T-6 tail jack

valdez25 · **Posted:** Mon Oct 21, 2013 10:10 pm

Does anybody have an over-center jack for quickly and easily lifting the tail of the T-6 to spin the tailwheel so it will come out of the hangar without castering? I'd like to build one.
Greg Vallero
warbirdridesusa@gmail.com

Matt Gunsch · **Posted:** Tue Oct 22, 2013 2:24 am

We used to just put our back under the horizontal and lift, was not that hard to do.

51fixer · **Posted:** Tue Oct 22, 2013 7:36 am

Matt Gunsch wrote:

We used to just put our back under the horizontal and lift, was not that hard to do.

Not recommended as far as I'm concerned after replacing all the stringers in 2 horizontals from people doing this.
They Not only were bent, curved actually, but cracked and had popped spotwelds. Lower flanges on the ribs were bent up as well.
Is it the tail will hit something as it rotates? I've let them spin around on P-51s and T-6s for 30 years and have not had an issue.

Taylor Stevenson · **Posted:** Tue Oct 22, 2013 9:00 am

I'm with Rich. As long as theres nothing within, say, three feet of either side of the tips of the horizontal you should be fine. Otherwise, I'm sure you could fab up one of those leveraged wheeled cradles for moving around light TW aircraft. It'd take a lot more leverage and you wouldn't be able to move the aircraft, but you may have enough umph to rotate the TW. Rudder might get in the way though...

bdk · **Joined:** Sun May 02, 2004 1:16 am **Posts:** 11319

How about just using an automotive floor jack on the jack point?

Taylor Stevenson · **Posted:** Tue Oct 22, 2013 10:04 am

On a similar tailwheel note, I need a few tailwheel parts and I remember there being a guy advertising on Barnstormers with a huge cache of T-6 parts in California (IIRC). Anyone have contact information?

RobC · **Posted:** Tue Oct 22, 2013 11:32 am

A floor jack does not have a long enough reach. However, a floor jack on a simple four wheel moving dolly does. They are rated for 1000 lbs and less than 20 bucks at a hardware store near you. I have been using that combo since 1999 without a problem.

Taylor Stevenson · **Posted:** Tue Oct 22, 2013 11:48 am

Our Craftsman rolling auto floor jack works fine. Just throw a chunk of 2x4 on top to protect the jack point. Used it the other day to change the TW tire.

This bad boy: http://www.sears.com/craftsman-2-ton-al ... ockType=G7

Lightweight too. A lot better than those 75+ lb steel clunkers.

T

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T-6 tail jack

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