As I was getting ready to bolt up the tailwheel assembly to the tail wheel spring on NC55100, I thought I'd do some clean up. I went out to a website where a fellow had a pretty good breakdown on these tailwheels, and the sprucing up of same. He indicated that there should be no slop anywhere when things are correct. I verified that the main tailwheel casting that carries the tail wheel mounting shaft was nice and tight around the vertical part. However, I did notice considerable slop in the steering arm. NOT radially, but transverse. Meaning that if I push up or down on the ends of the steering arm, I can get over an eighth, of an inch of tilt. It doesn't move much vertically at the shaft, but more like a teeter totter. I don't see any adjustment to create any down pressure on the steering arm assembly to take out the slop.
It looks to me like the slop may be due to wear between the steering arm bearing surfaces and what is called the lock ring in the Univair catalogue break down picture.
What has been the experience of you folks relative to what is okay regarding that teeter totter effect when pushing up or down at the ends of the steerign arm.??
There is nothing at this point that would seem to make the tailwheel operate improperly. For example, the nipple that moves laterally in and out with the movement of the tail wheel steering arm stays in place, and doesn't even come close to popping off of the cam, even at the extreme of the teeter totter motion.
What say you? Should I replace the steering arm at 80 bucks and the lock ring at 20 bucks that seem to be the only two players in the slop??
It looks to me like the slop may be due to wear between the steering arm bearing surfaces and what is called the lock ring in the Univair catalogue break down picture.
What has been the experience of you folks relative to what is okay regarding that teeter totter effect when pushing up or down at the ends of the steerign arm.??
There is nothing at this point that would seem to make the tailwheel operate improperly. For example, the nipple that moves laterally in and out with the movement of the tail wheel steering arm stays in place, and doesn't even come close to popping off of the cam, even at the extreme of the teeter totter motion.
What say you? Should I replace the steering arm at 80 bucks and the lock ring at 20 bucks that seem to be the only two players in the slop??
