Getting a lot of tailwheel shimmy in my 170 when landing on pavement, feels like if the plane will fall apart.
Will this anti shimmy springs work on a 170 with Scotts tailwheel?
Has anyone tried them?

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/ ... ey=3017936

Check your king pin angle. Your spring is probably getting weak and allowing the king pin to angle back at the bottom. The more weight on the wheel the more is shimmies.

175 magnum wrote:Check your king pin angle. Your spring is probably getting weak and allowing the king pin to angle back at the bottom. The more weight on the wheel the more is shimmies.

Yes, Also king pin nut tension, & condition of internal parts.
Along with axle nut tension & tire pressure.
Tear it all apart, clean it, grease it, reassemble.
Lots of more likely causes of shimmy than the steering springs.

motoadve wrote:Getting a lot of tailwheel shimmy in my 170 when landing on pavement, feels like if the plane will fall apart.
Will this anti shimmy springs work on a 170 with Scotts tailwheel?
Has anyone tried them?

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/ ... ey=3017936

Do NOT use those springs on a 170. When (if) they reach their limit, they hit a hard stop. That’s how you break things.

First, look at the angle of the tailwheel as it rests…..with some weight in the plane.

My guess is you have an original 170 tail spring, which generally suck. Go to Univair or Spruce and order a MAIN leaf for an L-19. It’ll be thicker than your main leaf. Replace the main leaf in your stack with that L-19 main leaf. You’ll have to remove the shortest leaf in your stack to make it fit.

Then, if you don’t already have one, replace your tailwheel steering arm with a 3214T “Bent steering arm” from Airframes AK.

The stock 170 spring isn’t stiff enough. The L-19 main leaf gives the stack enough stiffness.

My mechanic called all this a minor alteration. Never had another shimmy.

MTV

+1. That is the correct answer.

And if you have a baby bushwheel it will shimmy on pavement unless you are really slow.

What Mike says. https://forum.cessna170.org/forums/view ... 24&t=14383

mtv wrote:

motoadve wrote:Getting a lot of tailwheel shimmy in my 170 when landing on pavement, feels like if the plane will fall apart.
Will this anti shimmy springs work on a 170 with Scotts tailwheel?
Has anyone tried them?

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/ ... ey=3017936

Do NOT use those springs on a 170. When (if) they reach their limit, they hit a hard stop. That’s how you break things.

First, look at the angle of the tailwheel as it rests…..with some weight in the plane.

My guess is you have an original 170 tail spring, which generally suck. Go to Univair or Spruce and order a MAIN leaf for an L-19. It’ll be thicker than your main leaf. Replace the main leaf in your stack with that L-19 main leaf. You’ll have to remove the shortest leaf in your stack to make it fit.

Then, if you don’t already have one, replace your tailwheel steering arm with a 3214T “Bent steering arm” from Airframes AK.

The stock 170 spring isn’t stiff enough. The L-19 main leaf gives the stack enough stiffness.

My mechanic called all this a minor alteration. Never had another shimmy.

MTV

Thanks Mike, is this the steering arm you are talking about?

motoadve wrote:

mtv wrote:

motoadve wrote:Getting a lot of tailwheel shimmy in my 170 when landing on pavement, feels like if the plane will fall apart.
Will this anti shimmy springs work on a 170 with Scotts tailwheel?
Has anyone tried them?

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/ ... ey=3017936

Do NOT use those springs on a 170. When (if) they reach their limit, they hit a hard stop. That’s how you break things.

First, look at the angle of the tailwheel as it rests…..with some weight in the plane.

My guess is you have an original 170 tail spring, which generally suck. Go to Univair or Spruce and order a MAIN leaf for an L-19. It’ll be thicker than your main leaf. Replace the main leaf in your stack with that L-19 main leaf. You’ll have to remove the shortest leaf in your stack to make it fit.

Then, if you don’t already have one, replace your tailwheel steering arm with a 3214T “Bent steering arm” from Airframes AK.

The stock 170 spring isn’t stiff enough. The L-19 main leaf gives the stack enough stiffness.

My mechanic called all this a minor alteration. Never had another shimmy.

MTV

Thanks Mike, is this the steering arm you are talking about?

Yes, that’s the one. Airframes calls it the “Bent steering arm”. Also requires bigger dust seals.

MTV

Easy and cheap fix:

Avoid landing on pavement

Or keep the tail up as long as possible, if you do.