To-Do-Item #9 B.A.S. Tailpull Handles

[zero.one.victor]

What is the price for the pull handles these days? Seems like it was around $170 bucks last time I checked. How much of an Assn discount does BAS offer?

Eric

[doug8082a]

$190 when I bought mine a couple months ago.

[rudymantel]

Like Harold, I use a tail wheel tow bar to maneuver the airplane in and out of the T-hangar. It's slightly uphill part of the way out and I strain mightily. Keeping the tires well inflated makes it much easier. If I run out of steam part of the way out, I push on a strut as Joe recommends. That works well when the tail is past the doors.
When traveling, I always carry my trusty tow bar and don't let the line scientists come near the airplane.
Rudy

[Watkinsnv]

George wrote:[quote] I mentioned the B.A.S. Tailpull Handles as item #9 purely because that's when I thought of them, but in actuality they are much handier than being #9 on the list. If I didn't have them, I'd do them as one of the first mods performed (probably right after shoulder harnesses.)
For Chirstmas I bought myself a set of Hooker shoulder harnesses. I had to watch how I wrote that . And the B.A.S. Tailpull Handles. These were on my things to add on and never finish list. But the Hookers are almost done and it's just about time to move on to the tailpull Handles that is. Lance

[AR Dave]

I flew for the first time since installing the tail handles. My daughter just couldn't understand why I manuevered the plane in and out of the hanger 5 times. I can't wait for a reason to go back and move that plane again. SO MUCH BETTER!

Here’s the, not knowing what you’re doing, method.
1. After you crawl back past the last bulkhead and raise the handle tube into position, it pretty much fits right into place (meaning it wedges correctly upward and backward as far as it can go). The instructions give some measurements. Just make sure it’s about the same location on both sides. That isn’t too hard.
2. From the inside, I drilled through the 6 little rivet holes on the flanges that are against the fuselage walls.
3. On the outside I took a pencil and straight edge and marked from each rivet hole across to the opposite rivet hole. This made a star pattern.
4. Drilled me a pilot hole through the center of the star.
5. Then with a holesaw punched out a 7/8” hole. The tail handle is 1” but I allowed for being off center a little. And I was, slightly off.
6. On the inside put those things, ya’ll use, to hold the flanges in place against both walls.
7. From the outside, I gently filed the edge of the hole until the handle slid smoothly out.
8. Got my mechanic friend to gun the rivets from the outside, while I backed them up on the inside, with earplugs on.

[russfarris]

I was inspired to finally install the B.A.S. tail handles after reading this thread.

My I.A., who sometimes has more faith in my ability than I have, said to go ahead and do it, he'd inspect it and sign it off. I enlisted a friend of mine who just finished an RV-6 to do the riveting, while I held the bucking bar. It came out great; a little touch up paint on the rivets and we were done. It looks like a factory installation.

A couple of hints, if you do the work yourself. A regular electric drill has clearance problems with the tube, so I borrowed my buddies 90 degree angle drive pneumatic drill, which made drilling the holes a snap.

Also, I should have read AR Daves post a little closer and used a 7/8 hole saw, instead of 1 inch. So the hole was a little off, hardly noticeable especially after I touched it up with paint. The worst part of the experience was crawling back into the tailcone, which isn't getting easier as the years go by. But it was a fun project and a useful mod. Now I can toss that Mickey Mouse tow bar away! Russ Farris

[Kyle Wolfe]

Thanks for the tips. My A & P installed my handles today and they look great. And work well to.

We put stainless screws in instead of rivets. A buddy of mine with a 195 did that. Just provides a bit easier access if you need to drop the handles and get access into the tail.

And Dave, I can see what you mean about showing your daughter how nice they work.

For anyone who's thinking about doing this - go for it!

[AR Dave]

I'm really proud of those handles, however while pushing the newly painted plane into the hanger, for the first time, I realized I had my rear on the stabilizer and had forgotten about the handles. Old habits!

[170C]

Dave. does your post about pushing your plane into the hangar mean you now have your plane back home?

[GAHorn]

I'm really proud of those handles, however while pushing the newly painted plane into the hanger, for the first time, I realized I had my rear on the stabilizer and had forgotten about the handles. Old habits!

There's an easy and often-committed damage that can occur when handling a 170, even with B.A.S. tail-pull handles....and that is the temptation to push the rear of the plane to the side (left or right) while manuevering it, and pushing upon the vertical stabilizer at it's meeting point with the fuselage. (The so-called dorsal fin.) That fin has a small angled bracket which attaches it to the fuselage which can easily be broken by such action. It's not an easy fix, and it always hits the wallet too.
Try to avoid pushing/pulling on anything other than the BAS handles.