Tailwheel a *****cat on grass but a wild animal on pavement

[kmach]

The Matco tailwheels have worked very nice for me.
I have had the WHLT-LD , now converted to the WHLT-8D . I rigged them according to the Matco instructions. They have a video on their website that was helpful. I hope it fixes the problem for you.

[azsportpilot]

the one the student/Owner ordered is the WHLT-6P

any opinions, did he get the right one?

[t j]

Another thing to check is main wheel alignment. Here's a how to thread.
http://www.teamkitfox.com/Forums/sho...ighlight=align

[azsportpilot]

thanks for the link TJ

i suspect there may be an alignment problem, it is so bad on the pavement that it's hard to believe it is just the tailwheel causing the problem

it really wants to dart off

[Peteohms]

I used to have the same problem on my Kitfox III. some of it was my big clodhoppers touching the brakes on landing. The rest was tailwheel. I have a new Matco 8" and apparently I don't hit the brake with my feet anymore. No problems anymore.

[av8rps]

I agree tbat you need to make sure the tailwheel is set up as recomended, as that can make a huge difference in handling. Also the same goes for checking landing gear for being straight (there have been many issues with that over the decades).

But if it were me, and it is a Maule tailwheel (as I suspect it is), just remove the swivel cam plate with the one screw on tbe back of the pivot shaft, and then go out and fly it. If it is now a *****cat on pavement too, the problem is in the tailwheel . Either with tbe setup, or with tbe tailwheel. All removing that cam plate does is disable the full swivel function, the tailwheel still turns with the rudder. That tailwheel has wrecked a lot of Kitfoxes, Avids, and even a few Highlanders. And many pilots thought it was just them, when it wasn't.

[azsportpilot]

Interesting, so the Maule tailwheel problems (which are legendary) are due to the full swivel function?

we are going to upgrade to a pneumatic Matco anyway

will the Matco also have full swivel? does it stay locked more reliably? better cam?

[HighWing]

I used to have the same problem on my Kitfox III. some of it was my big clodhoppers touching the brakes on landing. The rest was tailwheel. I have a new Matco 8" and apparently I don't hit the brake with my feet anymore. No problems anymore.

I have been watching this thread with interest. I switched to the Homebuilders Special tailwheel from the Maule with about 200 hours on my first Model IV and put the same tailwheel on my current IV with no issues with Maule or HBS in 1100 hours. That said, though, with the new airplane it came with the then - 1992 - standard "C" rudder pedals rather than the "E" pedals I had on the first IV - 1993 vintage. With the new - older vintage - airplane, I had no end of problems with the brakes. Locking up, linings cracking, over heating causing fluid leakage were all consistent with riding the brakes. With the hours I had on the Model IV, my brake pedal problem wasn't reflected in control issues, though. I wonder if the pedal angle and the almost certainty of taxiing while producing some unintended braking might possibly be something to look at as well. I say this because, as I recall, the original post mentioned an abrupt turn one way, then the other. That would be consistent with inadvertent braking on one side while landing, then with the unexpected movement of the airplane, reflex rudder to the other side, again with inadvertent braking. this phenomenon wouldn't be as noticeable on grass. I suggest this might be worth checking. An easy first check would be to simply touch the brake disk after landing, checking for excessive heat.

[azsportpilot]

Lowell,

I think inadvertent braking may have played a role in some of our pavement landing problems.... there is very little room for your feet on the rudder pedals on this model 3... I think they call them "C" pedals.... the toe brake has an arm on the side that is easy to accidentally actuate while resting your foot on the lower part of the pedal

I think shoe selection becomes very important with this type of rudder pedal arrangement (no work boots etc)

that said.... even after we made sure we were not depressing the brakes, it still seems that the tailwheel will on occasion unlock and go into full caster mode on rollout causing a lot of stress after a perfectly good landing