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Electric tow for RV-10?

jahoosafat

Active Member
Hi - There was a thread on this topic in 2015, but I thought I'd check to see if folks have more experience with these lightweight electric tugs in 2018. The Robotow (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7bRnYvPZ0Y) seems like the best design, but it doesn't seem to work with wheelpants. Magic Tow is not really lightweight/portable, and it's expensive. Same with Power Tow and Tow Buddy. Minimax tugs look like a decent middle ground (lightweight rechargeable power source but external tires creating a bigger than ideal overall device) but they also have a few negative reviews in terms of their utility/functionality. Any information from folks' real world experience is appreciated!

Cheers,
Jeff
 
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AC Air Technology has their remote control tow bot that looks awesome. I played with it at Oshkosh and it was remarkably easy to use. Best Tugs has an amazing product, but they are expensive and I wouldn't think they are easily portable if you want something to fly with.
 
AC Air Technology has their remote control tow bot that looks awesome. I played with it at Oshkosh and it was remarkably easy to use. Best Tugs has an amazing product, but they are expensive and I wouldn't think they are easily portable if you want something to fly with.

The cheapest AC Air Technology tug is more expensive than the cheapest Best Tug.
 
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I'm not sure why having the tow bot be remote control is desirable. I'd trust what it's doing much more if I have my hand on the thing.

Here's something that's similar to the Robotow: https://www.redlineaviation.com/cirrus/sidewinder-cirrus-aircraft/ . This Redline tug seems to be perfect for a plane with wheel pants, but their site says "NOTE: A minimum distance of 8 3/4″ between the center of the wheel lug and the ground is necessary for Sidewinder to perform properly (The wheel must be straight when measuring)." I'm not near my hangar right now. Anybody know this measurement for the RV-10?
 
I'm not sure why having the tow bot be remote control is desirable. I'd trust what it's doing much more if I have my hand on the thing.

Here's something that's similar to the Robotow: https://www.redlineaviation.com/cirrus/sidewinder-cirrus-aircraft/ . This Redline tug seems to be perfect for a plane with wheel pants, but their site says "NOTE: A minimum distance of 8 3/4″ between the center of the wheel lug and the ground is necessary for Sidewinder to perform properly (The wheel must be straight when measuring)." I'm not near my hangar right now. Anybody know this measurement for the RV-10?

Don't have an exact measurement handy, but I think it's in the neighborhood of 7 inches. As the 10's lugs are almost horizontally in-line with the axle, they are definitely lower than the ones on the Cirrus.
 
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I'm not flying yet. Is it really such a big deal to move the RV-10 around? I would think a simple tow bar would work just fine.. and cost a whole lot less..
 
I ran my engine for the first time last week and found out that the -10 is definitely too heavy for me to move it alone. It's is nose heavy. Now looking for a tow tug.
Michel
 
I'm not flying yet. Is it really such a big deal to move the RV-10 around? I would think a simple tow bar would work just fine.. and cost a whole lot less..

Depends on the slope near your hangar. Much slope and a -10 is really hard to pull or push uphill.
 
I'm not flying yet. Is it really such a big deal to move the RV-10 around? I would think a simple tow bar would work just fine.. and cost a whole lot less..

Add a slope, a little ice maybe, then fuel,,,,,,,. A power tug really comes in handy. Especially if its just you pushing it back into the hanger.
 
Aero-Tow E-200

Jeff,
Check out the Aero-Tow E-200. I purchased mine 10+ years ago for an RV7A. I have a 10 now and it works great. Just make sure you ask Terry for the longer arms. The 10 and 14 use the longer arms.

Not an inexpensive product but build to last. ($1,490 plus shipping)

Gary
 
I have the Aero-Tow as well. Seems to be the best price/value and works really well. Specify the longer arms as mentioned above.

Vic
 
Aero-Tow looks decent but I'd still like to see if I can get the Redline to work on the RV-10. Vic sent me a pic with the measurement, but Redline is telling me they need a slightly different view to assess compatibility: "This is the view I need. What I'm interested in is the relationship of the lug to the tire. That is what will control the swing arc of the roller." This is a cirrus wheel pant: https://screencast.com/t/nHATZebUR . Could someone/anyone send me this same view pic for their RV-10? Thanks in advance.
 
