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RV-8 tailwheel pin and spring.

WingnutWick

Well Known Member
Hello all,

I am looking for the part number and where to find the spring and pin for the tailwheel caster lock mechanism. My spring is kinked and the pin gets stuck a lot.

Also, how do people lube these? It seems like using the bearing grease just gunks up!

Thanks

Charles
 
Hello all,

I am looking for the part number and where to find the spring and pin for the tailwheel caster lock mechanism. My spring is kinked and the pin gets stuck a lot.

Also, how do people lube these? It seems like using the bearing grease just gunks up!

Thanks

Charles

To prevent the pin from sticking gently radius the long edges of the pin so it won't jam in the bore when the grease gets a bit firm. If this mod is done the mechanism should only need a cleaning and relube annually during the Condition Inspection. I use automotive wheel bearing grease but the key is to clean everything yearly. After doing this a couple of times it will only take a few minutes to pull the pin, clean and relube. Don't attempt to use the grease fitting....it is useless.
 
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To prevent the pin from sticking gently radius the long edges of the pin so it won't jam in the bore when the grease gets a bit firm. If this mod is done the mechanism should only need a cleaning and relube annually during the Condition Inspection. I use automotive wheel bearing grease but the key is to clean everything yearly. ....

+1 for what Sam said.

Chris
 
Years ago the spring did its job as I disassembled the assembly, the pin was never found. Couldn’t find a part number but I called Vans and they were blue to quickly send a new pin.

I was told, and I think this is now in the manual somewhere, not to grease the pin as it does “gunk” up the works and prevent it from working. Instead, I lubricate with WD-40 or spray lithium grease on it at annual.

Chamfering the pin as mentioned also helps.

Scott A Jordan
80331
 
Grease nippl

In Norfolk in England we carry out a small mod with a dremel to create a grease grove on the shaft running diagonally both sides from the grease nipple position to the bottom of the shaft. This gives a path for the grease and in our experience it works.

Rob
RV3 G-BVDC
L4 share
RV8 very very slow build
 
In Norfolk in England we carry out a small mod with a dremel to create a grease grove on the shaft running diagonally both sides from the grease nipple position to the bottom of the shaft. This gives a path for the grease and in our experience it works.

Rob
RV3 G-BVDC
L4 share
RV8 very very slow build

Rob,

That certainly will work on the shaft, but the grease won't be able to access the pin/spring area, i.e. the area in question.

To my knowledge, there is no suitable, and simple, way to keep the pin/spring cleaned and lubed except to occasionally disassemble, clean, and grease it. A light grease, or heavy oil seems to work fine. Use whatever you like... just do it.

I suppose that you could drill a hole in the top of the threaded portion of the shaft, all the way to the pin, then install a grease zerk there. HOWEVER, your grease gun may exert enough force to blow the threaded portion of the shaft off of the tailwheel. That seems bad. AND it still won't clean the dirt out of the assembly.

So, just occasionally disassemble, clean, and grease it. And file off any burrs. Replace the control arm if the notch corners get rounded off.

YMMV!
 
I've got'm too

JD Air here. I've got them in stock ready to go.

Maintenance!!! Complete disassembly, inspection and cleaning every 25-50 hours while the oil is draining.
 
JD Air here. I've got them in stock ready to go.

Maintenance!!! Complete disassembly, inspection and cleaning every 25-50 hours while the oil is draining.

Right! What Darwin said. Just put the tail up on a nice, sturdy sawhorse (or similar), drain the oil, clean the belly, check the tire air pressure in the mains, clean the glass, remove the bugs, you're gonna do all of these things anyway, then clean and lube the tailwheel.

Put the oil back in and you're ready for another 25 hours of terrorizing the skies!
 
Lubing the tailwheel really is a non-event, it takes longer to find the correct wrench to remove the nut than having the tailwheel disassembled ready to lube. It's also the perfect time to inspect the springs, chains, or link and look for smoking rivets near the stinger bulkhead. :)
 
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Tailwheel Suggestion

Hey Charles, Zman here...hope all is well!
I replaced my Vans Tailwheel a long time ago with one from Aviation Products, Inc.
You can contact them directly, they are located in Ojai, Ca. I?m sure they ship to Hawaii.

I have Model # 6134 on my RV-8


http://apitailwheels.com/

Better all around, better parts and will handle your 3-wire landings,lol
Take Care!
 
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