Brief Description: Finished the Installation of the New Tail Wheel
Weighted the old tail wheel assembly and recorded the value for changes to the weight and balance of the aircraft. Weighted the new assembly and recorded that weight also. Used an acetylene touch to heat the tabs on each side of the rudder post end and then bent them 90 degrees to the post. This provided the mounting points for the tail wheel arm pivot point. Mounted the tail wheel arm to the AN5 bolt in the frame of the fuselage and secured it with a washer and self-locking nut. Drilled a segment of plastic 1/4 by 1/2 by 3 inches with two 3/16 inch holes to fit across the mounting points. Installed two AN3-17 bolts through the mounting tabs. Added the plastic strip and a 1/2 inch segment of tubing on each bolt as a cushion for the sides of the tail wheel arm. Cut a 3 inch segment of 1/2 inch steel pipe and drilled each end with a 3/16 inch drill. Installed the pipe on the bottom of the tail wheel arm at the rudder post and tighten the two 3/16 inch self-locking nuts securing the assembly to the rudder post bottom.
Installed a 10 inch segment of linked steel chain on each of the springs on the tail wheel steering arm. Sized the free end of the chains to fit the clevis pin for the rudder cables. Connected the rudder cables to their respective chains using the clevis and pin secured with a cotter pin.
Checked the alignment of the rudder with the peddles and made adjustments to center the peddles with the rudder. Next checked the tail wheel alignment and found that the right side needed one link removed from the chain to align the tail wheel with the rudder peddles. Removed the chain link from the right side and reconnected the cable to the tail wheel. Tested the alignment and found it good.
