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Moved the gear on SD2

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Walter Atkinson

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Jul 16, 2018
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Brandon, MS
My wife, Sonya, bought N22JB, built by Justice Bailey, which had the gear set at 3.8" behind the firewall. We knew this when we bought it. It was a "darter", but her Indian name is "Dances on rudders." (She's ⅛ Four Winds Cherokee.) Since she could land the nasty, little, squirrelly booger, we didn't worry too much about it. We had a crack develop in the right main attach point, so it was a good time to remove the gear and have it re-set for 8" behind the firewall.

Don Adamson built a new attach point and re-set the gear angle. After welding and mounting, the mains now sit 7.5" behind the firewall. When we were re-installing it, we noticed a slight toe-out to the axels (about 1.5 degrees as measured on each side). We addressed that until the axels were zero toe. After reinstalling the gear, a new W&B was done (using scales) and we were pleased to find that the level tailwheel weight had gone from a hefty 91# to an very nice 67#.

By comparison, N22JB now wheel lands as if she is on rails. Three-pointers are no longer the goat-rope, adrenaline rush that they used to be. (You still can't see squat.) I guess the combination of gear position, axel toe, and lower tail weight made it far more manageable and worth the trouble!

Thanks to Mr. Baxter and Mr. Adamson for all of your help.
 

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