddy. The ol' original "Brush Buster"!

[SWeidemann]

Regarding KF nosewheels: Is there a history of (trigear) landing incidents similar to those the earlier Vans RV trigears have had?

I am also following the Wittman Tailwheel group and there is chatter about the risk of “digging in” to turf with very bad results (with the earlier RV nosegear). Tailwind folks have been using Vans nosegears for years. Apparently there has been a service bulletin and later a re-design of the RV nosegear. One of my hangar neighbors (with an RV 8 tricycle gear) had installed a retrofit fix on his to stiffen up the main nosegear strut.

Since I am third owner of a trigear Vixen (with visible evidence of some kind of un-documented nosegear incident), I am very curious.

Thanks anyone.

Skot

[SWeidemann]

Joe,
You've nailed it, buddy. The ol' original "Brush Buster"!

So...is the Brush Buster an actual thing? Can I order one?

Skot

[Frontier Fox]

If I’m not mistaken, Steve Wilson’s A&P put that nose wheel assembly together for him.
It is a one of a kind!

[SkySteve]

That's correct. My mechanic designed the change required for the part around the wheel and tire. The 600x6 wheel and tire are not only taller than the 500x5, they are also wider. Some cutting, designing and welding were involved. I also replaced the tension washers with heavier ones and had to tighten them fairly tight so I didn't have any shimmy when landing on hard surfaces, like real runways. Mine is a one-of-a-kind. And, no, my mechanic will not reproduce it for others. The "Brush Buster" is just a name we call it due to the kind of places we land.

[Dave S]

Regarding KF nosewheels: Is there a history of (trigear) landing incidents similar to those the earlier Vans RV trigears have had?

I am also following the Wittman Tailwheel group and there is chatter about the risk of “digging in” to turf with very bad results (with the earlier RV nosegear). Tailwind folks have been using Vans nosegears for years. Apparently there has been a service bulletin and later a re-design of the RV nosegear. One of my hangar neighbors (with an RV 8 tricycle gear) had installed a retrofit fix on his to stiffen up the main nosegear strut.

Since I am third owner of a trigear Vixen (with visible evidence of some kind of un-documented nosegear incident), I am very curious.

Thanks anyone.

Skot

Skot,

The majority of Kitfoxes are outfit with tailwheels so we have a smaller sampling to go by; however, I have been running our trigear S7 for 10 years now, including places where my tailwind tailwheel pals and most RV's don't go; and, my belief is there is nothing of concern with nosegear equipped Kitfoxes other than pilot technique and judgment about what type of surfaces to stay out of.

In training, we were taught to protect the nosegear, land on the mains and to specifically to keep the nosewheel light as possible when dealing with rough or soft surfaces.

There is no nosegear design that someone has not dug in and dumped over somewhere, somehow. Same with tailwheel gear aircraft. I don't think that I ever flew a high time rental cessna or piper that someone had not previously damaged a nosegear or firewall somehow by landing nose first.

The only design issues that I am aware of were covered in early designs of the fork and the nose gear leg which are certainly superseded at the present. These are listed in Kitfoxe's technical section on their web site.

I think the main deal with the trigear is to assure correct pilot technique, learn the aircraft's limits gradually on less than ideal surfaces - which includes walking some fields before attempting a landing on them; and, of course, being certain on inspection and maintenance.

[SWeidemann]

Dave,

I appreciate your input. I am still getting familiar with my Vixen and input from other tricycle gear Kitfox folks is helpful.

Skot

[fastfred]

Steve

I want to design a nose wheel set up similar to yours. Can you send me some closeup pictures to see how yours is done? It the fork steel or aluminum? My AP has a full machine shop . email is a074373@allstate.com