What's in a tailwheel????

[DonMorrisey]

All my flying is in nosewheel airplanes so I know nothing about the
workings of tailwheels and this is not a question about differences
between nosewheel and tailwheel. The airplane I am building is a
tailwheel airplane (Bushcaddy R-120) and I have no trepidation about
mastering a tailwheel plane. I am starting my endorsement training
very soon and I am sure that if I practise enough, pay attention and
maintain my focus that I will do just fine with it.

I have been looking at various tailwheels. My kit came with an 8"
Matco pneumatic tailwheel and costs about $220 by itself. I have heard
people talk about Scott tailwheels and looked at the Scott 3200, which
I guess is the somewhat equivalent size to the one I have. The cost
however of the Scott tailwheel is $2000. This blows my mind. They
both look very similar. What could possibly make that Scott tailwheel
so expensive?

Thanks. Don...

[jerry wass]

DonMorrisey wrote:
> All my flying is in nosewheel airplanes so I know nothing about the
> workings of tailwheels and this is not a question about differences
> between nosewheel and tailwheel. The airplane I am building is a
> tailwheel airplane (Bushcaddy R-120) and I have no trepidation about
> mastering a tailwheel plane. I am starting my endorsement training
> very soon and I am sure that if I practise enough, pay attention and
> maintain my focus that I will do just fine with it.
>
> I have been looking at various tailwheels. My kit came with an 8"
> Matco pneumatic tailwheel and costs about $220 by itself. I have heard
> people talk about Scott tailwheels and looked at the Scott 3200, which
> I guess is the somewhat equivalent size to the one I have. The cost
> however of the Scott tailwheel is $2000. This blows my mind. They
> both look very similar. What could possibly make that Scott tailwheel
> so expensive?
>
> Thanks. Don...Mostly just one word--CERTIFIED--plus it is well built..
>

[Scott[_1_]]

They work nice? I loved the 3200 I had on my old Chief! Maybe it's a
liability issue...if someone groundloops, they'll try to blame it on the
tailwheel ;) A few years ago the 3200 was about $600 new. I could
"consider" that, but not $2000 for one tiny wheel with a swivel on it!

Scott


DonMorrisey wrote:

Scott tailwheels and looked at the Scott 3200, which
> I guess is the somewhat equivalent size to the one I have. The cost
> however of the Scott tailwheel is $2000. This blows my mind. They
> both look very similar. What could possibly make that Scott tailwheel
> so expensive?
>
> Thanks. Don...
>

[[email protected]]

Scott wrote:
> They work nice? I loved the 3200 I had on my old Chief! Maybe it's a
> liability issue...if someone groundloops, they'll try to blame it on the
> tailwheel ;) A few years ago the 3200 was about $600 new. I could
> "consider" that, but not $2000 for one tiny wheel with a swivel on it!
>
> Scott
>
>
> DonMorrisey wrote:
>
> Scott tailwheels and looked at the Scott 3200, which
> > I guess is the somewhat equivalent size to the one I have. The cost
> > however of the Scott tailwheel is $2000. This blows my mind. They
> > both look very similar. What could possibly make that Scott tailwheel
> > so expensive?
> >
> > Thanks. Don...
> >

Liability must be a big part of it. If you are building a
homebuilt and can buy an uncertified tailwheel that works as well, you
avoid the hidden costs.
The Maule steered easier than the Scott but was more prone to
shimmy. To control the shimmy, Scott uses a braking system built into
the swivel that adds friction, making steering stiffer. Their caster
lock works better and more accurately than Maule's and is more enclosed
so it doesn't get jammed up with dirt like Maule's does.
Does that Matco have a castering feature, or is the steering
arm solid with the swivel so that backing up the airplane is a pain?
I had a non-castering tailwheel that I modified to castering.
The locking mechanism is exposed and has to be cleaned, and has a
little slop in it, but that wheel doesn't shimmy. The Scotts we have
here sometimes shimmy and the Maules I used to have did it, too. Any
wear in the swivel bearings will aggravate it, as will weak or
too-flexible tail suspension springs or unbalanced wheels. Shimmy wears
tires out real quick.
If I was building another airplane I would make my own
tailwheel. Someone here on the 'net published plans for a neat one,
easy to make from aluminum angle and so on. Googling this group might
find a reference to it.

