LT-40 taildragger conversion DONE !
06-19-2004 | 08:54 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 739
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From: Martinsville,
IN
LT-40 taildragger conversion DONE !
After fighting with the nose gear, and getting aggrivated with it, my LT-40 is now a taildragger! It took about 5 hours to convert it over. Used 1/4" ply and blind nuts with nylon bolts for the main gear, and 1/4 ply and 8 x 32 blind nuts for the tail end (I think thats what he used, I had help).
Ask any questions if you have any, had a blast doing the conversion.
below is a pic of it, and if you want to see more, just visit my site, just made a quicky page for more pics at http://richdavis.net/rc
Ask any questions if you have any, had a blast doing the conversion.
below is a pic of it, and if you want to see more, just visit my site, just made a quicky page for more pics at http://richdavis.net/rc
06-20-2004 | 08:48 AM
#7
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 739
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From: Martinsville,
IN
RE: LT-40 taildragger conversion DONE !
ORIGINAL: TPierce
did u run a pushrod for steering?
did u run a pushrod for steering?
06-20-2004 | 03:35 PM
#8
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From: Des Moines,
IA
RE: LT-40 taildragger conversion DONE !
Rich your conversion looks great. I have contemplating the same thing for my Lt-40, since I have a Cub almost ready to go and would like a tail dragger trainer. Two questions, How far ahead did you move the gear and what kind of after market products did you use?
Steve
Steve
06-20-2004 | 04:13 PM
#9
My Feedback: (4)
RE: LT-40 taildragger conversion DONE !
Steve,
You want the wheels to sit under the leading edge of the wing on a tail dragger. Too far forward and it won't want to turn on the ground, too far back and it'll be all over the place (and nosing over all the time). There's a range though depending on where that front bulkhead (former) is.
Dennis-
You want the wheels to sit under the leading edge of the wing on a tail dragger. Too far forward and it won't want to turn on the ground, too far back and it'll be all over the place (and nosing over all the time). There's a range though depending on where that front bulkhead (former) is.
Dennis-
06-20-2004 | 07:11 PM
#10
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 739
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From: Martinsville,
IN
RE: LT-40 taildragger conversion DONE !
The person that helped me do it placed the gear. Basically what he told me was, just forward of the leading edge of the wing.
The main gear is the standard dubro and the tail assembly is the Goldberg small tail wheel assembly kit, kit had all the parts for the tail section... wheel, collar, mount, everything.
I just reused my old wheels, but did have to get a new nyrod and axles.
The main gear is the standard dubro and the tail assembly is the Goldberg small tail wheel assembly kit, kit had all the parts for the tail section... wheel, collar, mount, everything.
I just reused my old wheels, but did have to get a new nyrod and axles.
06-20-2004 | 07:58 PM
#11
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 490
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From: Trenton,
ON, CANADA
RE: LT-40 taildragger conversion DONE !
i plan on doing the same thing as you.... I will need:
-Main landing gear
-Tail landing gear
-Thin plywood for mounting
-Pushrod & pushrod tube
thats seems about it...anything missing?
-Main landing gear
-Tail landing gear
-Thin plywood for mounting
-Pushrod & pushrod tube
thats seems about it...anything missing?
06-21-2004 | 11:07 AM
#17
Senior Member
My Feedback: (1)
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 170
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From: Cincinnati, OH
RE: LT-40 taildragger conversion DONE !
Couldn't you just tie in the tail gear to the rudder so they move together, instead of running another pushrod or am i missing something?
06-21-2004 | 02:42 PM
#19
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 502
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From: Auckland, NEW ZEALAND
RE: LT-40 taildragger conversion DONE !
Conversion looks fine,you'll have a lot of good fun with it.
Some people are talking about steerable tailwheels etc. but I don't really think that the complication is necessary.
I just use a fixed wire tailskid on my scratch built Spacewalker, it turns fine, - didn't have any problems taxying around my lawn, or flying.
Some people are talking about steerable tailwheels etc. but I don't really think that the complication is necessary.
I just use a fixed wire tailskid on my scratch built Spacewalker, it turns fine, - didn't have any problems taxying around my lawn, or flying.
