Nose Wheel Tow Bar Plans?

I designed and built one for my RANS. Slips over the top of the  fork. Made from a wooden hoe handle with a standard tapered metal reinforcement sleeve at the working end: a short piece of steel angle stock and two modified U-bolts. Screws onto the end of the woodent handle (slightly drilled out) with a hex head wood screw. I can carry it easily extended into the plane's tail cone. Total cost maybe $15. If you're interested, I'll send  you a photo, or post it (new to this site; dont' know if I can put up pix).

Mike Rosen

If you can post a picture it might help give me some ideas.  I'm amazed that I couldn't find anything in the Sport Aviation Archives.

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Michael

There is a set of plans for a folding towbar on our website www.yippyio.net.

click on "Homebuilt Aircraft" when that page opens select Page 7 - 2009. There are photos of the towbar, and a link to "Towbar.pdf" This file is 207K and has both pics and a drawing of how to build.

This towbar can be adapted to most aircraft and a few suggestions are on there.

Cheers

Thanks!  I found the towbar at http://yippyio.net/5HomebuP/Plane%207/Towbar.pdf

Looks like a nice design.

--Michael

Whoops, I failed to mention the metal. I am comfy welding steel, so mine was made with 1/2" steel tube (round for handle). It could be equally made in same size al if you weld that.

Cheers and enjoy.

Hello Mike.

This is my first try at  answering anything like this but thought you might possibly be interested in what I did. I caught a glimpse of this idea in a picture but no plans.  I bought a used pair of aluminum crutches at a goodwill type store (Humana). Think I paid $3. Then used one to make a tow bar for my zodiac . Cut off the  armpit rest end and made some brackets that slip on my nosewheel fork and attached them with Large Pop rivets ( I can't weld alum.)  Then  the bottom portion becomes the handle. I just cut it off a bit  and took about a six inch piece of  the smaller diameter upper cut -off, drilled a snug fit hole in larger one so you have a tee handle. The crutch already has the quick adjustment feature but I find I just use the one position. Works fine for light planes like ours and stows easily in the plane. Haven't weighed it but I'd  quess around a pound. I'm not sure what your nosewheel setup is but you should be able to figure out something as I did, Hope it helps!   

   ps; I think I noticed you were somewhere in NC. You can have the other crutch if you want to come to central SC !

                                                                                                                 hgammill@Juno.com

Hue Gammill   Zodiak 601XL   N16XL     Jab3300    

	Hue - In our opinion, this post embodies everything that is best about EAA: ingenuity, efficiency, and generosity! In that spirt, then, we do hereby name this post our first "Post of the Week!" In addition to our thanks and the admiration of your peers, you win ... well, you get our thanks and the admiration of your peers! (And a picture of a trophy ...) In all seriousness, on behalf of all of us here at HQ, thanks for your contribution! Sincerely, Hal Bryan Online Community Manager
		Post of the Week! 8/20/09

Hue... that's just briliiant!  Moments like this make me love EAA!!

Michael (fellow EAA1114 member),   put that 3rd wheel on the back of the fuselage where it belongs and you won't need a towbar!   Just kidding - congrats on the superb Sonex and your many important contributions to the Sonex builder community.  Kent

Hue,

This is what I came up with.  A foldable tow bar.

http://www.pbase.com/sonex293/towbar 

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Michael