BAS Tail Pull

[Lee]

Do we like the BAS tail pull STC? (Any problems with corrosion down the road if they are installed?) I was trying to maneuver my 170 back into the T hangar this evening and was thinking there has to be a better way! We used the wing struts but, it was interesting, especially getting over the slight hump going from the ramp into the hangar. I have also seen the tail wheel dolly affairs and was curious if anyone had any experience with those or, using something like a winch to pull the bird back in to the hangar. Thanks! Regards, Lee (N1967C)

[Green Bean]

Good Mod, no problems with installation, no corrision after 23 years. Some times they will get moisture in the tubes, which is a problem in the north when they freeze. But with a hangar it shouldn't be an issue. It will also save your back. It will also save the tail , from over zelous helpers, lifting on the horizonal stablizer.

[tshort]

My buddy was taking a welding class and for one of the projects welded me up a copy of the taildragger dragger thing.
It works great. Slides right under the tailwheel , picks it up, and I can maneuver the plane all over the place by myself. It is easier even than pushing the skyhawk with the nosewheel tow bar.
Another friend has one that he made from old lawnmower wheels and some spare parts from the aviation department at Lowes. It works just as well.

Probably cheaper and less "invasive" than the BAS handles... just my .02.

I'll post some pics of mine when I get a chance...

Thomas

[N2865C]

Hands down, the best $200 I spent on my airplane. They give a 170 Association discount if you ask. But.....I still use a tailwheel towbar to pull the plane back into the hanger, it's easier to see where the wingtips are in relation to the doors.
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/p ... owbars.php (see the bottom of the page)

For maneuvering on the ramp the BAS is great.

[cessna170bdriver]

I've had occasion to use a taildragger dragger, and it's great for getting your airplane in and out of your own hangar, but I've never seen one light or small enough to carry in the airplane.

I have a tailwheel tow bar with a telescoping handle that I picked up at Sun-N-Fun early in the ownership of my airplane. It worked great for several years, then the spring got weak, and the ends tend to separate when pushing hard, such as up a slight grade. It still works great pulling, as the harder you pull, the tighter the ends get on the tailwheel axle. I've tried shortening the spring to increase it's tension, but with only marginal success. I think a towbar with some sort of over-center or positive locking mechanism would be better. How does the Spruce tow bar work?

Miles

[djbaker]

I've had a taildragger dragger for years and wouldn't be without one. The new models fold in the middle and can be taken in the plane (still rather big though). I also have a gasoline powered nose dragger that I want to convert to use on Tailwheels, anyone got suggestions.

[flat country pilot]

Lee,

Get the BAS tail pull handle. You won't regret it, assuming it is installed properly.

My plane already had one when I purchased it. Can't imagine being without one.

Bill

[GAHorn]

I like the BAS. But there's still an issue with using it: DO NOT PUSH on the vertical stabilizer or the dorsal fin. You will break the internal attach bracket eventually. Then you've got an unfriendly repair.
I use my hip against the fuselage side, but Cleo Bickford (genuine aeronautical injunier type) says a good method to move the tail sideways is to grab the end of the horizontal stab out where the elevator counterweight normally resides and ...pull towards the fuselage. (Of course that only works one way...you'd have to run around to the other side of aircraft if you intend to move it towards yourself. I use the BAS to pull it toward myself and my hip to push it away.)(got big hips)

[N2865C]

How does the Spruce tow bar work?

Miles

There are good pictures here at the bottom of the page....... http://home.hiwaay.net/~sbuc/journal/ai ... tml#towbar

They make one for the Scott tailwheel.
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/pdf/catalog/Cat06572.pdf

IMHO you should never push the airplane with this unit. You may end up with the infamous Cessna Diamond shaped scars on your face when it slips and you faceplant into the rudder. Works great for pulling.

[cessna170bdriver]

There are good pictures here at the bottom of the page....... http://home.hiwaay.net/~sbuc/journal/ai ... tml#towbar

They make one for the Scott tailwheel.
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/pdf/catalog/Cat06572.pdf

IMHO you should never push the airplane with this unit. You may end up with the infamous Cessna Diamond shaped scars on your face when it slips and you faceplant into the rudder. Works great for pulling.

