14-13-2 tail wheel.

G

Gary Brink

New member
I put new seals in my tail wheel and was told to use brake fluid but I don't know how much brake fluid to put in it. Is the cylinder supposed to be all the way down or just part way down? It seems to me that if it is completely down and I fill it with fluid, there would be no shock absorbing value. Any suggestions?
 
It say's on page 3 of the owners manual to fully extend the gear and fill making sure you remove all air from cylinder. I don't think it makes sense,But that is how I do mine. :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
Thanks Randy! That is what I'll do. Incidentally, page three of my
owner's manual doesn't mention it but maybe it is in there somewhere else and I just didn't find it.
Gary
 
next paragragh above Landing Gear retract System. Have no Idea where the fluid moves to when the tail wheel gets loaded. :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
If I'm not mistaken, I believe the tailwheel strut is similar to the main landing gear in that when it is unloaded and extended in flight, the fluid is retained in the inner portion of the strut. Upon touchdown, the fluid is metered and moves to the outer portion of the strut, absorbing the shock and dampening any rebound. Once fully compressed, the fluid is out of the picture and the strut rides on a spring to absorb shocks when taxiing.

Compare this to a typical leaf-spring style shock absorbtion on a Scott or Maule and I think ours is a bit more deluxe...

By the way, my Cruisair was outfitted in 1956 to the 14-13-3 Main Gear Struts. These were different in that you fill them with the airplane sitting on the gear and the struts fully compressed. I have an old Operating Instructions from Bellanca that details the servicing of both types of struts....

I believe our system of oil dampened struts to be far superior to those that use spring steel. The airplane just seems to melt onto the runway if you set it down gently.

Gary: Lets go fly again when I get back....

Tim
 
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