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T3 tail wheel

Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2022 12:56 pm
by flyfish1
I am working on my 337 for the T3 tailwheel suspension on my M4 Maule. The FSDO is requesting a photo of the T3 installation on a Maule. Can anyone with the T3 installed on their Maule send me a photo of their installation. Thanks for the help.

Re: T3 tail wheel

Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2022 5:48 pm
by 1:1 Scale
I know of someone with an Acme Aero tailwheel, but not the T3...

Re: T3 tail wheel

Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2022 6:30 pm
by wtxdragger
PM Sent

Re: T3 tail wheel Engineering Order (Australia)

Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2023 6:54 pm
by VH-MEU
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Hi everyone, It's been a while since my last post but I thought forum members might be interested in the attached images of a T3 recently installed on my M5 after finally getting an EO.Early days yet but so far I'm very impressed.3 pointers are brilliant (eliminating most of the stress at the tail end of the fuselage) but wheelers are taking a little getting used to as the T3 setup raises the tail a little so the tail touches earlier than normal. The other plus with the T3 is that there is a big improvement with taxing ground steering, a lot more positive/reactive ie. no lag but this just means you have to be very focused on your feet!(NB: This is not an issue in the landing phase.) When I work out how to post a video on the site I'll forward a couple of landing, TO's & taxing tests. All the best, Paul

Re: T3 tail wheel

Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2023 11:21 pm
by flyusn99
If anyone is interested I've got a T3 Piper/SQ twin shock tailwheel suspension for sale, same as is shown on the airframes Alaska website only just about half price. It came off a Maule M-7.
I bought it used in a package deal with several other items. Figured I'd put it on later but couldn't get the Juneau or Anchorage FSDO's to give me a field approval without the whole engineering Sh%@-Show so its up for sale if anyone wants it. $500 +shipping and its yours.


James
907-617-9568

Re: T3 tail wheel

Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2023 8:17 pm
by wtxdragger
My mechanic got the approval for mine and has done 3 or 4 more since.

Re: T3 tail wheel

Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2024 6:25 pm
by Gary Raser
Hi All,
I have a M7-235 C "Spring Gear" I was wondering how heavy the tail is, so I set the tail wheel on a bathroom scale the plane was pretty much empty, 15 gallons of gas and 10 lbs. in the baggage area. It weighed 225 lbs. Do I have a heavy tail or is that about normal?
Thanks
Gary

Re: T3 tail wheel

Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2024 8:14 pm
by Andy Young
That’s a little hard to say, as they are usually weighed in the level flight attitude, which does change the weight distribution between main and tail wheels. Also, they are usually weighed empty. 15 gallons of gas and 10 lbs. baggage WILL add significantly to the tail weight, given the long arm. My M-6-235, completely empty, in the flight attitude, is 111 lbs. at the tailwheel.

Maybe someone else can slide a scale under their tail in the ground attitude and see what they get.

Re: T3 tail wheel

Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2024 3:08 am
by andy
With 40 gals fuel, no occupants or baggage, my MX-7-180 weighs in at about 225 lbs at the tail wheel.

Re: T3 tail wheel

Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2024 4:01 pm
by Gary Raser
Thanks guys

Re: T3 tail wheel

Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2025 3:19 am
by andy
I just got an email from Alaska Gear Company about their T3 tail wheel. I didn't realize that they had one STC'd for Maules. I know that some Maule owners have them but I thought it was a field approval. Has anyone purchased the STC?

https://alaskagearcompany.com/collectio ... suspension

I'm happy with my ABI 3224A tail wheel and ABI tail spring but I can see where the T3 might be a good idea on really rough landing zones to reduce the stress on the tail wheel and airframe.

What do those who have flown a while with them think?

Re: T3 tail wheel

Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2025 8:29 pm
by asa
andy wrote:
Tue Feb 04, 2025 3:19 am
I just got an email from Alaska Gear Company about their T3 tail wheel. I didn't realize that they had one STC'd for Maules. I know that some Maule owners have them but I thought it was a field approval. Has anyone purchased the STC?

https://alaskagearcompany.com/collectio ... suspension

I'm happy with my ABI 3224A tail wheel and ABI tail spring but I can see where the T3 might be a good idea on really rough landing zones to reduce the stress on the tail wheel and airframe.

What do those who have flown a while with them think?
As far as I know, they will sell you a Maule one, but it isn't STC'd and is labeled experimental. At the link you posted, if you zoom in a bit on the label on the side it says experimental. The STC'd models are only PA18 and C170, but I think they are slowly working through the others. If you go to the PA18 and C170 items on their website, you will see a $250 add-on option to buy the STC.

I just installed mine this week. Had a DAR friend sign off on a field approval in December, he stipulated that I remove the sticker that said "experimental". Seems well made, that's about all I know at this point. Plan to put it through the paces this summer. It was actually right at the same weight of the steel springs I removed, so no W/B change.

Image

Re: T3 tail wheel

Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2025 3:02 am
by andy
Thanks Asa. It looks like there's no slack in the tail wheel steering chains that attach the steering arm to the springs with the T3. I have to keep some slack in my ABI 3224A to allow the tail wheel to move without resistance to about 30 degrees either way. There's no shimmy but I lose a little bit of steering authority on the ground. It looks like the T3 fixes that problem without shimmying.