Final update to this thread: Redline wasn't able to confirm that the wheel pant clearance would have been sufficient for their tug. While I think their mechanism by which the tug gets traction directly on the wheel rather than making contact with the ground is the best design, I went with a Minimax tug. $1,550 delivered with the extension arm option. The assembly was relatively easy (although those guys would do well to just put up some youtube assembly videos). The tug works reasonably well. My one qualm with it is the design of the mechanism to "lock" the forks onto the nose wheel lugs/bolts. It's a weird washer design that doesn't allow for the all-important tightening of the fork each time you attach it. Those forks really need to be fitted tightly over the bolts, and this design isn't optimal for doing that.

UPDATE: After further discussion with the Minimax folks, I can say that the locking mechanism - while not my ideal design - is adjustable to make it snap into the locking position. My locking bar was delivered a little bent the wrong way, so it need to be bent back. Now it's better, and I feel more secure in using the tug.
 
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MiniMax Tug for an RV-9A

Purchased a MiniMax tug for my RV-9A. It is powered by a 20V DeWalt drill.

I had a little trouble with the fork lock to begin with. The instructions aren't great. That's all fixed now.

Once I had it all adjusted, I tried it out. For my airplane (1150 pounds) and my application (a slight uphill grade) into the hanger - I couldn't be happier.

I have a Bogi Towbar. It works great, and I am heavy enough and strong enough to push the airplane in, pretty easily. My problem was, with one hand on the towbar to steer, and the other hand on the prop near the hub, to get sufficient drive force into my hands, I had to put my head and shoulders down. The airplane would then move well enough, but I could not see where I was going. The corners of my hanger seemed to exert inextricable magnetic forces on my horizontal stabilizer - resulting in two long sessions of hangar rash removal.

Going to the MiniMax, it takes longer to "hook up" than it did with the Bogi. However the walk back into the hanger is controlled, effortless, and I most importantly, I can keep my head up and see where I'm going!

On the internet, there is a guy who only has use of one arm that has given MiniMax a lot of bad press, and even a negative youtube video. I guess I agree with him. I couldn't even hook the airplane up with one arm. However, as a two-arm kind of guy - no complaints.
 
I owned a Grumman Tiger for the past decade. When I bought my -10 I was sure I would need a tug to push it in. I shopped all of the available tugs and decided that the cheapest option was to buy a cheap riding lawnmower with a fluid drive transmission. They can be had for less than a couple hundred bucks


I was pleased to find that the -10 was a little easier to push than the Tiger. I never bought a tug but if it were slippery or uphill the I would shop for a mower.
 
I owned a Grumman Tiger for the past decade. When I bought my -10 I was sure I would need a tug to push it in. I shopped all of the available tugs and decided that the cheapest option was to buy a cheap riding lawnmower with a fluid drive transmission. They can be had for less than a couple hundred bucks


I was pleased to find that the -10 was a little easier to push than the Tiger. I never bought a tug but if it were slippery or uphill the I would shop for a mower.
Mark, it is up hill, on grass ~ 30 yards from my hangar to the taxiway and I used my lawn tractor to pull my RV-9 (much lighter than a -10, even when my tanks are full) and the tractor works great!

I would recommend finding someone who can fabricate a front plate / hitch for your tow bar as there are times when trying to push it backwards is a pain and flipping the tractor around is much easier.
 
Tow Bar vs Tug

I have been pushing my -10 around for 12 years without a tug and have only had problems a couple of times with there was a little snow on the ground. I have a very very slight upslope and I could not get the plane back in the hangar by myself and had to find some help.

Like others have said, if you have a slope you can see you will need a tug. I have the leak stop tubes but after a few months they still lose some pressure and pushing the -10 when you've lost 5psi and full fuel can be heavy.

I will eventually get a Best Tug Alpha 2 or 3. Once you use one you can't go back to anything else. They are more money but not that much more. Just a couple more airplane units and you have yourself a nice tug.
I don't think you need the remote control style. You get so good at judging distance and clearance. I have looked at those and the people that had those now have a Best Tug around me.
 
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