AFAIK, the tail wheel can be free, but then when you are taxing around, it is only rudder that will turn you. My 2nd plane (a SPAD) is a tail dragger.

Also, I thought that when you moved the landing gear forward, you made the front of the brace even with the LE of the wing. If it is suppoed to be centerlined like suggested, then I will need to change it on my SPAD that I am building.