The springloaded button that pops up to change the tailwheel from a shopping cart wheel to a steerable tailwheel has been depressed and not popped up. I suppose I could hit it with a stick driven by a hammer and hope it pops up again, but how does one disassemble the collar to fix the problem forever (perhaps the spring is broken? for now the tailwheel is always out of detente and swivels at will. I just stumbled on it so doesn't seem to have made much difference. (my plane has always been unresponsive in steering).
tailwheel
- Thread starter peterdeon
- Start date
lwford
New member
At the bottom of the tailpost, 3 saftied screws hold a large bronze bushing that the collar with spring rotates on. Remove the screws and with lots of Kroil slide the bushing out of the tail post and whoa there is the spring collar. Been there done that and yes I found that it didn't make to much difference in full castor mode. Press on Lynn 8)
I'm trying to figure out how to disassemble the collar to work on the button once it is removed from the plane. It does not appear to be made to be taken apart. I have a spare but it seems like the button is stuck in the "up" position. Need to put it in a vice and see if I can unstick it. Crazy-I have two of the collars-one stuck up and one stuck down. I guess I could figure which I am happiest with.
danschultz
Member
You should be able to pull the button out, there should be a little drain hole on the bottom side. Rebuilt my collar earlier this year as the factory no longer has any. The bronze insert was worn out in the collar and the flange on the big bushing in the tailpost was almost razor thin. Factory had the big tailpost bushings so I bought two. Holes need to be drilled in them but I viewed this as good to have a custom fit.
Was at the factory last Wednesday bought some seat tracks as the left pilot side broke out a while back. They still have about 10-15 complete sets for the left and right front seats. The 2005 Viking sold last week.
Dan
N6RJ
Was at the factory last Wednesday bought some seat tracks as the left pilot side broke out a while back. They still have about 10-15 complete sets for the left and right front seats. The 2005 Viking sold last week.
Dan
N6RJ
I think I'm understanding this button better. Both of my collars have unremovable buttons, and I thought that there was a flange at the bottom to keep it in place, but looking at the construction, that would be impossible. Can I drill out the stuck button, bush the hole and make a new button that rides on a spring that is freely removeable from the hole (OK get a machine shop to do this) and have pretty much what the factory intended when the plane rolled off the line back in the 50's?