Fourth Wheel ?

01-23-2012, 11:26 AM

Russ Kotlarek | Fourth Wheel ?

Nice in having all your input on issues while I'm building so I can address them before I get to flying, Thanks !!

I have been working on my tail and wanted to take a sealed slef lubricated 3/4" "pin bearing" mounted to a tail should I raise the nose slightly too high on landing, it would roll on this before using the tails own fiberglass as a runway feeler.

It was between this or laminating a Carbide plate to the bottom of the hull much like Snow Mobile's use on the ski's.

Any input to a preference in this regard? Either would work I think but the 3/4" pin wheel seemed to be less destructive to both itself and the runway. It does not need to indure 3000 lbs only possibly 50 lbs give or take to push the tail back up.

01-23-2012, 12:21 PM

Mike | Default

LOL....

I have 2 nylon skid blocks, one on either side......or at least I use to

01-23-2012, 09:15 PM

Russ Kotlarek | Default

Mike,

Have the nylon blocks been tested a number of times and if so how much gets taken off each time 1/8" or ??? Maybe that is a better answer overall. It certainly would be lighter, please do look and let us know the width of your blocks and what you feel might be the wear wach time they are used if you can guess at it.

Hey I know measure and go test it 5 or 6 times

Thanks

Russ

01-23-2012, 10:02 PM

Ed Lynch | Fourth wheel or tailskid??

Russ, your 4th wheel sounds good...but let me tell you how I dealt with the problem of hitting the tail on takeoff or landing.

On my first flight, I scraped the tail on landing, and caused a small bevelled area to appear at the stern ( that's the back, I think!) Ask Jack.. After a few more flights the area grew a little bigger, but always at the same angle, about 15 degrees or so. Since I had foamed all the unused space in the water rudder compartment, there was no leakage issue. After two years and lotsa landings, my Seawind now comes to a point in the rear (stern), and my top speed has increased twenty Knots to about 235K on a good day.

Each year, during my annual, I touch up the scraped spot with another quart of paint, so this system is not without its cost.

So, letting you Seawind go natural is also an option!

Ed

01-23-2012, 11:21 PM

Fred Lohr | Default

Ha..Ed that is hilarious... I too have been flying with my tail naked...no pants on .Mostly i get grass stains on my derierre on the turf, but if i ever decide to do something back there I think it will be a plate cause the sparks would be cool on a paved runway at nite.

01-24-2012, 08:36 PM

Mike | Default

Now fred has the right idea....skid plate complete with sparks. All that is missing is the flame throwers from the exhaust.

01-25-2012, 12:43 AM

mike reibling | Talking Have a little respect and keep your tail to yourself.

All right that's enough.

You guys sound like a bunch of young punks with their pants done up under their ass while wearing a thong.

Jack where the hell are you.......... Sound like there is a bunch of boys that must of skipped class and need summer school.

01-25-2012, 01:14 AM

Jack Ardoyno | Tail Skid

Mike,

It sounds like the guys are just having a little good,clean fun.

Russ,

the nylon skids work the best and it will take a long time to wear them down.

A better solution is to practice diligently to [u]never[u] touch down on the runway at less that 65-67 knots. This gives a lot of tolerance before being so nose high as to strike the tail. To hit the tail first the nose has to be uncomfortably high, but we can all do it. I probably stress this most of all in training for the runway.

Jack

01-26-2012, 01:16 AM

keithw | Tail Dragging Problems

I have two nylon skids and have never scraped, dragged, scuffed,or any deformation what soever in all 469 plus hours of flying. Problem with this disertation I will probably scrap her a good one on the next landing!!!???? Keith Walljasper N80CC

01-26-2012, 08:36 AM

Mike | Default

Quote:

Originally Posted by keithw View Post

I have two nylon skids and have never scraped, dragged, scuffed,or any deformation what soever in all 469 plus hours of flying. Problem with this disertation I will probably scrap her a good one on the next landing!!!???? Keith Walljasper N80CC

Keith, thats because you change them after each flight....