Another tailwheel question

rupertjl · Post by **rupertjl** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 4:56 pm

I've noticed on a few pictures of other 170 tailwheels that the springs are attached to the rudder control horn. My springs are attached to the tailwheel horn with the chain going up to the rudder control horn. Which is the right way?

Post by **Bruce Fenstermacher** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 5:20 pm

I'll go out on a limb and say the spring should be attached at the rudder horn end. That is the way they are shown in the IPC and the Scott installation instructions. As you note there seems to be as many ways to hook up the control chains as there are fuels to feed your engine ie mogas/avgas/mmo.

My opinion is that with the exception of using compression springs, it makes very little difference what combination you use ie Scott instructions, stock Cessna, 3200A steering arm or any combination. They all work the same, very poorly. I wouldn't use compression springs because they seem to add nothing but will cause damage to the tail wheel system ie bent control arms.

My experiance is that the single most important element in the tail wheel operation on a 170, excluding late '55-'56 models with the "improved" cable", is the operation of the tail wheel itself and the angel it's mounted.

To me it looks like it wouldn't make any difference which end the springs are attached to the chain except that according to the "Paper work" it wouldn't correctly installed and not legal.

rupertjl · Post by **rupertjl** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 5:39 pm

yea makes sense, I wouldn't think it would matter which end either, but I'll probably put it back the way it's "suppose" to be. Thanks for the info!

AR Dave · Post by **AR Dave** » Fri Jul 16, 2004 3:39 am

Hey Bruce,
I've always wondered about my '55 cables. My cables run from the tail wheel straight through the fuselage. What's the difference and why the change?

Fri Jul 16, 2004 11:41 pm

Dave
From my observation Cessna made the change in order to make the steering geometery better. What I mean is the cables pull straighter on the 55 and later tail wheel set up which I'd think would make them more effective.
I don't know if this is true in practice. George made the observation to me at the convention that the added complexity of the later system with the cables, pulleys and bulkheads that need to be maintained may note be worth any additional steering response achived.