Lexmar

Finishing up my GP Stik 60 with a G20 and I will be converting her to a taildragger. Because I have already glued the rudder, what are my options on set ups? Because of the unique round rudder shape, looks like it will be a bit of challenge. Anyone try to just leave the tailwheel castering around and let the rudder deflect the wind to turn the plane? Thanks!!!

BillS

I have had two gas airplanes that started out with the tail wheel castering and had trouble steering each of them. Finally changed so the rudder was connected to the wheel with springs or rubber bands. Maybe you will have better luck than I.

Bill

khodges

My Feedback: (1)

Another thing to try is to mount the tailwheel a little forward of the rudder post area, let the shaft of the tailwheel extend up into the fuse, add a control arm to it and run a control rod to the other side of the servo arm. You might have to cut an access panel in the bottom of the fuse, but you can mount the tailwheel in the access panel (sort of like putting the aileron servos on the panel that holds them in the wing). Doing it this way allows you to adjust the tailwheel for more or less travel to make your taxi turns tighter or wider.

red head

I used castering tail wheels for years and Yes they can be a bit trying now and then but I like them and can see no reason not to try them. They are easy and make you pay attention to what you are doing. It can't hurt and it's cheap and easy.
Just remember that you have to do a lot of the steering with the throttle and rudder, and full power is not your friend most of the time. I think it is a challenge to be able to taxi a swivel tail wheel plane and when you get good at it it gives you a lot of pride.
ENJOY !!!! RED

alex24

You can also checkout sullivan's brackets:
[link]http://www.sullivanproducts.com/LandingGearMainFrame.htm[/link]

daveopam

My Feedback: (9)

Here are 4 good ways. The first one came with a kit and I bent it under the rudder instead of in it. The second is a Sullivan. The last two are both Kleet from Goldberg. Showing two different ways to hook up the pull/pull.

David

PJ_TankPilot

You can get by with a caster tailwheel as long as the wind isn't blowing.

As you are aware, the Stik presents a problem because of the elevator and rudder placement. Here is what I do.

I put a piece of 1/8" ply on bottom extending to in front of the stab about 1.5". This is because there is a fuse weak spot at the stab leading edge. This plywood provides support for a tailwheel shaft bushing. A wheel collar on the tailwheel shaft prevents putting a load on the rudder hinges.

FYI. Another weak spot is the fin mounting. I drill holes and put carbon fiber tubes through the plywood into the fin base.

carrellh

Lexmar,
I don't have any good photos but I'll try to describe how we did mine. We ran a pushrod to steer the tail wheel. We drilled a pushrod exit hole using a really long 3/16 bit so we could get a good angle. The hole is in the side of the fuselage, in front of the stabilizer, and the angle points the pushrod directly at the tail wheel. In the radio compartment we drilled the former that the existing pushrod tubes go through and connected the pushrod to the rudder servo.

This is not the part I used but I think it would work well
http://www2.omnimodels.com/cgi-bin/w...I=GPMQ4245&P=O

I cobbled mine together using a Dubro bracket and a control arm I found at the LHS. The part in the link gets you everything in one package.

I'm sure there's some flex in the pushrod since the tube is only glued at the ends, but it doesn't seem to be a problem.

Champ-RCU

My Feedback: (132)

A good way to actuate a tailwheel on an Ugly Stick type (Or something like the Sig Senior (ita) type rudder setups is to use a pull-pull setup. Get a nose wheel steering arm that has arms on both sides, or solder on a bracket then run your lines to the rudder servo. On a small plane like that you could use nylon fishing line, which will also afford some shock protection. If I can get a pic of one and figure out how to enter it I'll put it on later.

Mark

WILDCATONE

NOPE, NOPE, NOPE
DONE THIS ON THE GIANT STICK AND WAS THE BEST THING SINCE THE POCKET ON THE SHIRT!!!!!
here is how you do it so it will work properly.
first mount your tailwheel assembly as far back as possible(HOPEFULLY THE PLANE ALREADY HAS HARDWOOD BACK THERE). i had an old KLETT laying around the shop from a crashed giant scale ultimate. (has to have a hookup on both sides of the tailwheel)
next find a nice spot to mount a servo in the belly of the plane towards the back of the plane.
find a y-harness and use it with the rudder servo, may have to use an extension since the servo will be towards the rear and your other servo is at the stock location(i assume), my rudder and elevator servos are in the tail.
next center up the rudder and the tailwheel and make some pull/pull cables. i had to cross my cables since my tailwheel servo is now mounted upside down. it will be nice if you can use a clevise on one end of the cables for adjustment purposes.
you may want to add some hardpoints for the servo to mount to after you cut the hole for the servo. i used a futaba standard for tailwheel steering on my giant big stick.
you may opt. for hitec 225 if you want to stay away from the weight.
i did not take any pics of my handy work, but it took about an hour and a half to do.

any questions,

WILDCATONE

IronCross

I saw one done pretty simply... The guy mounted a Sullivan tail wheel assembly. Cut a slot in the elevator and ran the spring/wire up through the slot and and into the rudder.. It caught the rudder close to the hinge line and the slot seemed to work just fine...

Lexmar

Thanks very much for everyone's replies, this has been most helpful. Time to go to my LHS...Thanks Again!!!!

opjose

These are cheap, use existing rudder settings, and did I mention that you can't beat the price?




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