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Wood Tailwheel Lift ver. 2.0

Sam Buchanan

been here awhile
Refined the wood tailwheel lift to make it easier to roll the aircraft's tailwheel into position. The bottom of the dolly was originally wood but it's been replaced with steel angle and plate which sits at floor level. It's amazing how well such a simple device works. :)

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Good upgrade, Sam! As I usually do--with alternators, ADS-B installations, and I'm sure a number of other things--I'll be following in your footsteps in my first free weekend! Thanks for being a trailblazer!
Steve
 
Wow, these things are becoming works of art! Next is brass and stainless.. I saw one where they put a pulley on top and moved the winch to the back to give a little more clearance to the rudder, but this one is pretty!
 
This seems lke a really naive question, but do you need to lift the tail often? I'm sure all will become clear once I switch from builder to operator...
 
I understand why you're asking. When you're building, the tail isn't heavy and there's no reason to do maintenance, but when you're done, that tail will weigh a lot more and you'll need to get it off the floor for tail wheel maintenance, leveling the plane for oil changes and other reasons, etc. Trying to pick up the tail with one hand while you slip a support under it, can be stressful for your back and shoulders, especially if you're getting older as some of us are!
 
This seems lke a really naive question, but do you need to lift the tail often? I'm sure all will become clear once I switch from builder to operator...

I understand why you're asking. When you're building, the tail isn't heavy and there's no reason to do maintenance, but when you're done, that tail will weigh a lot more and you'll need to get it off the floor for tail wheel maintenance, leveling the plane for oil changes and other reasons, etc. Trying to pick up the tail with one hand while you slip a support under it, can be stressful for your back and shoulders, especially if you're getting older as some of us are!

To add a little to Marks [spot on] comment, the rudder is in the way of getting over the top to pick it up straight. My TW is around 60 lb at flight attitude, but 90 lb on the ground. During calibration phase, you will need to check fuel up and down, and do fuel flow testing the same, and some EFIS require flight attitude for calibration as well. It has been a lot of ups and downs for me.

Great prototype 2.0 Sam, I have all the steel, wheels, and winch sitting for a Tail-Mate ready to drill and weld, but thinking hard about a wood prototype now.

I have an old Snapper that is going to get duty as a tug too.
 
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Design shamelessly stolen from Sam with the addition of a $3 Harbor Freight pulley on the top to allow the winch to be on the back. Fun weekend project. Thanks Sam!

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Just a couple additional comments for anyone who may build one using a pulley...

1. The higher you can get the pulley the better. If you look closely at my picture, the angle of the cable just slightly rubs against the wood front and back. Not a big deal, but not perfect.

2. More importantly, the angle of the cable where it attaches to the tailwheelwheel tray/lift is a bit extreme, sometimes causing the wood-on-wood sliding assembly to bind. I'm going to relocate the attach bolt closer to the frame so that the cable pulls the assembly straighter up.
 
Just a couple additional comments for anyone who may build one using a pulley...

1. The higher you can get the pulley the better. If you look closely at my picture, the angle of the cable just slightly rubs against the wood front and back. Not a big deal, but not perfect.

2. More importantly, the angle of the cable where it attaches to the tailwheelwheel tray/lift is a bit extreme, sometimes causing the wood-on-wood sliding assembly to bind. I'm going to relocate the attach bolt closer to the frame so that the cable pulls the assembly straighter up.

A couple of observations:

With the winch located where it is on my lift there are no problems with cable or slide binding, the cable remains parallel to the ramp at all times. The tail of the RV-6 can still be lifted up past horizontal.

Not having a pulley also reduces flying weight. :D :D

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A couple of observations:

With the winch located where it is on my lift there are no problems with cable or slide binding, the cable remains parallel to the ramp at all times. The tail of the RV-6 can still be lifted up past horizontal.

Not having a pulley also reduces flying weight. :D :D
Yeah, I've often accused myself of over-thinking things! :rolleyes: Simpler is usually better! Thanks again though for giving me a starting point.
 
Yeah, I've often accused myself of over-thinking things! :rolleyes: Simpler is usually better! Thanks again though for giving me a starting point.

No need to beat yourself up....I had a pulley I was intending to use until I started looking closely at the geometry. I'm always surprised at how much simpler a project gets the longer I study it. :)

But there are several ways to skin this mule, you built a nice lift!
 
