Converting nose wheel to tailwheel

[edclee]

I want to do this the "other" way. Most people want to convert their tailwheel to nose wheel. but I want to do it the other way. What are the parts differences to change my kit from nosewheel to tailwheel? I have not built the fuselage yet, so there are no issues with undoing work already done. I have decided to lose the weight and the drag since I have lots of tailwheel time in Sonex and Onex and many others. In fact if anyone has a kit with those parts and wishes to build theirs as a nosewheel, we can exchange parts.!
Ed, Lancsaster, SC

[Rynoth]

If you haven't built the fuselage yet it should be very straightforward.... different engine mount, and the tailwheel spring/wheel caster assembly. You won't need the main landing gear mounts for the TRI since they are integrated into the tailwheel engine mount. I think the aft fuselage steel supports for the tail skid on the tri are the same as the tailwheel?

[kmacht]

Parts differences? Most of the parts differences are in the welded parts. For those you will need:
A new engine mount
A new tailwheel skid
A tailwheel pivot fitting
A tailwheel castor
A tail wheel pushrod

In addition you will need longer titanium gear legs,new gear leg fairings, and of course a tailwheel. I don't remember if the rudder horn is different for a taildragger since the tailwheel push rod connects to it.

I don't have any connection to the seller but there is someone selling a taildragger motor mount on barnstormers right now for $500 just north of you in Virginia. That's an awesome price considering a new one is $1900 plus shipping.

Keith
#554

[edclee]

Keith, thanks for the detail. I expect the longer gear legs are going to be expensive. I saw the ad on Barnstormers for the motor mount but without longer gear legs it wont do me much good. I am already flying a nosedragger with Corvair 120 hp, so I wanted to build this one as a taildragger.
Ed

[kmacht]

The gear legs might not be as bad as you think. Check out titanium joe online. He sells surplus titanium products. A number of us scratch builders have bought cut to length titanium bar stock from him for a good bit less than the factory price.

Keith
#554