Tripe/Pacer conversion cost

[Steve Pierce]

From Univair:
L2200-01 STC using stock wheels and brakes including front gear and tail fittings, tail wheel spring and clamps, aluminum form channels, metal reinforcements, rear fuselage hand hold, rudder fork, installation instructions, left/right gear inner pans, left/right gear outer fairings, AN hardware kit, PA20 entry step, forming "U" channels, and springs for rudder tension. $3017.11

L2200-3A Same kit with Heavy Duty Cleveland Wheels and Brakes. $4371.96

LOPT-L2 Left side only brake system. $1441.91
LOPT-L4 Left and Right Dual brake set up $1884.53

LOPT-L6 Maule tail wheel with steering springs $530
LOPT-L7 Scott 3200 tail wheel with adapter and steering spring kit. $1017.62

So if you buy everything from Univair you are looking at $5K in basic parts not including fabric and paint.

Or you can convert a Tri-Pacer to Super Cub 3" extended gear and Maule oleo struts via Eddie Trimmer's STC. $750 for the paperwork. http://trimmeraviation.com/gear.html

[Terry E]

If you what a converted 22/20 and want to fly it in the near future sell your tri and go buy the best convert you can find and don't worry about what it cost cos you will have that much and more in it and the loss of flying time while waiting for the endless project to get done. I started 3 years ago with a $3000 project aircraft $32,000 later it still is not flying yet and Im doing all the labor in my spare time,
ie 2and a half days a week. I will try to attach some pics.

Terry.

[smcnutt]

Your rebuild is looking good. I can't imagine doing this myself...I would never have the patience/persistence to finish it. My brother has a C170 project in the hangar next to the Pacer and he says it's moving forward but I sure can't see the progress.

I wonder what percentage of these birds are lost to rebuilds that never get completed vs. those that are lost in crashes.

[jnorris]

So if you buy everything from Univair you are looking at $5K in basic parts not including fabric and paint.

Wow, that's a far cry from the $700 or so I paid to Light Plane Components for the conversion back in 1980!! :)

Cheers!

Joe

[Throttle Pusher]

When I add up the cost from Univar I get 6,500 to 7,500 dollers.
Is there realy a 500 doller difference in performance between the maule and the Scott tail wheel?
Ken

[JohnW]

Is there realy a 500 doller difference in performance between the maule and the Scott tail wheel?
Ken

There is no comparison. Most converted TriPacers "get sold" with a Maule on the back end, because if there is EVER a chance the Owner might ever need another tailwheel, he wants that Scott in storage on a shelf in his bedroom closet and "let the Buyer beware". Yes Sir, there is that much difference. It's false economy to save the bucks for your own airplane, because YOU are the "next guy" that has to live with the tailwheel. The Maule works "almost as good" new as a fifty year old Scott... for the first fifty hours. Then, the "rebuilding" starts (and it never "works like a Scott", even when it IS new!). It "breaks loose too early" when you are taxiing, taking off or landing, and it "doesn't break loose" when you want to move the airplane on the ground by hand". It wears out eight times for every ONCE with the Scott. It's ugly, makes too much noise, its nose runs, and it wants to die. Plus, it likes to imitate the front wheel on a shopping cart once it starts to get the slightest amount of wear. It uses a BUSHING instead of bearings to turn on the spindle, and it needs "special" (read: "expensive") steering springs to work, even as good as it ever can.

You WANT the Scott (actually, you "want" the ABW -Alaska Bush Wheel- "Scott 3200 clone").

Better yet... for "off airport", you REALLY "want" the ABW "Baby BushWheel" Tailwheel , with the wider fork and "doublewide" tire, if you are SERIOUS about goin' fishin'. For "normal" work (including "normal off-airport" duty), the 3200 is all most people will ever need, but on large stones (or..."small rocks") ...or even "oooh, kinda BIG rocks", the Baby Bushwheel steps over stuff that'll shred even a Scott 3200. And it rides on SAND, too (not DOWN IN IT). It's all "what you NEED".

But the Scott 3200 IS THE tailwheel for the PA-22/20 that gets "used" (as opposed to "kinda abused"), and I take it that is what you are asking about.

[nd_rice]

Are there any down falls to the Baby Bushwheel? I am guessing it wears out more quickly on pavement and more $$$ to buy. Besides those, if they are even an issue is there any rule or issue to using the BBW if pavement landings are rare and the aircraft is not equipped with tires bigger than 8.5? My reasoning is if I operate almost always off of grass with an occasional pavement landing why not use a BBW for less tailwheel penetration. I was thinking that 8.5 mains and a BBW in back would be a good set up for working on turf and pastures.

[Throttle Pusher]

Just looked at the ABW site, I think I'll go with them -vs- the scott.
Now all I have to do is Figure out if I go BBW or the diect replacement for the STW.
Thanks for the Info, this site is a great help.
Ken

[JohnW]

nd-r; there is SOMETHING about using the ABW STC for installing the 3200B tailwheel on PA-22/20 airplanes related to "requiring" tires of 26" o.d.! What exactly that is, I can only speculate (probably having to do with the minimum 9" prop-to-ground "at rest" clearance, Clarence), so before you send a check, talk to them personally. I'm not "comfortable" with claiming to know the details (because I don't), but I'll bet THEY ARE.

[Throttle Pusher]

Thanks for the heads up.
I've made several calls already,once I have decided on which parts from whom Im going to call each one to make sure every
thing works together. I'd hate to get to the end of the project just to find out that I need to buy and install different parts
To make it all work.
Ken