One of the reasons we decided to make these tailwheels is that I had a failure on my Pete Models carbon tailwheel at the yoke. The arms that the axle attached to broke after about 35 flights. So I wanted to make a lightweight one piece wheel carriage that not only looked good, but could be utilized with existing leaf setups as well as the "Haigh Style" wire setup.
Personally, I think the wire setups look better than the leaf arrangements, particularly on round fuselage bottoms like on many composite airplanes. (Composite Arf Yaks and Extra 260s for example)
The pictures below are the J&J carriage attached to a Pete Models Carbon Leaf spring. This is on my 35% Dalton Extra 260. I am using the Maxx Products 1.5" wheel. This setup weighs about the same as my Pete Model setup with a DUBRO tailwheel. The Carbon Fiber leaf spring is still good, although it is beginning to show some delamination now after about 50 flights.
The Pete Models and Graph Tech tailwheels use a 6-32 screw to attach the wheel carriage to the leaf spring. The carriage is .8" tall at the point where it attaches to either the titanium wire or a screw and leaf spring. The outer diameter of the bushing is 3/8” and the inner is 1/4" and the flange on the bushing is 1/16" thick.
At Joe Nall we installed our carriage on a Krill 37% Yak Carbon Spring. The factory setup failed but the spring was still good. We used some of the existing hardware and a 6-32 screw and spacer and it was good to go.
6-32, 8-32, and 10-24 Setups
This is the best and lightest method for retrofitting to an existing leaf spring setup. The pictures to the left show how I attached the wheel carriage to my Pete Models Leaf Spring. I used 3/8" OD 13/16" tall aluminum spacers for a 6-32 screw. I Inserted the screw with a washer into the top of the leaf spring, then put another washer on the screw, put the spacer and wheel carriage on the screw then a washer and 6-32 lock nut. This setup allows you to tighten the screw down on the spacer and leaf spring and allows the wheel carriage to have .0125" of movement up and down on the spacer to prevent binding. The 3/8" diameter provides a wide bearing surface on the carbon and because the connection to the leaf is very tight there is little chance of wearing and fatigue. (4-8-2008...We are now supplying the 6-32 spacer for free to people who order only the wheel carriage below-If you need different spacers they can be purchased at the link below)
Click here to goto and spacers at McMaster-Carr
RETROFIT SPECIAL!!!!
$60 plus $5 Shipping and Handling, $25 International Shipping (Includes Spacer)
