Tailwheel axle

[DuaneShockey]

Years ago some member made available for the ends of the tailwheel axle very nice extension nuts. Our hand tow bars attached to much better to the wider contacts. Anybody know where they can be had. Duane Shockey San Diego

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

Duane sent me the following picture of what he is looking for. In the picture you can see the extenstions on the mounted tire and there is a plain axle bolt for reference.

P1030243.JPG

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

Duane,

I don't have a source for these other to make or have made, your own set. The axle nut would be fairly easy for a machinist to make. Looking at the bolt head side the only thing I can think here is they made the extension with a 5/16 stud to screw into the normal grease fitting already in the axle then drilled the new nipple for the grease fitting. This would also be easy to make on a lathe.

[GAHorn]

While it wouldn't necessarily be dangerous should it happen... using the small NPT Zerk-fitting threads to attach a tow-bar extension would likely distress those threads handily. The extension might be easily broken-off.

I once bought a tailwheel tow-bar such as uses this set-up and found it not very handy at all. It was difficult to "push" the airplane around, (and it was easy to imagine damaging the rudder in the event), ...although pulling it backwards was OK.
The arrangement was so unweildy that I used the towbar only a couple times and sold it to the first person who'd pay anywhere near the purchase price. (I even paid the freight, I think.)

BAS tail-pull handles are much more useful, and a lot friendlier, IMO.

But, this axle-mod is interesting and might make a tailwheel tow bar perform better.

[blueldr]

I still have the tail wheel tow bar that I bought with my first C-170B many years ago. I do not remember ever having any problems using it with the stock tail wheel axle, though I'm sure I pulled much more than I pushed. I did have a problem pulling the airplane up hill into my hangar, but it wasn't the tow bar, it was the guy doing the pulling. I solved the problem with an inexpensive winch from Harbor Freight, a long cable, and an extended control switch power cord. The tow bar then was only the steering control.

[FredMa]

Bruce, I believe there is more to this than the simple extensions, The tow bar type you are talking about normally fits over the head of the old bolt. That tells me that the mounted bolt also has an enlarged head or it would be the same size as the extension that the tow bar fits over. The nut also looks enlarged as well as longer to me.

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

Fred, I'm thinking the uninstalled bolt has the same size head as the installed extended example. The nut is definitely longer to enclose all the threads and then some like a axle nut for main wheel paints. I don't think the extensions are thicker than the shaft of the bolt itself.

As George noted and I had realized a nipple witha 5/16 threaded stud wouldn't work very long. I just can't think how else the nipple extension is attached to the bolt heat.

Certainly would be interesting t find out how it was done.

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

So has anyone else ever seen these?

[FredMa]

Bruce, what I was trying to say is that the towbar fits over the bolt head normally. If the bolt head in the picture with extensions installed is considered, the towbar being the size of that bolt head would be extremely loose on the much smaller extension. I think it either has a larger head or the towbar wouldn't work.

[DuaneShockey]

To responders. Thanks for your input. Still nobody who can confirm if I got them from a club member, and I can't remember where and when I gotem. Maybe I'll remove em and take some better photos so you fellas can get a better idea of what I have. The tow bar does fit "reasonably" snug. DuaneShockey

[falco]

I havent used a tow bar in the ten years since I got the BAS handles. Not sure I remember where the towbar is...

[counsellj]

I'm with FALCO, install BAS tailpull handles and never worry about a towbar again.

[bigrenna]

delete

[falco]

Indeed... throw that tow bar away! BAS makes it soooo easy.

(but not so easy on the 180)

It's OK. You'll get stronger pushing the 180.