Tail Wheel

[Phil Berggren]

I have enough play where the Scott tail wheel assembly on my 7GCAA is bolted to the leaf springs so that the tail wheel can move 1" laterally at the ground contact point when on a jack, if that makes sense. Wondering if I should shim that gap? I stuck a piece of sheet metal in there which eliminated the wobble. (Didn't fly like that, but was tempted!) I get a shimmy on landing at times., probably a result of high speed pilot error.

 

[wbecker]

I would first make sure that the bolt is tight. I think it should be a 7/16" diameter bolt, should be 450 - 500 in lbs torque, if the cotter pin hole doesn't line up in that range try another nut until one lines up. If it still moves I would bend a U shaped shim and install it.
Bill B

 

[bkreimen]

I had a similar problem on my Scout. Per the recommendation of Alaskan Bushwheel I made a channel shaped shim from .016 aluminum sheet. I formed it over the spring leaf leaving enough material to trim to final shape. I then drilled the mounting bolt hole oversize with a unibit and then formed the sheet metal shim to the final shape by assembling the spring, shim, and tailwheel. Alaskan Bushwheel also recommended fully tightening the 7/16 diameter bolt. I then traced the shape of the tailwheel housing on the shim and then trimmed excess aluminum sheet. Worked out real slick.