Tailwheel Leaf springs replacement

[aaronhunley]

After giving up and comeing home, I opened up the parts catalog and i'm even more confused. The tail of my plane doesnt look anything like it. It has the same set as the picture DaveF posted above.

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Are the new springs thicker, because my spring shackle(85) will not fit? I think I have to order a new one.


I'm not sure what to do.

[c170b53]

Could you have ordered the c170 spring set instead of the 170A-B set by mistake? Which model do you have? What type of tailwheel spring housing is installed on your plane (many have been changed to the late style). As suggested in other posts you should compress the spring stack together for reassembly, this may cure your spring cable guard fit or it might be the case that someone has fabricated that part previous to your ownership and now you must fit a new one. What ever don't panic because someone here has the answer provided you give us the backround info.

[aaronhunley]

My plane is a 48. What I am thinking is the spring system was switched to an A-B type?? The spring set that I ordered was for a 170 on the 5th loose spring (or the smallest) it says PMA 120, 140, 170. All the other ones say PMA 140, 170, A-B. I didn’t know there was difference /and mine was changed. So I’m going to assume that I toss the smallest one and go ahead with the install.?

[GAHorn]

If you compare the 170 IPC Fig 20, page 38, ... with the 170-B Fig 29, page 54 (or the conversion Service Kit illustrations) IPC you will see that the top short spring, PN 0442107, is not used on subsequent/later tailwheel bracket assy's. In other words, only use the bottom 4 springs on the later "alligator mouth" bracket.

[blueldr]

It's been a long time, but I seem to remember that the C-170 used five spring leaves and the C-170B used four. They used to come in a set of five and the shortest one was discarded when installing on a B model.

[aaronhunley]

Thanks George and bluedr! I’m pretty sure that’s what is going on here. I don’t have the parts catalog of a B model or any documentation of a conversion, which I’m kinda worried about. I’ve looked though all the 337s and STCs and didn’t find any conversion. I did find that the tailwheel bracket assembly was replaced with the original PN# 0512125. Where can I get a copy of the conversion service kit? I want to give this to my IA so I documentation of this change on record.

BTW I’ll take a picture and post it why I ordered all 5 or 4 of the springs. After pulling them off I’m glad that I got them. The old ones are really bent and distorted.

[GAHorn]

Aaron, send me an email request and I'll pop it right back to you when I get home tomorrow.
gahorn146ys (at) hotmail

[jeg170]

What would be a good choice for prep, primer, and paint on a replacement spring?

Thanks,

Joe

[GAHorn]

Follow the paint directions. The "correct" paint color for these springs and brackets is DuPont Imron, "Gull Grey", #55137U"

[aaronhunley]

Thank everybody so much for helping me!!! I need some more help before I can fly.
As I was trying to put this all back together last week and I determined I needed to replace the spring shackle. So I hopped on the internet and ordered a shackle from univair. I finally received it and it’s for a 140  (too small). I can’t find the one for our planes pn#0542108. I emailed Univair and Air Repair if they have it (after they closed). I found one for an L-19 pn#0642108, but would it be too big??? I’ve asked air repair the same thing too. If its not interchange able where can I find one.
Thanks

[GAHorn]

The L-19 part is the same for a 170.

[buzzlatka]

So we had a massive vibration on the tailwheel the other day, heavy airplane very high density altitude. It shook one of the springs off the chain and left it on the runway. Found the spring on the runway and clipped it back on. The tailwheel was about done so we replaced it. What we found was that the main bolt attaching the tailwheel to the leaf spring was loose and the whole assembly was shaking.
Airplane is in annual right now (good timing) and we replaced the tailwheel tire.
1. I am looking for a place to buy the eyebolt PN0642105. Air repair was mentioned earlier, is that air repair inc in cleveland mississippi?

2. The 0442011-3 spacer has been mentioned. I am pretty sure we have it installed but from the parts catalog it looks a lot smaller than the spacer I have on my tailwheel.

3. I like the alignment photo that is posted on the first page, is that with the aircraft loaded at max gross?

4. If I use the regular bolt should I get cadmium or stainless (the two choices from spruce). George, you say to get an an5-20a but the parts catalog lists an an7-20a. Am I looking at the right page?

As always thanks.

[GAHorn]

I corrected the typo. The original bolt is AN7-20A.

The eyebolt, PN 0642105 is available from Air Repair, Inc, Cleveland MS. Remind them you're a 170 Assoc'n member.

The 0442011-3 spacer adapts the tailwheel casting to the leaf-spring proper width. If it fits your leafspring snugly...it is correct.

The alignment illustrations of landing gears is 2,000 lbs aircraft wt. (CG is not known, but like the wt, is presumed to be average or center.)

The original AN7-20A bolt was cadmium plated.

Hope this helps.

[buzzlatka]

Thanks so much for the info. I Think I am going to throw away all my aviation reference material and just use you from now on!