ASW 19 tail wheel

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I have now destroyed two of those silly rubber tail skid/wheel things on my ASW-19. It's a black rubber skid shaped device that has a roller blade wheel molded into it. It looks cool. But if you push it sideways too many times the wheel gets ripped out of the skid. Or if you fly out of a grass field frequently, eventually a rut or a bump will rip the wheel out of the skid. In the long term, I'll probably install larger tail wheel mod. But I, also thinking sticking a skid (without a wheel) on there. Has anybody tried this? And if so, where did you get the skid?

[JS]

I'd suggest just go for the tailwheel mod. Moving the glider around is so much easier, especially pushing it backwards in grass or dirt.
Jim

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Have you tried this cheaper alternative:

http://fbw-flugzeugbau.de/parts-for-gliders-and-motorgliders/tail-wheels-for-Gliders/tail-wheels/Tail-wheel-complete-for-ASW-15-19-20-etc::841.html?language=en

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Have you you tried this cheaper alternative:

http://fbw-flugzeugbau.de/parts-for-gliders-and-motorgliders/tail-wheels-for-Gliders/tail-wheels/Tail-wheel-complete-for-ASW-15-19-20-etc::841.html?language=en

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On Sunday, September 4, 2016 at 10:47:55 PM UTC-4, JS wrote:
> I'd suggest just go for the tailwheel mod. Moving the glider around is so much easier, especially pushing it backwards in grass or dirt.
> Jim

I agree. We have put several on and everyone that has one agrees it is a big improvement, both for ground handling and flying.
UH

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On Sunday, September 4, 2016 at 7:47:55 PM UTC-7, JS wrote:
> I'd suggest just go for the tailwheel mod. Moving the glider around is so much easier, especially pushing it backwards in grass or dirt.
> Jim

Agree, I had a 19 and Rex did the tailwheel mod and it was just great. Orig wheel/steel wheel sounded aweful landing on runways and if the runway was not smoother, ..cringe. The pneumatic tire so much softer, smoother and quiet.

[Dan Marotta]

The wheel you describe is designed to separate from the rubber mount, or
the entire rubber mount to rip off, to save you breaking the tail boom.
The rubber mount is held on with contact cement. And why in the world
would you push the tail sideways anyway? If you want to maneuver your
ship on the ground as you described, put the tail dolly on. A steel
skid will be great for grass or dirt, but will provide no directional
stability on pavement.

My old LS-6a had a hard plastic wheel mounted as you describe and it was
awful both from a noise and traction standpoint. I changed it to a
roller blade and was delighted.

On 9/4/2016 8:35 PM, wrote:
> I have now destroyed two of those silly rubber tail skid/wheel things on my ASW-19. It's a black rubber skid shaped device that has a roller blade wheel molded into it. It looks cool. But if you push it sideways too many times the wheel gets ripped out of the skid. Or if you fly out of a grass field frequently, eventually a rut or a bump will rip the wheel out of the skid. In the long term, I'll probably install larger tail wheel mod. But I, also thinking sticking a skid (without a wheel) on there. Has anybody tried this? And if so, where did you get the skid?
>

--
Dan, 5J

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Actually not so much pushing sideways as towing it on the ground in any direction other than perfectly straight. After destroying skid #1, I don't deviate from straight by even one degree without the dolly. But that doesn't help much when you get a tow out of a rough field. I know the skid is supposed to come off to protect the tail boom, but the design in these skid/wheel combos is particularly poor. If you look at it sideways the wheel gets ripped out, leaving you with a lovely soft rubber skid.

I do think the FBW skid/wheel mentioned here earlier is worth a try. At least if I wreck it I'll only feel half as bad.

[JS]

When rollerblades came out, their wheels were considered an improvement over the standard white plastic tailskid wheels. Much less fragile.
Darnell also make (or at least used to make) quality load-rated caster wheels that fit those skids.
Either the 210x65 or 200x50 tailwheel mod is a huge improvement over the rollerblade or Darnell wheels.
Nylon, alloy or brass wheels are available for CG adjustment.

Since the LS6 was brought up, there is already a tailwheel cup inside the fuselage of even the A model. It's glassed over if the 210x65 tailwheel option wasn't ordered from the factory.
Jim

[Dan Marotta]

Interesting about the built-in cup for a pneumatic wheel. I had no
idea! My '6 came with the white plastic wheel mounted in a steel cage
which was then bolted into the rubber skid/fairing thingie. The roller
blade wheel was of too large a diameter to fit into the cage so I
reduced it by mounting it on a mandrel and, using a file, cut it down to
size. I always wondered about its survivability since it was built for
skating speed, not 50 kts, but it didn't wear out in about 6 years of
flying the ship.

On 9/5/2016 2:11 PM, JS wrote:
> When rollerblades came out, their wheels were considered an improvement over the standard white plastic tailskid wheels. Much less fragile.
> Darnell also make (or at least used to make) quality load-rated caster wheels that fit those skids.
> Either the 210x65 or 200x50 tailwheel mod is a huge improvement over the rollerblade or Darnell wheels.
> Nylon, alloy or brass wheels are available for CG adjustment.
>
> Since the LS6 was brought up, there is already a tailwheel cup inside the fuselage of even the A model. It's glassed over if the 210x65 tailwheel option wasn't ordered from the factory.
> Jim

--
Dan, 5J

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Roller blade wheels are available in sizes/diameter starting at 42mm (1.65") up to 150 mm (5.9") from

Www.inlinewarehouse.com

Good service and prices

Jim Callaway

[JS]

On Monday, September 5, 2016 at 3:45:40 PM UTC-7, Dan Marotta wrote:
> Interesting about the built-in cup for a pneumatic wheel. I had no
> idea! My '6 came with the white plastic wheel mounted in a steel cage
> which was then bolted into the rubber skid/fairing thingie. The roller
> blade wheel was of too large a diameter to fit into the cage so I
> reduced it by mounting it on a mandrel and, using a file, cut it down to
> size. I always wondered about its survivability since it was built for
> skating speed, not 50 kts, but it didn't wear out in about 6 years of
> flying the ship.
>
> On 9/5/2016 2:11 PM, JS wrote:
> > When rollerblades came out, their wheels were considered an improvement over the standard white plastic tailskid wheels. Much less fragile.
> > Darnell also make (or at least used to make) quality load-rated caster wheels that fit those skids.
> > Either the 210x65 or 200x50 tailwheel mod is a huge improvement over the rollerblade or Darnell wheels.
> > Nylon, alloy or brass wheels are available for CG adjustment.
> >
> > Since the LS6 was brought up, there is already a tailwheel cup inside the fuselage of even the A model. It's glassed over if the 210x65 tailwheel option wasn't ordered from the factory.
> > Jim
>
> --
> Dan, 5J

Mark Grubb found out after he manufactured a wheel cup and then opened the tail boom of 6046. I'd replaced the wheel a few times before going to a real wheel.
"DOH!"

If you install a fairing around the wheel, mind that the trailer wheel cup is filled enough to stop the gelcoat rubbing. Check the tow bar for rubbing too. Also make a notch in the fairing so you can inflate the tire without removing it.
Or use Schempp-Hirth's bolt-on fairing.
Jim

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Why not just use the tail dolly when you tow the glider on the ground? I've flown my ASW-15B off a moderately rough grass field for over a dozen years and more than 700 hours with the rollerblade wheel equipped glue-on tailwheel I got from Eastern Sailplane back when I bought the ship and haven't had a single problem with it.

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Thanks for the hints. I ordered the tail wheel from GB flugebau. It's got here quickly, cost less than 1/2 the schleicher price and it appears to be more sturdy. You gotta love it!