Tail Wheel Mount Installation

[2066]

From Barnstormers.com...current ad: CESSNA 140 TAIL SECTION • $1,000 • AVAILABLE FOR SALE • Complete rear cone section with steel tailwheel bracket off 47 C140. Call for pictures. Great cond. • Contact ......, Owner - located ...... ......, TX United States • Telephone: .......... • Posted August 13, 2019 •
Mac

[8451]

I’m curious on where the bolt substitution came from. Is there something that was misinterpreted to allow the substitution, or rather lack of factory guidance specifying only rivets are approved?

It seems widespread enough that it isn’t the work of just one rogue mechanic.

I suspect it's rooted in laziness. There really isn't any guidance to misinterpret. I doubt you'll find any thing published that says either "bolts may be substituted" or "only rivets are approved".

So, does that make it the work of many rogue mechanics?

Perhaps it comes down to if the substitution is legally airworthy or not to determine if said mechanics are "rogue" (viewpoints here on the wisdom of the practice notwithstanding).

[6643]

The bracket on my '46 is steel, unless it's some aluminum alloy that rusts...

[2066]

The bracket on my '46 is steel, unless it's some aluminum alloy that rusts...

I thought I recalled that yours is steel. Do I remember, too, that you don't know its history (other than it's always been there)? I seem to recall, also, that the steel brackets may(?) have been manufactured coincident with the 170 and some may have been installed on some (few?) 120s and 140s before they were upgraded for the 170A/B again later? (Where's Big Edd when we need our "historian"?) Mac

[6643]

All I can say is there's no log entry saying it was changed, and no log entry alluding to damage in that area.

[2066]

All I can say is there's no log entry saying it was changed, and no log entry alluding to damage in that area.

...and, it's never cracked

[8218]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm going to use rivets to install the bracket. I was just curious to see if anyone had gone through the process of showing the bolt type installation was structurally sound.
Thanks,
Bill

[7263]

Here's my tail-wheel bracket repair from a couple years ago.
You may want to have your A&P/IA check the vertical stabilizer spar (or whatever it's called,) since mine had cracked again from an earlier repair. I had a new one installed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBaQoNFutMk

[4390]

AC 43.13-1B These are FAA acceptable practices.