Tail brace wires

[mechman]

Has anyone replaced the tail brace wires on an experimental or built there airplane with 4130 tubing instead flying wires. I am building a Wagabond and I believe these are the weakest part of the airframe. Anyone have any thoughts or info?

[Steve Pierce]

I have not seen an issue with tail brace wires but you could do like Aviat does on the Husky.

[dgapilot]

With the exception of the streamlined wires that had an AD on them, there hasn't been an issue with the tail brace wires. Adding tubing increases weight and drag. The higher HP airplanes have a lot of vibration back there, and some have used tubing, or come up with other solutions, but for airplanes with 160hp or less, it isn't an issue. If you are really worried, since the PA-15/17 uses a tab rather than a jackscrew, you could put 4 wires on like the Pawnee.

[wyandot jim]

My Starduster Too that I built has 4 streamline wires on the top and 4 streamline tubes on the bottom. I have seen round 4130 on the bottom rather than streamline since round is cheaper. At the speeds these planes go streamline or round probably doesn't make much difference.

https://hosting.photobucket.com/albums/kk67/wyandotjim/Starduster/Starduster_0045_zps949249f5.jpg?width=960&height=720&fit=bounds (https://app.photobucket.com/u/wyandotjim/a/1dab2f5e-a596-48a0-b9e7-241b99e0df35/p/ed473ddb-5966-4692-8a45-11b6efecfa0a?mode=zoom)

[mechman]

Thanks for the replies everyone, I think I am going to go with 4130 on the bottom and wires on the top. I have seen several issues with wires over the years. I appreciate the info from everyone here. The bottom wires are easy to get damaged and not see it. Even a small nick can cause havoc.

[Steve Pierce]

I'd be interested to hear your experience with damage to round tail brace wires. I operate weekly on sand a gravel and the only issue I have had was a slight tweak to a lower tail brace wire from a stick I hit with the mains. My prop however is a different story.
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[dgapilot]

I’ve seen a lot more issues with the attach fittings welded to the lower longer on than the wires themselves.


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[Rotormech]

I'd be interested to hear your experience with damage to round tail brace wires. I operate weekly on sand a gravel and the only issue I have had was a slight tweak to a lower tail brace wire from a stick I hit with the mains. My prop however is a different story.
19213

19214

Any noticeable difference in elevator authority with the gap seals?


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[Steve Pierce]

Yes, seem to help.

[JPerkins]

Any noticeable difference in elevator authority with the gap seals?


Sent via carrier pigeon to the ShortWingPipers.Org mobile app (http://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=95463)I can second that.

Also I've had a couple nicks from gravel I had to burnish off my lower wires.

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[mechman]

The wires have done well for a long time. I have been an A&P for 30 years, and have worked a lot on fabric aircraft. With the wire ad’s,the fitting cracks, and the kind of damage you received from a stick, I am trying to see if there might be a better way, just for the lower wires. I have replace several lower wires due to damage. With all the aircraft that run wires I will probably just stay with wires, but I might try 4130 tubing on the bottom. Everyone thanks for the info. That stick through your elevator, did you feel it when it went through the elevator?

[Steve Pierce]

I flew around and landed several more gravel bars and didn't know it was there till I got back to the airport. Buddy of mine had his gopro going as I taxied by on the first bar and is the only way I knew which one I hit it on.

[Stephen]

I added CC gap seals to my elevators and even went through the field approval process. It does make a difference. I find that I can easily over rotate on take off. It is a bit of a surprise sometimes.