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Re: EFWD Build
Well Im not sure what is the problem but as far as Im concerned my tailwheel is junk. I torqued all the mounting hardware because I found the one bolt holding the tailwheel onto the leaf spring to be loose. I was certain this was why I was getting the shimmy. I unloaded the plane of all the ballast I had in the baggage bay and went out one turn in the pattern. Threw the spring for the third and final time. Certainly, I could buy different springs but I don't know why Im getting the shimmy in the first place. New T3 coming, along with the ABI 3224A tailwheel. Hope Im up again by the weekend. This was a purchase I had planned all along but Im just doing it a bit sooner than originally planned. If anyone has anything to share regarding the set up of my new system, please share. I believe I had my chains and springs set up properly from all the research I had done on the rigging. But.. I look at photos of airplanes that have my new set up and see that their chain and spring tension seems to be without slack whatsoever. Are those with the T3 and the new "Scott" type tailwheel putting some tension in the spring or leaving it with a small amount of slack in the chain?
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Re: EFWD Build
Eddie, you’re going to love the ABI/T3 setup. Make sure you have 40-50lbs of pressure in the tailwheel. That T3 is amazing.
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Re: EFWD Build
Eddie, if you are going to a Scott 3200 type tailwheel, this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtokU8mIDQk describes the correct way to adjust the springs. If you get them too tight the wheel won't want to break loose to free castor when needed.
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Re: EFWD Build
Thanks for the link Jim. I have an AB3200 too so this will help setup.
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Re: EFWD Build
Awesome, looking forward to this new set up. Thanks Jim, I had seen this video before and that is how I set up my tailwheel I have. Anyhow, I watched YouTube stuff for an hour or more last night and recognize I may have just thrown $$$ at a problem I may have been able to repair. I learned a bunch watching the Scott style tailwheel being disassembled and reassembled. I believed that the geometry was where it was at on stopping the shimmy but understand now that there are mechanisms within the tailwheel assy that are just as culpable as the geometry. Nonetheless, I should be back in the air this weekend and I can take my time disassembling the Matco that I have and see if I can discover the problem. If I have worn out the mechanisms inside my tailwheel already, then I really just needed to replace it anyhow. 30hrs is just not much time on anything.
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Re: EFWD Build
Please report back if you find a possible cause. I have the Marco and was planning a similar upgrade with time. Hoping to avoid the immediate upgrade if possible.
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Re: EFWD Build
Well, I finally got some flying in with the new T3 and ABI 3224A tail wheel stuff. Weather, mostly wind, has kept me down this past weekend. Down side first. The directions were not clear on the piece of aluminum that goes between the tailwheel and the T 3. So, torqued it all down and flew it. Noticed that the connection is sloppy after landing. Unfortunately I think that piece went into the trash so I get to fabricate a new one. So, don't make my mistake. As for the 1.7 hours I put on it doing 14 landings, I love it. Im biased though after having such bad shimmy over the past 10 hours prior to today. It is noticeable that the tail isn't back there doing the little bounces on that tire that I had on it. This setup just seems to contact the ground and stay. It all brought my tail up about 2 or 3 inches so my forward visibility is slightly improved for taxi but I can't really say I noticed a big difference. Still grabbing the overhead bars to lift myself a bit to see over the right side of the nose. Remember, Im short. But, As for bringing it in in a three point position with full flaps, I have regained some confidence since this thing is so stable on landing, and without shimmy. Money well spent I think, especially if you believe, like I do, that the tail wheel behavior last week nearly lead me to a ground loop. 7.5 hours left in phase 1 :cool:
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Re: EFWD Build
Thanks for the update! Do you have pictures how you have it installed? I think I know the aluminum piece your talking about.
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1 Attachment(s)
Re: EFWD Build
Only three bolts attach the T 3 and one to attach the ABI 3224A. Easy install.
The hardware I received was polished down. All the cadmium was removed so that the bolt
appeared to be a close tollerance bolt but it isn’t. Im not sure what was used but the shank
was totally uneven. I simply ran a reamer through the aluminum block and my new bolts went
right in. I didn’t even see that any material was removed from the part but it made
the bolt fit fine. The original bolt was slightly too long anyhow. I would have had to use
too many washers to keep the nut from reaching the shank. You can’t put anything but a thin washer
under the bolt head due to the clearance needed for the part that installs onto the block the previous bolts
Secures to the air frame. Attachment 22282Attachment 22282
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Re: EFWD Build
What happened to the Thread "Where I Fly". Thought I would post this video there to show where I am spending 40hrs. I don't see that thread anymore.
https://youtu.be/g_KMxxYDyH8
Flew it to 12,500 Friday morning. Still climbing 500 ft/min. In this video I was at 12000 doing 112 mph TAS and getting 2.9 gallons per hour!