fstevenj, I use canopy glue to keep the end of the spring in the rudder. It stays flexible and won't vibrate out. I just shove it until the spring is running paralell with the bottom of the rudder. It may be over kill but to reinfore the rudder sides I also CA a fiberglass strip from the bottom of the rudder up the sides about 3 inches where the wire is going into the rudder. Then I recover this part before mounting the tail wheel.
bubbagates, If the weight against the tail wheel keeps it from turning when you use elevator then I would think that you are using too light of a tail wheel assembly and you need to get one of the larger ones with the heavier duty springs. I use the Sullivan assemblys on all my taildraggers icluding 2 large 60 size planes and I haven't run across that problem.