Don't get the gear too far out in front or you will be enjoying some impressive spin-outs & ground loops. I keep my axles directly under the leading edge. In addition to having the gear too far aft, nosing over can be caused by several other things: landing gear too flexy-- thus deflecting backward over bumps, too much toe-in -- thus producing a lot of wheel drag, too much toe out -- same drag problem plus really squirrely take-offs & landings, wheels too tight, wheels too small, grass too thick/deep.

Britbrat,
That is an excellent rundown of the different types of problems you can run into, not just in a conversion. Thank you for that input, that should go on a permanent spot for troubleshooting complaints with landing gear in general, and "squirrelly" landing problems.

Here is where my gear is located at now, the axle is about even with the leading edge:

This is a better shot of the pushrod for tailgear steering, and how far in I made the new hole for the pushrod, the old ones were out at the end :

i forgot to mention my last modification to the Alfa....i have a new MDS .68 engine that i'm gonna put in : )

i would sell the mds if i were you i never had any luck out of them but try it maybe you will i hope you do... im just sayin i never did now all i use is os and saito motors have no problems

i bought it brand new for $50 at a hobby shop, i knew the reputation before i bought it but i wanted to take a gamble on it and see how it does. I have gone threw about a tank and a half before the carb retainer nut came off and now i cant find it, so i just ordered one and now i'll have to wait until it arrives and then it should be ready for another tank or two before i take it up.

In post 27 you can see the little strip of velcro that I rtv'd to the fuse side that I use to keep the harness under control. It keeps the charge and aileron lead from flopping about .

Hi Bingo Field, can you tell me which tail wheel setup you bought? I just bought a Sullivan but i just realozed that it isn't for a trainer like the Alfa, but i'll use it on another plane that i'm gonna build anyway : )

Just because I just done it....

... just converted my PT-40 trainer from tri to conventional.

Before and after pics attached. Also a close-up of the sullivan .40 size tail-wheel. My rudder is short, but I am imagining that the bend in the spring setup will be fine.
gus

I used an Ohio Superstar Products Medium tailwheel. I got the larger one because I fly off grass.

Hey Gus,
How do you get the tailwheel to move? Is it free wheeling? Or do you have a pushrod on the other side?

I finally found the wire in the back of the rudder to move the tailwheel...