Looks like wood tail lifts are just like airplanes - each new model is more complex, heavier and less performance. :)
 
Looks like wood tail lifts are just like airplanes - each new model is more complex, heavier and less performance. :)

i think this calls for a harbour freight 29$ winch and and motorcycle battery,
Thi$ i$ Aviation i$n't it ?:D
 
Fear of falling vs complexity

Anyone doing this with a lead screw drive or cable with a release brake?
 
Anyone doing this with a lead screw drive or cable with a release brake?

If you look carefully at Sam's pictures, above, you'll see that there is an eyebolt loose on the base. It looks like he inserts that in a hole in the frame upright just under the tailwheel to serve as a safety.

All that said, there's not much weight on the lift when the tail is up high, so I wouldn't be too worried about the regular winch being overstressed. The winch I'm using is rated for 1200#.
 
Alt drive

If you look carefully at Sam's pictures, above, you'll see that there is an eyebolt loose on the base. It looks like he inserts that in a hole in the frame upright just under the tailwheel to serve as a safety.

Not implying anything is wrong with the design. Just a different view on a fail-safe lift and admittedly a product of my own paranoia. The weight is insignificant but a absolute drop would not be. I look at the arm on that tail spring and the last two bulkheads every time I lift them onto a sawhorse for maintenance...
 
Anyone doing this with a lead screw drive or cable with a release brake?

Not implying anything is wrong with the design. Just a different view on a fail-safe lift and admittedly a product of my own paranoia. The weight is insignificant but a absolute drop would not be. I look at the arm on that tail spring and the last two bulkheads every time I lift them onto a sawhorse for maintenance...

Never seen one like that but I'm sure it would be possible if you wanted a much more complex lift. But you wouldn't gain any functionality or safety improvement.....

As mentioned by Steve, if you look carefully at this photo you can see the eyebolt safety inserted into the ramp....that lift ain't failing. But hey...if it did fall it wouldn't be as violent as some of my landings! :D :D

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Tail Lift

I ?borrowed? this idea:). The second picture is a slight modification I needed to eliminate binding while returning the tail to the floor.

Thanks to Sam for the idea.
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Nice work

Well this is a fun thread to watch nice work as usual with a little fun while doing it. Thought this would happen, who can come up with something new or different wood..........or?
 
I “borrowed” this idea:). The second picture is a slight modification I needed to eliminate binding while returning the tail to the floor.

There is more going on with these simple lifts in regard to engineering than might be at first apparent. My engineering background is limited to the shadetree variety but some simple analysis might reveal why some wood lifts slide effortlessly and others may bind.

If binding occurs on the aft slide block then more than likely the cable attachment needs to be closer to the tailwheel centerline. This will decrease the length of the arm supporting weight and the resulting load on the aft block.

Compare the cable attachment geometry on these two lifts:

Mine (cable aligned more or less even with rear of tailwheel, and the cable parallel with the ramp):

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Marvin's (lift strap aligned with a point several inches aft of the tailwheel):

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The dolly slides up and down with no binding on my lift and I suspect it is because the cable is closer to the tailwheel. If Marvin moves the attachment of the strap closer to the tailwheel (shorten the load arm and transfer weight from the rear slide block) I bet it will operate more smoothly. :)

I realize this stuff is pretty insignificant in the grand scheme of things but it is still interesting to play with. As a side note--I'm always amazed at how huge structures in antiquity were constructed with highly engineered simple machines.....them folks were smart!
 
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Slide

Might just take a piece of nylon sheet on the bottom inside of it as that's where most of the force is against the vertical piece.
 
Might just take a piece of nylon sheet on the bottom inside of it as that's where most of the force is against the vertical piece.
Or a piece of the UHMW tape left over from protecting your aft wing skin from your flaps...
 
Lift

I agree with Sam that the lift works fine wood on wood. In my case I have a tail light and an 8” tire that did not allow moving the attach point forward like Sam’s because the strap would rub. If you look closely at the picture you will notice my tail wheel axle is actually a few inches forward of where I intended. My choices were to increase the angle of the lift to clear the tail light or increase the length of the backside of the moveable trolly.
 
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When I built one of these years ago, instead of the block in the back that slides, I used a bolt with a bunch of plywood wheels (pieces from another project cut using a hole saw) to allow for easier movement.