Dan

[DonMorrisey]

> If I was building another airplane I would make my own
> tailwheel. Someone here on the 'net published plans for a neat one,
> easy to make from aluminum angle and so on. Googling this group might
> find a reference to it.
>
> Dan

Dan,

Thanks very much for the info, I will try to find that tailwheel. The
8" matco, by my untrained eye , appears to be a well made tailwheel.
It is fully castering and has sealed bearings. You can see it at:
www.matcomfg.com just follow the prompts from products to tailwheels.
I guess the certification process is what costs the $$$$.

Don....

[DonMorrisey]

Dan

I found a link after a brief search here. The tailwheel you refer to,
I believe, is the "Bob Wheel" after Bob Barrow the designer. You had a
post or two on the discussion so I assume it is the right one. Plans
can be found but there is also a fellow who makes and sells these
tailwheels for about $600. His web site is:
http://www.irondesign-airparts.com/index.htm

Thanks again. Don.

[Scott[_1_]]

The only thing that might be a concern (and I don't know this for
sure)...does the matco have a solid rubber tire or inflated tire? Hard
rubber is a rough ride down cracked paved taxiways...I've always like
inflated tires like the Scott 3200...

Scott



DonMorrisey wrote:

>> If I was building another airplane I would make my own
>>tailwheel. Someone here on the 'net published plans for a neat one,
>>easy to make from aluminum angle and so on. Googling this group might
>>find a reference to it.
>>
>> Dan
>
>
> Dan,
>
> Thanks very much for the info, I will try to find that tailwheel. The
> 8" matco, by my untrained eye , appears to be a well made tailwheel.
> It is fully castering and has sealed bearings. You can see it at:
> www.matcomfg.com just follow the prompts from products to tailwheels.
> I guess the certification process is what costs the $$$$.
>
> Don....
>

[DonMorrisey]

does the matco have a solid rubber tire or inflated tire? Hard
> rubber is a rough ride down cracked paved taxiways...I've always like
> inflated tires like the Scott 3200...


Hi Scott, The Matco I have is an inflable tire and as stated looks to
be well built. What I have decided is that since it came w/the kit and
I own I will install it. If I have any issues I will purchase the
tailwheel from the irondesign site above. They report use in excess of
1000 hours with no issues.

Thanks. Don...

[Jarhead]

"DonMorrisey" > wrote in message
ups.com...
|
| does the matco have a solid rubber tire or inflated tire? Hard
| > rubber is a rough ride down cracked paved taxiways...I've always
like
| > inflated tires like the Scott 3200...
|
|
| Hi Scott, The Matco I have is an inflable tire and as stated looks to
| be well built. What I have decided is that since it came w/the kit
and
| I own I will install it. If I have any issues I will purchase the
| tailwheel from the irondesign site above. They report use in excess
of
| 1000 hours with no issues.
|
| Thanks. Don...
|

FWIW, I flew a Maule back in the 1970's that had a Scott tailwheel. It
broke on a short field landing, I.E. tail wheel first. On examination it
had a dark area over 1/2 way through the casting which showed a flaw
that was there before it broke. Defective from the factory? Somebody
else overstressed it? Who knows!

--
Jarhead

[Scott[_1_]]

Thanks for the info...sounds like a pretty decent little tailwheel.

Scott




DonMorrisey wrote:
> does the matco have a solid rubber tire or inflated tire? Hard
>
>>rubber is a rough ride down cracked paved taxiways...I've always like
>>inflated tires like the Scott 3200...
>
>
>
> Hi Scott, The Matco I have is an inflable tire and as stated looks to
> be well built. What I have decided is that since it came w/the kit and
> I own I will install it. If I have any issues I will purchase the
> tailwheel from the irondesign site above. They report use in excess of
> 1000 hours with no issues.
>
> Thanks. Don...
>

[[email protected]]

DonMorrisey wrote:
> Dan
>
> I found a link after a brief search here. The tailwheel you refer to,
> I believe, is the "Bob Wheel" after Bob Barrow the designer. You had a
> post or two on the discussion so I assume it is the right one. Plans
> can be found but there is also a fellow who makes and sells these
> tailwheels for about $600. His web site is:
> http://www.irondesign-airparts.com/index.htm
>
> Thanks again. Don.

That's a dandy wheel, but I don't think that's it. The one I
remember was made mostly of aluminum angle, bolted together really
simply. I can't find it anywhere.

Dan