My experience also. That is the same design towbar I've been using all along. So far I've been quick enough to dodge the trailing edge of the rudder as my head goes by, but I'm getting older and slower... It helps when your better half pushes on a strut and all you have to do is steer.

I've seen nosewheel towbars with an overcenter locking mechanism, but I don't recall seeing one for tailwheels. It would be very handy, as I've yet to figure out how to PULL an airplane in AND out of a single unit hangar with one door.

Miles

[KAP54]

I've had the same problem as Miles with a weak spring on the tow bar. What I did to solve the problem was to attach a light chain across between the two sides. Made a clip with a slot that the links can be quickly dropped into on one side and attached to an eye bolt with a wing nut on the other side to take up slack. As for pulling out of the hangar, I made an X shaped bracket that slips over the axle bolt like the tow bar only I put it in front of the wheel. I then attached a rope to the front arms of the X and run up under the plane to the front. Pulling on the rope squeezes the X together keeping it from coming off the axle. It is much easier to pull out of the hangar from the front especially if you have bad knees as I do.

Keith

[Lee]

I have seen one 170 that had tow rings attached to the main gear ... a light tractor was used to pull the A/C out of the hangar with a V shaped tow bar attached to the tow rings ... anyone else have any experience in this direction? R/Lee

[170C]

I would like to have them on my plane, but just haven't spent the $ or time to do so. George makes a good point about not pushing on the horizontal when using them, but I have seen several owners do so with the BAS handles. I have one of those tailwheel things (with two wheels & it picks up the tailwheel tire). It was given to me so I don't know what they cost. I use mine to push my plane out of the hangar (works pretty well). I can, in a case of have to , use it to pull the plane back in the hangar, but it is slightly up hill and is a chore plus if your feet should slip its could dump you on your rear or worse. I had to modify mine slightly so it would slide around the tailwheel tire. It is still a bit of a chore if the tire pressure isn't at its proper level. I have one of the Allen Machine Co's winches that are advertised in Trade-A-Plane and have had it for most of 20 yrs with no complaint. I use it to pull the plane back into the hangar. Sure is a lot easier than pulling on the other unit. I use one of the tailwheel towbars like was on the earlier post that I cut off to make shorter. to use with the winch. Works well. I also carry one in my plane to facilitate movement at other airports. I first ordered one from Wag Air & got the wrong one (wrong size to fit the tailwheel bolts) and got a refund because I found the same item from Chief for $5 or so less money. Funny thing was when it arrived it had a Wag Aero tag on it! The towbar is worthless to push the plane with unless someone else is pushing on one or both wing struts. Also it has, in my humble opinion, a design defect. If you are trying to make a pretty sharp turn the tailwheel as it gets to a certain point, will try to caster back under and that will either cause the towbar to pop off the tailwheel bolt or bolts which leaves you with no control whatsoever OR you will get those diamond impressions on top of your hand and be blooded to boot. I know because I learned the hard way. I tried putting a stronger spring on and that helped marginally. Finally I made a Rube Goldburg latch that keeps the bar from spreading once its on. Anyone with good skills could make something similiar that would look a lot better than mine and work as well or better. If I ever see such a devise I will make one or get the person who made it for his unit make me one, if he is agreeable.

[Harold Holiman]

I use a tailwheel towbar and like it much better than the BSA handles. I use it for both pulling and pushing. I doubled the springs so it will not slip off, as I didn't want to eat the rudder while pushing or eat the concrete while pulling.

Harold

[GAHorn]

I have seen one 170 that had tow rings attached to the main gear ... a light tractor was used to pull the A/C out of the hangar with a V shaped tow bar attached to the tow rings ... anyone else have any experience in this direction? R/Lee

Lee, this has been discussed in another thread, but it was quite a while ago.
http://cessna170.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.p ... w+adaptors

I no longer recommend JTACO for parts however. (They really abused my recommendation, they are slow, they get orders wrong, and they are even slower to fix the order.)
Air Repair, in Cleveland, MS is a better first-choice source. (Let them know you found out about them here.) http://www.airrepairinc.com/