Wingtip Wheels from Libelle 201?

On Wednesday, January 10, 2018 at 1:47:31 PM UTC-6, Bob Kuykendall wrote:
...possibly those made for skateboards...

My experience is that skateboard wheels don't do very well as either tailwheels or wingtip wheels. The bearings seem to wear out quickly and spit out their balls, then the wheel starts wobbling and tearing up the surrounding structure.

The issue appears to be that the bearings don't handle the shock loads that they regularly see in glider service. You'd think that they'd be better, since skateboards and inline skates appear to be often subjected to such loads. However, it bears remembering that the human leg is a quite effective shock absorption system, one absent from glider wingtips and tails.

I use 200x50 pneumatic wheels for tailwheels, and when I need a wingtip wheel, I usually make it out of 2" Delrin rod stock with a plain steel or Oilite bushing.

--Bob K.

Really? My experience is exactly the opposite - I installed a rollerblade wheel (complete with the sealed bearing) in the tailskid of my LS6 16 years ago (it replaced the hard white plastic wheel that came with the skid). Replaced the original rollerblade wheel last season (with it's sibling - they came in packs of 2) because the wheel was badly chunked and ugly - but the bearings were fine (replaced anyway, just because).

So that little rollerblade wheel survived about 2000 hours in everything from desert dirt strips, paved strips, and muddy grass strips - and I always go for a tailwheel first landing so no going easy on it there!

Of course, the wheel is inside a rubber tailskid with a simple spring mount - perhaps a solid mount (like on a 1-34 for example) would be harder on the bearings...

As usual, YMMV.

Kirk
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