Tailwheel Leaf Spring Advice

[C170U2]

Onewinglo- If it were me, I would reverse the tie down bolt. You will ding up all the new paint with tie down chains rubbing on it. (Air Repair also told me over the phone to put it in with the ring on the bottom) Your IA might disagree, but I would swap it around.

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

Onewinglo- If it were me, I would reverse the tie down bolt. You will ding up all the new paint with tie down chains rubbing on it.

The solution of course is don't use chain to tie down.

I believe most, including me, think the ring on the top is much more convenient.

[Onewinglo]

After my tailwheel leaf springs were changed I completed a series of really bad landings - purely for post maintenance testing. Click the link fr a sample...
https://vimeo.com/132775264

JP

[daedaluscan]

I really hate using chains. The idea of any motion ending with a sudden stop seems so wrong. I carry ropes and use them in place of chains provided. Ring on top for me, I crawl around enough looking after the tailwheel anyway.

[GAHorn]

I'm fairly certain George is in the ring on bottom camp so that settles it, right?

Wrong. Not only is mine on TOP.... (because it's much more convenient when tying down using my own stakes during campouts).... but MY choices are usually questionable.

The ring on the bottom better serves established tie downs designed for tricycle geared airplanes. The tailrings on those aircraft are directly beneath the tailcone...in other words, directly in FRONT of where the tailwheel usually sits on a taildragger. When tying down at a public airport I find my tail rope must be taken forward to reach the standard tie down spot. This means my rope (which is always stronger than the string or the degraded poly ropes or chains used at most public airports) must wrap around the tailsprings and greasy-wheel. (I suspect the military L-19 was usually parked or transported using standardized tie downs designed for trikes.

In a perfect world, I think instead of a NUT.... the eyebolt would have an EYE-NUT... so either would be convenient.