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Tailwheel Strut

 
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victorbravo(at)sbcglobal.
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PostPosted: Mon May 08, 2017 10:51 am    Post subject: Tailwheel Strut Reply with quote
And yet another technical question for the experienced Kolbers...

I have seen messages on the list about the use of several different materials for the tailwheel "stinger" spring. I believe I've seen posts about fiberglass, steel, and aluminum having been tried.

My Firestar has a tailwheel spring that may be fiberglass. There are no visible fasteners (bolts, rivets, etc) holding it into either the fuselage sub-fin or the tailwheel unit. I recently read that some of the springs were fiberglass rods that were glued in with epoxy instead of bolted. From what I have read, the fiberglass is not the best choice. So if mine is fiberglass, I'm guessing I should replace it.

So now... this big question! Does anyone on the Kolb list know if it is more or less desirable to use 7075-T6 aluminum, or 4130 / 4340 steel, or some other material, based on weight versus durability versus shock absorption?

The reason I am asking this is that I have a good piece of 7075-T6 material available (the old original Kolb aluminum gear leg that I removed). This material is used on a very large number of aircraft landing gear legs, both FAA certified and experimental. It is the preferred material used by the #1 manufacturer of aircraft landing gear in the world (Grove Aircraft).

What is the consensus among the experienced Kolbers about 7075-T6 used for the tail spring? Does it work well... does it break... is it the best balance between weight and strength... have all the people who used 7075 broken them and replaced them with steel????

Bill Berle
www.ezflaphandle.com  - safety & performance upgrade for light aircraft
www.grantstar.net           - winning proposals for non-profit and for-profit entities

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gdhelton(at)gmail.com
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PostPosted: Mon May 08, 2017 2:53 pm    Post subject: Tailwheel Strut Reply with quote
Well Bill, it is really a matter of personal preference. I haven't had a lot luck with the original fiberglass rod. I had two fail. Both failed in the trailer sitting static. Go figure. I've gone with new Kolb 7075-T5 rod and new breakaway tailwheel assembly
on my original Firestar it's a nice setup. Using a old landing gear leg would require a lot of machining I would think? But if you've got that kind of equipment I guess that is an option. I know some guys like to use a heat treated 4130 steel tube. I went with the aluminum only because I'd personally rather bend the rod before possibly damaging the rudder post and its weldments. Anyway, that's all my thoughts. I'm sure there are people on here with theirs too.

George H.
Firestar 1 #FS100
14GDH
gdhelton(at)gmail.com
Mesick, Michigan
Have a great day!

Quote:
On May 8, 2017, at 2:51 PM, Bill Berle <victorbravo(at)sbcglobal.net> wrote:



And yet another technical question for the experienced Kolbers...

I have seen messages on the list about the use of several different materials for the tailwheel "stinger" spring. I believe I've seen posts about fiberglass, steel, and aluminum having been tried.

My Firestar has a tailwheel spring that may be fiberglass. There are no visible fasteners (bolts, rivets, etc) holding it into either the fuselage sub-fin or the tailwheel unit. I recently read that some of the springs were fiberglass rods that were glued in with epoxy instead of bolted. From what I have read, the fiberglass is not the best choice. So if mine is fiberglass, I'm guessing I should replace it.

So now... this big question! Does anyone on the Kolb list know if it is more or less desirable to use 7075-T6 aluminum, or 4130 / 4340 steel, or some other material, based on weight versus durability versus shock absorption?

The reason I am asking this is that I have a good piece of 7075-T6 material available (the old original Kolb aluminum gear leg that I removed). This material is used on a very large number of aircraft landing gear legs, both FAA certified and experimental. It is the preferred material used by the #1 manufacturer of aircraft landing gear in the world (Grove Aircraft).

What is the consensus among the experienced Kolbers about 7075-T6 used for the tail spring? Does it work well... does it break... is it the best balance between weight and strength... have all the people who used 7075 broken them and replaced them with steel????

Bill Berle
www.ezflaphandle.com - safety & performance upgrade for light aircraft
www.grantstar.net - winning proposals for non-profit and for-profit entities






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victorbravo(at)sbcglobal.
Guest
PostPosted: Mon May 08, 2017 3:12 pm    Post subject: Tailwheel Strut Reply with quote
Thanks George, I'm trying to gather a consensus of people's experience with aluminum and steel. I have read about John H's preference for 4130 heat treated steel. I'm trying to get everyone else's opinion to have a fair comparison.

I happen to have this chunk of 7075 for free, so if it is a good material then it saves me the time/cost/shipping of buying material. If it is not a good material to use then of course any cost and time savings doesn't mean much.

Bill Berle
www.ezflaphandle.com  - safety & performance upgrade for light aircraft
www.grantstar.net           - winning proposals for non-profit and for-profit entities

--------------------------------------------
On Mon, 5/8/17, George Helton <gdhelton(at)gmail.com> wrote:

Subject: Re: Tailwheel Strut
To: kolb-list(at)matronics.com
Date: Monday, May 8, 2017, 3:52 PM


Helton <gdhelton(at)gmail.com>

Well Bill, it is really a matter of
personal preference. I haven't had a lot luck with the
original fiberglass rod. I had two fail. Both failed in the
trailer sitting static. Go figure. I've gone with new Kolb
7075-T5 rod and new breakaway tailwheel assembly
on my original Firestar it's a nice
setup. Using a old landing gear leg would require a lot of
machining I would think? But if you've got that kind of
equipment I guess that is an option. I know some guys like
to use a heat treated 4130 steel tube. I went with the
aluminum only because I'd personally rather bend the rod
before possibly damaging the rudder post and its weldments.
Anyway, that's all my thoughts. I'm sure there are people on
here with theirs too.

