Nose Gear Strut

[Me109dvr]

Has anyone built a tricycle gear? If so, I would like to know if you followed the plans for the front fork and or you changed the material or design.

Does anyone know of a front fork collecting dust somewhere?

Thanks,
Don

 

[DaveWilcox]

Don

It just so happens that I swiched my Sonerai back the tricycle this week. My Continental installation did not allow the Monnett designed nose wheel strut. I designed my own caster nose wheel.

Interested?

Dave Wilcox

 

[theorm]

P47DVR,

I started putting a nose gear strut together, the fork is welded to the tube. The overlapping tubes are cut, but not welded. I changed my mind and am building the tail dragger.

Theo

 

[lgiroux]

Don-
I have a strut assembly with the fork, wheel, and shock as removed from a IIL. Someone was converting it from tailwheel to trike but we're converting it back.
Let me know if you're interested.
Luke

 

[Alan Goins]

Don, I have a nose strut in my LTS. It works well when built to the plans. It is very easy to keep the airplane straight on the runway. It makes landing a breeze. However there is a down side, I don't think it would stand up to rough field landings or take-offs as a steady diet. Alan Goins

 

[Me109dvr]

Dave,

The Grumman AA-1 has a full-caster nose gear and I have read many pilot reviews regarding the shimmy. Is your design a full caster if so what effects does that have on landings?

Don

 

[DaveWilcox]

My design is a full caster, that is: it turns 360 degrees. I had to clip the wheel pant a few inches for prop clearance. My Contental prop is 62 inches, so I doubt that you'd have to trim the pant with a VW.

The design has a stack of silicone rubber washer donuts that I cut from an 1/8 inch sheet. These provide the spring force needed for the caster drag shimmy dampener. I tried various springs before resorting to the rubber, but it now works very well. The rubber washers provide the force to pust two 2.5 inch plates together. A 2.5 inch copper washer between the plates prevents galling. A nut on the bottom of the carrage is adjusted until the swivel drag measured by a fish scale at the axle is eight to ten pounds. It will shimmy when the drag force is below three or so.

A parking brake is a must with the caster nose wheel, at least if you hand prop like I do. See the photos in my album.

 

[Me109dvr]

Sorry for the slow reply Dave! I am wondering how & where you secured the nose gear?

Regards,
Don

 

[DaveWilcox]

I designed it. The strut is the same as Monnet's steerable design, 1.25D .080 wall if I remember right. I used the Sonex spring. I discovered that the strut was not sufficient for the overhung caster wheel. I've reinforeced it at the bend and it's been fine since.