06-22-2004 | 08:39 AM
#21
Senior Member
RE: LT-40 taildragger conversion DONE !
Want a quick and easy tail wheel setup for your LT-40 ARF requiring no surgery on the fuselage? Add a free swiveling tailwheel setup. Epoxy a plywood mounting pad for a tail wheel mount on the fuselage below the tail and screw the bracket onto it. The steering wire hole in the mount should be directly under the rudder hinge line, or as close as you can get it. Insert the steering wire into the bracket, drop a wheel collar down over the wire and tighten the screw. Cut the wire off just above the wheel collar. Add a wheel and a retainer, and you're done! As steering comes from the Rudder stick anyway, you will steer via air blasting over the rudder. The rudder deflects, the wheel swivels, and the tail swings around. Its not as quick and precise as a direct connection to the wheel, but it's smoother than a skid. Looks nicer too. I have two panes with them in use and they work great.
06-22-2004 | 02:34 PM
#22
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 502
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From: Auckland, NEW ZEALAND
RE: LT-40 taildragger conversion DONE !
Yes, that's the best solution, but I was just being cheap!
The steered wheel is only useful at very slow taxying speeds, it won't be in contact with the ground at any higher speeds. The rudder is the most important cotributor to steering on a taildragger, but as you say, a wheel looks much better than a skid.
However, I believe in having the basics only for learning, looks are totally a waste of time on a trainer and they can be built into the second plane later.
The steered wheel is only useful at very slow taxying speeds, it won't be in contact with the ground at any higher speeds. The rudder is the most important cotributor to steering on a taildragger, but as you say, a wheel looks much better than a skid.
However, I believe in having the basics only for learning, looks are totally a waste of time on a trainer and they can be built into the second plane later.
06-22-2004 | 03:15 PM
#23
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 490
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From: Trenton,
ON, CANADA
RE: LT-40 taildragger conversion DONE !
ORIGINAL: Grampaw
Want a quick and easy tail wheel setup for your LT-40 ARF requiring no surgery on the fuselage? Add a free swiveling tailwheel setup. Epoxy a plywood mounting pad for a tail wheel mount on the fuselage below the tail and screw the bracket onto it. The steering wire hole in the mount should be directly under the rudder hinge line, or as close as you can get it. Insert the steering wire into the bracket, drop a wheel collar down over the wire and tighten the screw. Cut the wire off just above the wheel collar. Add a wheel and a retainer, and you're done! As steering comes from the Rudder stick anyway, you will steer via air blasting over the rudder. The rudder deflects, the wheel swivels, and the tail swings around. Its not as quick and precise as a direct connection to the wheel, but it's smoother than a skid. Looks nicer too. I have two panes with them in use and they work great.
Want a quick and easy tail wheel setup for your LT-40 ARF requiring no surgery on the fuselage? Add a free swiveling tailwheel setup. Epoxy a plywood mounting pad for a tail wheel mount on the fuselage below the tail and screw the bracket onto it. The steering wire hole in the mount should be directly under the rudder hinge line, or as close as you can get it. Insert the steering wire into the bracket, drop a wheel collar down over the wire and tighten the screw. Cut the wire off just above the wheel collar. Add a wheel and a retainer, and you're done! As steering comes from the Rudder stick anyway, you will steer via air blasting over the rudder. The rudder deflects, the wheel swivels, and the tail swings around. Its not as quick and precise as a direct connection to the wheel, but it's smoother than a skid. Looks nicer too. I have two panes with them in use and they work great.
I don;t quite under stand... pictures would be nice. but if i just mount the tailwheel without it being able to move it should still turn with rudder power?
06-22-2004 | 03:29 PM
#24
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 739
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From: Martinsville,
IN
RE: LT-40 taildragger conversion DONE !
ORIGINAL: Willdo
However, I believe in having the basics only for learning, looks are totally a waste of time on a trainer and they can be built into the second plane later.
However, I believe in having the basics only for learning, looks are totally a waste of time on a trainer and they can be built into the second plane later.
I would have to argue that what I did was not a "waste of time", but a learning experiance... a very pleasureable one at that.