Also, instead of a bolt keeping the tailwheel in, I just left the metal plate with a gap at the back, so the tailwheel drops into that space when the tail is lifted.
 
I agree with Sam that the lift works fine wood on wood. In my case I have a tail light and an 8” tire that did not allow moving the attach point forward like Sam’s because the strap would rub. If you look closely at the picture you will notice my tail wheel axle is actually a few inches forward of where I intended. My choices were to increase the angle of the lift to clear the tail light or increase the length of the backside of the moveable trolly.

When I built one of these years ago, instead of the block in the back that slides, I used a bolt with a bunch of plywood wheels (pieces from another project cut using a hole saw) to allow for easier movement.

Also, instead of a bolt keeping the tailwheel in, I just left the metal plate with a gap at the back, so the tailwheel drops into that space when the tail is lifted.

My first "design" was going to have rollers cut out of delrin rod, similar to the original TailMate. But I decided to try the 2x4 wood sliders first and they worked so well the roller idea was shelved.

That is the beauty of this little custom project, it can be individualized to suit the particular application. Marvin modded his to make it work for him and rollers may be the best solution for a heavier aircraft. I'm considering 1/8" 6061 sides for the dolly with the floor riveted via angles to the sides.....just have to decide when good is good enough. :)
 
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Here’s my version of the wooden Tail-Mate. I’ve got inverted oil on my airplane and the quick drain is on forward part of the sump. Consequently, I like to raise the tail high enough during oil changes to ensure I drain all the oil. I super-sized my Tail-Mate!

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I'm not Archimedes

You are fighting the 7:1 ratio. This is ancient engineering.

Your slide must be more vertical or your tail wheel block must be taller. This will fix your problem.

Jarhead
 
Thank you VA Maule. I?m sure it could lift the M5 in the background! That one belongs our hangar landlord. I?m lucky as I get to fly it once in a while. It?s a great flying airplane and I really enjoy it.😀
 
OK, I gotta ask---- While these tail lifts are very neat, what do you do when you want to take your tail wheel off. I just put mine on the end of a bench, so the tail wheel is hanging free.
 
OK, I gotta ask---- While these tail lifts are very neat, what do you do when you want to take your tail wheel off. I just put mine on the end of a bench, so the tail wheel is hanging free.

I have a prop that I slide into place under the tailwheel spring then the lift is moved out of the way. That's about as complicated as I can make it.... ;)
 
OK, I gotta ask---- While these tail lifts are very neat, what do you do when you want to take your tail wheel off. I just put mine on the end of a bench, so the tail wheel is hanging free.

If I?m messing with the tail wheel only, then I just use a floor jack under the tail spring to raise it a few inches.
 
Thanks Sam for the design

Dolly and I are in Florida for the winter and the RV had to stay in Michigan - but that's another story. I was in need of something to work on and Sam's design came to the rescue.

The lift is scaled off the 6" front wheels of Sam's design. The angled 2x4 on which the shuttle slides is 4' long, and provides a 30" lift for the bottom of the tailwheel. A Harbor Freight store is within walking distance of our home here. I used HF 2" castors. There is a second unseen 3/8" threaded rod through the vertical inside the rear base. The winch is bolted on with lag screws and another 3/8 threaded rod through both uprights. I'm right handed so I mounted the winch upside down with the handle on the right.

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Thanks again Sam for sharing this wonderful design.
 
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Very nice, Karl! Consider using a "safety pin" when you start hoisting your plane.

I made a small mod on my lift, guess we can now call it ver. 2.1.

Slots were cut in the sides of the dolly so the bolt that captures the tailwheel can be dropped into place instead of slide through holes. The bolt is located below the centerline of the tailwheel so it is trapped and can't pop out.

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Did an oil change yesterday, first time the lift was used on the job. It worked great!
 
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Very nice, Karl! Consider using a "safety pin" when you start hoisting your plane.

I made a small mod on my lift, guess we can now call it ver. 2.1.

Slots were cut in the sides of the dolly so the bolt that captures the tailwheel can be dropped into place instead of slide through holes. The bolt is located below the centerline of the tailwheel so it is trapped and can't pop out.

Did an oil change yesterday, first time the lift was used on the job. It worked great!

I used mine for the first time for an oil change yesterday as well! Sam, you and I must be on the same wavelength!:)
 
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