I don't know if any of you remember me reporting my taxiing mishap about 3 months ago which damaged my wing, aileron, landing gear, and prop...

Well, my Hi-max is finally repaired and I sucessfully taxied around on Sunday.

The only thing it seems to need is a new tailwheel spring.  I belive this is aluminum and has gotten soft. The tail is pretty low, it must have gotten bent on my off-runway excursion. I bent it back about two inches but after taxiing it seems to have settled back down.

I want to thank you guys on this forum for the help and advice I received.
Especially Bat Cave Dave, Gene Blair, and Jim Chuk.

I'm looking forward to flying it, but this coming weekend will be more ground handling practice on a nice WIDE, GRASS runway.

tony:
The tail wheel spring I purchased from JDT is now spring steel, No longer aluminum, probalby because it tends to bend. I ve had plenty of rough landings and it  has never bent.
Jack

Thanks, Jack

I called JDT today about the spring.

Their spring comes with a different type wheel and it is only set up for the push-pull rod.

My plane is set up with the pull-pull setup.

It probably wouldn't be too hard to modify something to work, but they talked me into trying to bend my aluminum spring back into shape once more.

Imagine! They talked me out of giving them money!

I've had the aluminum spring sag on my Mini-Max several times, bend it back and go on. Make sure there is no side slop in youi tailwheel any where, and try to get it lined up with you rudder also. If you can make sure the rudder cables are a little bit tighter than the tailwheel cables. This will make it a little more forgiving, especially on hard surfaces. Put some light weight springs between the cable and tailwheel if you can.

Well,
I removed the spring and bent it back to plans, spreading the bend over a large part of the spring, rather than just at one sharp angle (John? Jim? from JDT suggested this).
After several runs up and down the runway today it had not bent back.

I also think that another culprit contributed to it bending last time: I was taxiing around with the stick held full back - even at speed. I think this may have put too much pressure on the tailspring for an extended time.

Today I spent half the time with the tail in the air, but the other half with it on the ground - just not with the stick in my belly.

I had a grat time and began to get comfortable with tail-up taxiing.

Unfortunately, I noticed I was getting some oil splatters on my windscreen.
It ended up coming from the head gasket.
So until I can get a new gasket delivered......
I also gues I should check the accuracy of my CHT, to make sure that it wasnt overheating without me being aware of it.

Also, my pull start cord is fraying. Is this a special item or something I can get at a lawnmower shop???

Here's a pic from las week:

Diamond braid nylon at most hardware or small engine suppliers.  Check the torque on the head, the metal gaskets hardly ever cause a problem unless they lose torque.

I had oil splaters on my windshield once, and it was comeing from the base gaskets under the cylinders.  I think I replaced them and did a decarbon on the pistons/rings as long as I had the engine apart.  If you have oil going out you could have air comeing in and that would give you a lean (burned up engine) mixture.  Thanks,  Jim

I had checked the torque. It was OK.

I removed the head gasket. it didn't LOOK bad.

I have almost 2 hours taxiing on the new head gasket and it is not leaking, so I guess that was it (yay!).

Also, I got some pull start cord from CPS when I ordered the new gaskett.
A whopping 35 cents a foot. I got 10 feet and there is enough left over to do it again. The gasket was cheap too, and the order got to my house in three days.

I am constantly amazed at the great service I'm getting from airplane vendors.

Have you thought about having your tail wheel spring gear leaf re-heat treated. Some of them seem to be made of soft material and can be made stiffer by heat treating. Simple process, heat to 600 deg and let it sit for 6-8 hours. Turn off oven and let it sit alone untill cool.  The slower it cools the better. Aluminum fabricators run batches all the time, may let you heat treat for free.  Check your local phone book.

Bear,

Thanks,
But since I bent it back last, it has held its shape very well. And I have been doing a LOT of goundwork with it.

Tony, I have just read your comments on the tail- spring. I too have just had similiar problems. I have been doing a lot of practice taxi-runs on a rough grass field with a lot of big bumps and my aluminum tail spring straighten out. I believe this spring gear was made for the 254 lb. mini-max with a 175-185 lb. pilot and not for a  350 lb.aircraft with a 250 lb. pilot. I was able to bend mine back on a hydraluic press and tried it out today and it held the bend. I am keeping my fingers crossed but will probably have to go with a stronger spring. Best maxflapper sam