Sonex new style Machined 4" and 6" Tailwheel

[lutorm]

We're about to replace our old tailwheel with one of these. I'll check the screws but the heads at least look like the ones pictured here.

One question though: The tailwheel has no hole for bolting to the spring rod. Does anyone have a good procedure for locating the hole so it matches the hole in the rod?

[peter anson]

Don't know if I should buy into this but as well as differential brakes and non-castering tail wheel, I have a pneumatic tire which grips much better than the solid wheels. I regularly use the brakes to tighten up turns on loose surfaces and have even done it on sealed surfaces, although I try to avoid that because I think it is a bit hard on the tire. It helps to have a 3300 to drag it around. Can't say I have ever worried about breaking anything back there.

Peter
Sonex 894
Nearly 400 landings on the 6" pneumatic tail wheel

[SonexFactoryTech]

We erroneously stated Mr. Sievila's aircraft, which experienced this failure, was fitted with differential brakes. It was not. The differential brakes were removed when the updated tailwheel was installed. We have amended our original post to exclude that statement about the subject aircraft.

We do maintain that differential brakes are not compatible with our tailwheel.

Sonex Aircraft, LLC.

[markschaible]

Sonex Service Bulletin SNX-SB-008 has been issued today to address this issue: https://www.sonexaircraft.com/service-bulletins/

If you are not already a subscriber to the Tech Updates Mailing List, it is highly encouraged. You can sign-up via the form at the top of the Service Bulletins web page.

[lutorm]

Answering my own question from before in case someone else has the same problem:

The tailwheel has no hole for bolting to the spring rod. Does anyone have a good procedure for locating the hole so it matches the hole in the rod?

I ended up taking the rod off of the airplane, and mounted it with some V-blocks in the mill vise. After adjusting it so a 1/4" drill went through the hole in the rod, I pushed the tailwheel assembly on, and leveled it to be horizontal. Then I drilled the hole, the drill going through the existing hole in the rod. Worked perfectly (although taking the rod off the plane required balancing the tail on a jackstand while the work was done, which was a bit iffy...)

[lutorm]

Sonex Service Bulletin SNX-SB-008 has been issued today to address this issue: https://www.sonexaircraft.com/service-bulletins/

If you are not already a subscriber to the Tech Updates Mailing List, it is highly encouraged. You can sign-up via the form at the top of the Service Bulletins web page.

I got the hardware suggested in the Sonex SB and wanted to give a heads up: I found that the shanks on the screws were long enough that, without a washer (which is not included in the hardware kit from Sonex), it looked like the nut would bottom out on the threads.

[pfhoeycfi]

Sonex Service Bulletin SNX-SB-008 has been issued today to address this issue: https://www.sonexaircraft.com/service-bulletins/

If you are not already a subscriber to the Tech Updates Mailing List, it is highly encouraged. You can sign-up via the form at the top of the Service Bulletins web page.

Getting ready to install my tailwheel and spring. The heads on the screws to be replaced per the SB snapped off quite easily when I attempted to remove them. The threadlocker that was used works pretty good. I have no idea how I'm going to get the remaining part of the screws out without butchering the part. My guess is I'll be buying more stuff.

[lakespookie]

The SB says to drill out the threads so I would not worry to much about the existing screws I know that heat is pretty good at breaking thread lockers but can change the properties of the metal. Since you have to drill through the part anyways per the SB I would center punch the screw and attempt to use a smaller bit to drill the core of the screw and step up drill bit sized from there once you get closer to the 19 called out in the sb the remaining parts of the screw should just fall apart anyways and if not just continue stepping up to the recommended size 19 drill bit at that point there will be no thread or pieces of the screw left. if you are really concerned drill up until one size smaller than the 19 and ream it the rest of the way there to make sure its square but I don't think you need to go to that extreme.