I've had 2 problems with my S-1S that we're seemingly unable to fix......... one is the radio and the other is tailwheel steering and breakout.............
The aircraft arrived fitted with a Maule, which was VERY reluctant to break out. It quickly became apparent that to have the chains as tight as I needed to get positive steering, the chains were too tight to allow the tailwheel to pivot the 40 or so degrees needed to break out. I suspected that the very narrow S-1 steering arm, which is much narrower than the Maule's steering arm (and an S-2's steering arm) was partly to blame, as it didn't give enough control movement to the tailwheel.
I bought a Matco, with the 25 degree arms, which was better, but again needed to have the chains very loose to get breakout. It turned out the chains were SO loose that I was hardly getting any steering, which is part of the reason we're just completing putting the plane back together
I ordered spare parts for the Maule and it's now working a lot better, but when we refitted it today, we were immediately back to the tightish chains = no break out problem
Has anyone tried fitting a wider steering arm to an S-1? Or is there another way to get precise steering AND an easy breakout?!!
The aircraft arrived fitted with a Maule, which was VERY reluctant to break out. It quickly became apparent that to have the chains as tight as I needed to get positive steering, the chains were too tight to allow the tailwheel to pivot the 40 or so degrees needed to break out. I suspected that the very narrow S-1 steering arm, which is much narrower than the Maule's steering arm (and an S-2's steering arm) was partly to blame, as it didn't give enough control movement to the tailwheel.
I bought a Matco, with the 25 degree arms, which was better, but again needed to have the chains very loose to get breakout. It turned out the chains were SO loose that I was hardly getting any steering, which is part of the reason we're just completing putting the plane back together
I ordered spare parts for the Maule and it's now working a lot better, but when we refitted it today, we were immediately back to the tightish chains = no break out problem
Has anyone tried fitting a wider steering arm to an S-1? Or is there another way to get precise steering AND an easy breakout?!!