George H.
Firestar 1 #FS100
14GDH
gdhelton(at)gmail.com
Mesick, Michigan


Have a great day!

> On May 8, 2017, at 2:51 PM, Bill
Berle <victorbravo(at)sbcglobal.net>
wrote:
>
> --> Kolb-List message posted
by: Bill Berle <victorbravo(at)sbcglobal.net>
>
> And yet another technical question
for the experienced Kolbers...
>
> I have seen messages on the list
about the use of several different materials for the
tailwheel "stinger" spring. I believe I've seen posts about
fiberglass, steel, and aluminum having been tried.
>
> My Firestar has a tailwheel spring
that may be fiberglass. There are no visible fasteners
(bolts, rivets, etc) holding it into either the fuselage
sub-fin or the tailwheel unit. I recently read that some of
the springs were fiberglass rods that were glued in with
epoxy instead of bolted. From what I have read, the
fiberglass is not the best choice. So if mine is fiberglass,
I'm guessing I should replace it.
>
> So now... this big question! Does
anyone on the Kolb list know if it is more or less desirable
to use 7075-T6 aluminum, or 4130 / 4340 steel, or some other
material, based on weight versus durability versus shock
absorption?
>
> The reason I am asking this is
that I have a good piece of 7075-T6 material available (the
old original Kolb aluminum gear leg that I removed). This
material is used on a very large number of aircraft landing
gear legs, both FAA certified and experimental. It is the
preferred material used by the #1 manufacturer of aircraft
landing gear in the world (Grove Aircraft).
>
> What is the consensus among the
experienced Kolbers about 7075-T6 used for the tail spring?
Does it work well... does it break... is it the best balance
between weight and strength... have all the people who used
7075 broken them and replaced them with steel????
>
> Bill Berle
> www.ezflaphandle.com  -
safety & performance upgrade for light aircraft
> www.grantstar.net   
      - winning proposals for non-profit and
for-profit entities
>
>
>
>

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ceengland7(at)gmail.com
Guest
PostPosted: Mon May 08, 2017 3:58 pm    Post subject: Tailwheel Strut Reply with quote
For another data point, the original Twinstar I'm restoring appears to
have a fiberglass tailspring. It's s/n22, 1st registered in 1985. No
idea on how many hours are on it, but the guy I bought it from has
always flown a lot, so it likely has quite a few hours.

It doesn't appear to have any sag, and it's standing up fine so far for
me, but I'm just rolling the bare fuselage around the shop right now. Smile

Charlie

On 5/8/2017 6:12 PM, Bill Berle wrote:
Quote:


Thanks George, I'm trying to gather a consensus of people's experience with aluminum and steel. I have read about John H's preference for 4130 heat treated steel. I'm trying to get everyone else's opinion to have a fair comparison.

I happen to have this chunk of 7075 for free, so if it is a good material then it saves me the time/cost/shipping of buying material. If it is not a good material to use then of course any cost and time savings doesn't mean much.

Bill Berle
www.ezflaphandle.com - safety & performance upgrade for light aircraft
www.grantstar.net - winning proposals for non-profit and for-profit entities

--------------------------------------------
On Mon, 5/8/17, George Helton <gdhelton(at)gmail.com> wrote:

Subject: Re: Tailwheel Strut
To: kolb-list(at)matronics.com
Date: Monday, May 8, 2017, 3:52 PM


Helton <gdhelton(at)gmail.com>

Well Bill, it is really a matter of
personal preference. I haven't had a lot luck with the
original fiberglass rod. I had two fail. Both failed in the
trailer sitting static. Go figure. I've gone with new Kolb
7075-T5 rod and new breakaway tailwheel assembly
on my original Firestar it's a nice
setup. Using a old landing gear leg would require a lot of
machining I would think? But if you've got that kind of
equipment I guess that is an option. I know some guys like
to use a heat treated 4130 steel tube. I went with the
aluminum only because I'd personally rather bend the rod
before possibly damaging the rudder post and its weldments.
Anyway, that's all my thoughts. I'm sure there are people on
here with theirs too.

George H.
Firestar 1 #FS100
14GDH
gdhelton(at)gmail.com
Mesick, Michigan


Have a great day!

> On May 8, 2017, at 2:51 PM, Bill
Berle <victorbravo(at)sbcglobal.net>
wrote:
>
> --> Kolb-List message posted
by: Bill Berle <victorbravo(at)sbcglobal.net>
>
> And yet another technical question
for the experienced Kolbers...
>
> I have seen messages on the list
about the use of several different materials for the
tailwheel "stinger" spring. I believe I've seen posts about
fiberglass, steel, and aluminum having been tried.
>
> My Firestar has a tailwheel spring
that may be fiberglass. There are no visible fasteners
(bolts, rivets, etc) holding it into either the fuselage
sub-fin or the tailwheel unit. I recently read that some of
the springs were fiberglass rods that were glued in with
epoxy instead of bolted. From what I have read, the
fiberglass is not the best choice. So if mine is fiberglass,
I'm guessing I should replace it.
>
> So now... this big question! Does
anyone on the Kolb list know if it is more or less desirable
to use 7075-T6 aluminum, or 4130 / 4340 steel, or some other
material, based on weight versus durability versus shock
absorption?
>
> The reason I am asking this is
that I have a good piece of 7075-T6 material available (the
old original Kolb aluminum gear leg that I removed). This
material is used on a very large number of aircraft landing
gear legs, both FAA certified and experimental. It is the
preferred material used by the #1 manufacturer of aircraft
landing gear in the world (Grove Aircraft).
>
> What is the consensus among the
experienced Kolbers about 7075-T6 used for the tail spring?
Does it work well... does it break... is it the best balance
between weight and strength... have all the people who used
7075 broken them and replaced them with steel????
>
> Bill Berle


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