SonexBuilders.net

So my kid had Ben's cross country Onex video on the big TV last night. Close to home he had a failed tailwheel bearing. Here is the video:
https://youtu.be/Sbki_lqjcW8?si=zFsN9ICilNvVb5Wn

Took a closer look at my tailwheel and the stock bearings are crap! When I spin the wheel by hand, tail up on a sawhorse, the bolt spins. Anyone have a good part number or source for replacements?

In the video description there is a shortcut to the tailwheel part, 50 minutes in.

Those flanged bearings are typically found on a wheel barrow or 8ft Chinese yard art windmill.
Not holding up to 60mph takeoffs and landings you say?

Your next call should be to Peter Anson.

Great Plains used to sell a very nice 5" tailwheel. I had a new one on my plane and bought a used one second hand from the seller's table at one of the last American Sonex Association Fly-ins back in the day.

If I had to replace a tailwheel now I'd buy one from Van's as they are excellent quality:

https://store.vansaircraft.com/6-rubber ... -lw-6.html



I learned some time ago that for the important stuff ... "buy the best and cry once!"

Dale
3.0 Corvair/Tailwheel

We installed Peter Anson’s tailwheel some years ago. Quieter, smoother, certainly better. The downside is having to keep it pumped up and replacing tires when they wear out.

Ron

I did buy a set of gocart bearings to try. They come today and I'll need to make some bushings for them. I'll share how that goes. I'm not opposed to spending money for better stuff, but I'm not keen on going to a bigger tailwheel. That would reduce the deck angle and it's already too flat for my taste. Also the stock 4" wheel only weighs a pound and my CG is already biased aft.

Arjay wrote:We installed Peter Anson’s tailwheel some years ago. Quieter, smoother, certainly better. The downside is having to keep it pumped up and replacing tires when they wear out.

Ron

My Sonex, too, has the Anson tailwheel. I like it very much but just this morning I experienced the first flat tire in my 58 years of flying, and yes it was the tailwheel tire that went flat. I was 50 miles away from home and the good news was that I was able to taxi, takeoff, land, and taxi back to my hangar at home with the tire being flat. Haven't taken it apart yet to see why it may have failed but the tube must be in pretty bad shape now after having abused it so much while flat. There is something good to be said for the hard rubber tires I've always had on my plane before............they don't ever go flat.

Art,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Sonex taildragger #95,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Jabiru 3300 #261

Flyboy Accessories sells some tailwheel options from 4" to larger pneumatic. I have their full swivel "racer" tailwheel assembly with the 4" tire on the Onex, and I see they do sell replacement bearings for that. I probably haven't quite worn mine out yet though.

https://flyboyaccessories.com/products/ ... eight-tire
https://flyboyaccessories.com/products/ ... nd-condor2

13brv3 wrote:Flyboy Accessories sells some tailwheel options from 4" to larger pneumatic. I have their full swivel "racer" tailwheel assembly with the 4" tire on the Onex, and I see they do sell replacement bearings for that. I probably haven't quite worn mine out yet though.

https://flyboyaccessories.com/products/ ... eight-tire
https://flyboyaccessories.com/products/ ... nd-condor2

Nice! That 4" wheel looks like a great option.

Bryan Cotton wrote:Nice! That 4" wheel looks like a great option.

It uses a different fork of course, so the width might not be right for the stock fork. I can measure it if needed. I have the 6" version of this as well, but didn't like the taller tail height, so I went back to the 4".

These are the bearings I bought:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B08YRDVJQZ

Seemed to have good reviews from the gocart people. They definitely spin a lot better than the stock flanged bearings. For some reason my Aircraft Spruce hardware kit came with two tailwheels. On the unused tailwheel I was able to use my hands to press the new bearings in. On the tailwheel that I've been using, I had to use an arbor press. It was a light press fit.

The ID of the new bearings is 5/8" and the axle bolt is 3/8". Adam made an aluminum bushing on the lathe although you could probably buy one. I made a couple of skinny (in the radial direction) aluminum washers that clamp between the fork and the inner race. They center the wheel.

Weight savings is about 0.05 lbs. Helps counter the 0.1 lb weight gain from my fork reinforcement.