What Are Aircraft Tailwheel Assemblies and Their Common Maintenance Issues

For aircraft that operate on solid ground between flights, landing gear assemblies are critical components. Consisting of wheels, brakes, tires, and various other structural elements, landing gear allows a pilot to traverse runways, take off, land, and more. Depending on the type of aircraft and its intended role, a number of landing gear assemblies may be present. One common feature on single-engine aircraft, among other types, is the tail wheel assembly, that of which is where an undercarriage is situated forward of the center of gravity while a small skid or wheel is placed on the tail for support.

Tail wheel assemblies will regularly vary in design, some featuring shock and spring struts, others having full casing, non steering, and nonlocking structures, and some only having partial casting. Nevertheless, all designs carry out the same function of offering takeoff and landing capabilities while ensuring directional control and ease of movement when traversing on ground surfaces. Despite maintenance plans differing on the type of undercarriage that is present, there are common areas of tail wheel assemblies where issues tend to be popular. To ensure that you properly look out for the health of your aircraft and its assemblies, we will discuss these problems below.

Tail wheels are able to shimmy like most other wheels, though this can lead to issues if the caster angle is off. To check this, one can use straight edges that are aligned one edge parallel to the centerline of the castering joint, and a mark should be made at the spot where the straight edge meets the floor. From there, another straight edge should be moved perpendicular to the floor until it is intersecting the other edge’s midpoint so that another mark can be added. By measuring the angle between the two lines, the caster angle can be found. When the angle is positive, the assembly should be okay. Meanwhile, negative caster angles may deter how much the tailwheel assembly can shimmy.

For the tires and wheels of the assembly, the most prevalent concerns include air pressure, wheel balance, and bearing issues. With air pressure, it is simply a matter of always ensuring that levels are within a safe range. With too high of a pressure, the gripping footprint may be reduced. Meanwhile, too low of pressure may result in the tire slipping on the rim. For wheel balance, the tail should be raised so that the gear can be unloaded to let the wheel rotate along its axle. While minimal vertical movement is typical, wobbling is more concerning. Lastly, when it comes to the bearings, rotation should not cause any notable noises, that of which may require installing spacers and/or checking the condition of the bearing.

Lastly, other common issues that one may face include tracking, turning, and castering trouble. If the castering cannot lock, there may be worn components or loose materials and hardware that are causing a problem. Meanwhile poor directional stability or high effort for movement may be tied to elements that were installed improperly. Lastly, any issues with the steering linkage may result from something being too loose or too tight, both of which can be a concern.

When any such issue is found, it is important that it is tended to as soon as possible so that no further faults come about further down the line. If you happen to find yourself in need of various parts for repair or replacement work, we at Integrated Supply Chain have you covered. On our website, we stock more than 2 billion new, used, obsolete, and hard-to-find components that trace back to thousands of leading manufacturers that we trust. Take the time to explore our offerings as you see fit, and be sure to request quotes on any items of interest that you come across so that we may provide you with a tailored solution fit for your needs. If you have any questions or concerns regarding our offerings or services, be sure to give us a call or email at your earliest convenience!