Acme Stinger Tailwheel

[N536cs]

Both our Sport Cubs have the Baby Bushwheel and at our home airport KSMX, they have more than a tendency to shimmy.
Our runway is grooved so even if you land straight it can upset it enough to shimmy.
This arrived today:

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It is heavy weighing 3 pounds more than our two heavy duty spring set up.

It sits taller almost 3 inches. Ground handling was really good so we test flew.
Scott tried his darndest in a gusty crosswind to make it shimmy and only once could he get a slight left right and then it tracked true.

[N536cs]

Here is a video from the first flight as the shimmy dampening was tested.

[Dan L]

Good report and video. What’s the weight?

I run a Pawnee spring that is heavy but bullet proof.

[N536cs]

Good report and video. What’s the weight?

I run a Pawnee spring that is heavy but bullet proof.

Total weight of the Stinger is 7.3 lbs, about 3 lbs heavier than the 2 spring heavy duty setup we had.

[N536cs]

Scott & Kim

Installation of the Stinger was easy. It is shipped with all the bolts loose enabling us to disassemble the unit for access to the various attachments. The main bolt for the rod ends hinge was too short - couldn' get any thread out of the nut. Replaced it with an AN-6 bolt one size longer. The distance between the front bolt and two side attach bolts was exact, even though the bracket has a 1.5" slot for adjustment.

Adjustment to get the tailwheel post into that 'negative - aft" angle was also easy, even with the baby bushwheel. The adjustment rod ends combined with a three position bracket provide plenty of movement.

Landing - I really pushed it; deliberately landing with an angle to those pesky water displacement grooves in the SMX runway, landing with the tailwheel crooked, swerving, bouncing, landing faster than normal. The Garmin VIRB talks to a cell phone so I could see some of what I was doing in real time. Wasn't until I had the video after the flight and noticed several of the "2 shake shimmies."

We also like the increased 3" of height. Easier to see over the nose (26" main tires) but still have the full three point landing flare and low airspeed.

Yup, a tad pricey. But we've had more than one tailwheel shimmy that scared us. Eager to get the new setup out into some dirt.

Scott & Kim Huntington

[Rick Bosshardt]

Thx Scott! Good review and video. I already have two friends who have ordered the new Stinger, and I met with Eric from Acme at Camp CubCrafters last night, before Oshkosh opens today. He showed me the shock...impressive engineering!

Rick

[Rich]

Is it 3” higher than the 3200B Baby Bushwheel Tailwheel or 3” taller than the standard 3200 Tailwheel? I am debating options for an XCUB build I have pending.......

[Rick Bosshardt]

Rich (et al),
just talked to Eric at Acme to be sure, but the Stinger is the same for a Bushwheel or a for a Scott 3200 tailwheel. The only two versions for the Stinger are one or two bolt mounting, and thats determined by which CubCrafters plane you put it on.
One bolt for the lighter SS's, and two bolts for the heavier planes including the EAB XCub. The Stinger is not certified for the Part 23 XCub.
And, the Stinger has three height adjustment points, to give you more or less of an angle of attack on the ground.

In the middle position (of 3), the height of the tail off the ground should be almost the same as it is with the spring set up, +/-.

Call me if you have any more questions on that!

Rick