Tail wheel help,Cruisair

C

CFOAU

New member
I am a new Bellanca owner and just bought a Cruisair 14-13-2 Non standard tail wheel attachment with no approval paper work on my Crausair and I need some help, I need a tail wheel Assembly used and or worn out parts and I will make new ones, I have a wheel that's in good shape but I need to import into Canada but the tail wheel assembly isn't approved.
Sincerely,Reg C
 
Now you are getting clearer. Do you just need the forks and shaft, or the nut cracker, or the steering parts? You should have the drawings with part numbers, so listing what you need would be much easier for us to help you. ____Grant.
 
OK , I just noticed your last post, so again I think part numbers would save a lot of guess work on this end. ____Grant.
 
I'm need
7869 TAILWHEEL piston
8316-7 Retainer gland nut
7887-3 packing
8316-4 packing ring
8316-1 circlet ring (inner)
8316-2circlet ring ( outer)
7888 fork and shaft assembly
7887-4 oleo spring
8316-12 bushing ( lower)
8316-17 bushing ( upper)
7888-2
I can make parts etc if there worn out

Sincerely, Reg Clarke
 
Good, I think I have a good piston and maybe the bushings. I have several rusty shaft and fork pieces that would need building up and re-chroming. I am going to my storeroom today, but wont get to my hanger until next week. I will let you know tonight what I find at the storeroom. Grant.
 
I located a piston and the shaft and fork. Also both bushings. The upper bushing will have to be cut out of the old cluster. The circlets are probably standard machine shop parts. I am getting ready to go to Oregon for the eclipse so I will get in touch with you when I get back in a few days. _____Grant.
 
It looks like the fellow cut and welded a plate onto the fork and shaft assembly and bolted on a spring to hold the Maile tail wheelassembly.
I don't now if it used to have the steerable tail wheel or swivel before the modifications?
I'm on a steep learning curve, thankfully you are very helpful,
Sincerely, Reg Clarke
 
Have you checked the old ownership of the plane? There used to be a Cruisair in Redding Calif with a spring tailwheel. I believe it was approved under a 337. If it is the same plane it may be perfectly legal under the FAA rules and maybe reciprocity with the Canadian rulers. I will ask about the name of the ex owner and if it is as I suspect, I think I know the IA that got it approved. I will let you know later if I find out. You can get all of the recorded history of the plane if you order a CD of records from the FAA. Go to the FAA.gov web site and do an N number search, and when you find it there will be directions on the lower part of the page on how to order the CD. They only cost $10 and can give you a lot of history, but also we all need to remember that 70 year old airplanes and their log books often only vaguely resemble each other. Grant.
 
I believe you have been working with Ron Strobl. He contacted me about this situation.
I encouraged him to get the airplane approved with the existing tailwheel as it had been approved with a "337." Unless you can find USABLE parts convert back to stock, you will spend a small fortune to recondition and replace worn out parts. The last time I had a piston shaft ground and hard chromed back to size, it cost $450. Chrome Craft in Sacramento rejected two tailwheel yokes as being unrepairable for hard chroming.
Converting to steerable configuration will be a challenge with the fuselage covered. If you go non-steerable, full swivel, you'd better have a fine set of brakes. 'Cause if you don't, you'll be a windmill the next decent crosswind. I know....because I have one Bellanca set up that way.
Dan
 
Yes ive been working with RON and I hope your suggestion works but ide still like to get some used parts. The airplane has the cleavland brakes and I specialize as a tail wheel flight instructor.

Reg C
 
Reg,
Having Cleveland brakes is only half the battle.
If you plan on staying non-steerable, make sure to check your master cylinders. There is a good chance that you have the original master cylinders, which do not work the best with Cleveland brakes. There are several write ups detailing the master cylinder mismatch problem on this forum.
Try searching "grove", "Cleveland master cylinder", and "Scott master cylinder".
I went through the master cylinder issue on my last bird.
-Adam
 
Reg, it is easy to tell if you have the original master cylinders. They have an enlarged upper area (reservoir) and taper smoothly down to the diameter of the lower part of the cylinder. If you have a distinct step from the upper part to the lower you have more modern cylinders. They might be Clevelands or they might be Wheeler Dealers which came with the Bodel brakes. I dont know for sure, but I suspect that the Wheeler Dealers will work fine with Clevelands. I know positively that the original Scotts dont work worth a darn with Cleveland brakes. I have gone through that learning curve before. ____Grant.
 
Grant, it looks like I have the more modern ones there is a distinct step. I looked it up and they are a Parker, cleavland master cylinder.
Have you made it to your ranch this week yet?

Reg C
 
Reg, I am going up in a couple of hours. I will let you know what I find. Check your records on the plane and see if a previous owner was John Flynn? He managed to get a spring tailwheel approved and I suspect that you have that plane now. The CD from the feds will tell you if it is already approved. Grant.
 
John Flynn owned it in 8-15-99 when tail wheel mod on Certificate # 5636619440 i have some pictures to send form 337 on the tail wheel mod but no FAA signature work done by GARY J Walker.
 
Good morning , Grant
I ordered the CD for FAA records on N242 maybe there will be some good news but on the 337 form there was no FAA signature,but only the AME that did the work

Reg C
 
Reg, email me direct so I can send you some photos of what I have gathered. Gary is the IA that I use and he mentioned getting the tailwheel approved. I think I will see him on Monday and will try to get more info. Grant. gjordan14132 at yahoo.com
 
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