On Monday, September 5, 2016 at 3:45:40 PM UTC-7, Dan Marotta wrote:
Interesting about the built-in cup for a pneumatic wheel. I had no
idea! My '6 came with the white plastic wheel mounted in a steel cage
which was then bolted into the rubber skid/fairing thingie. The roller
blade wheel was of too large a diameter to fit into the cage so I
reduced it by mounting it on a mandrel and, using a file, cut it down to
size. I always wondered about its survivability since it was built for
skating speed, not 50 kts, but it didn't wear out in about 6 years of
flying the ship.

On 9/5/2016 2:11 PM, JS wrote:
When rollerblades came out, their wheels were considered an improvement over the standard white plastic tailskid wheels. Much less fragile.
Darnell also make (or at least used to make) quality load-rated caster wheels that fit those skids.
Either the 210x65 or 200x50 tailwheel mod is a huge improvement over the rollerblade or Darnell wheels.
Nylon, alloy or brass wheels are available for CG adjustment.

Since the LS6 was brought up, there is already a tailwheel cup inside the fuselage of even the A model. It's glassed over if the 210x65 tailwheel option wasn't ordered from the factory.
Jim

--
Dan, 5J

Mark Grubb found out after he manufactured a wheel cup and then opened the tail boom of 6046. I'd replaced the wheel a few times before going to a real wheel.
"DOH!"

If you install a fairing around the wheel, mind that the trailer wheel cup is filled enough to stop the gelcoat rubbing. Check the tow bar for rubbing too. Also make a notch in the fairing so you can inflate the tire without removing it.
Or use Schempp-Hirth's bolt-on fairing.
Jim