Kitfox Aircraft Stick and Rudder Stein Air Grove Aircraft TCW Technologies Dynon Avionics AeroLED MGL Avionics Leading Edge Airfoils Desser EarthX Batteries Garmin G3X Touch
Results 1 to 3 of 3

Thread: Tailwheel hard to steer

  1. #1

    Default Tailwheel hard to steer

    Hey Team!

    Ran into an issue yesterday that's got my head scratching.
    Went up and flew for a bit and shot some landings. On final touch down I go to taxi toward the hanger and find its really hard to make a left turn with rudder.
    Right turns with the right pedal go easy but when engaging the left rudder pedal it takes considerable pressure to get it to turn. I shut down and start looking the plane over. No binding in the rudder tube assembly that I can see, the rudder cables look fine. I go around to the back and I find trying to turn the wheel to the left takes considerable effort but the right is easy and smooth. Lift the plane up and the rudder turns with no effort.

    This morning I go out to look it over. I jack the plane up by the tail spring to see if I can physically turn the wheel freely by hand. And it turns left to right with no issue.
    I set the plane down on its wheel again and try to turn the wheel by hand.....it turns with little effort. Go inside the plane and push the rudder pedals...they both turn with the same effort.
    The problem is now gone.
    And that's got me concerned.

    Any one here got an idea what it might be causing this and why it went away suddenly?
    Plane is a Kitfox Model II with a Maule TW-101 tailwheel , SFSA-1-4.

  2. #2
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    Mapleton,UT
    Posts
    1,224

    Default Re: Tailwheel hard to steer

    Maybe bearing going bad or tension wrong?
    Dustin Dickerson

    Building 7ss STI x 2
    Oratex
    29" shock monster
    EP912STI 155hp
    Garmin
    N33TF......FLYING!
    N53TF......FLYING!

  3. #3

    Default Re: Tailwheel hard to steer

    I was able to find a diagram online of the assembly of the tail wheel.
    I deduced the issue most likely would be from either the lock pin catching in the groove or the bearing hanging up.
    I figured bearing was least likely as it would not allow any rotation and drag if that was the case. I tore the tail wheel down and found my first assumption to be correct.
    Dirt and grime and old grease had compacted in the groove where the lock pin rides in on the left side. Causing it to catch and make further rotation difficult with out added pressure.
    A good cleaning and re-lube and the wheel now turns freely with little pressure needed. A bit of tax testing and a few flights later and I'm confident the issue is resolved.
    Just posting this if anyone in the future has issues similar that they may know where to start looking.

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •