Forum Replies Created
Posted In: Bill Beardslee
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Participant
Hi Kent,
We found a Cleveland damper that will do the trick. Thanks so much for your help and guidance.
Bill
ParticipantHi Kent,
This is of great help. I will hop on this first thing in the am. Many thanks!
Bill
ParticipantThank you for your input JP. I have ready the article. Very helpful!
Best, Bill
ParticipantThanks Steve and I hope you had a blast at Oshkosh.
I have already contacted a few east coast service centers. Hopefully I will find an adequate shop.
Bill
ParticipantHi Jen,
Yes, I did read that earlier this year. Great series of articles.
I am looking for recommendations on shops in the NE (I am at KBVY). The shop that assisted JP is in Michigan.
Best, Bill
ParticipantHi folks,
Eric asked that I report back once I had some experience with my MiniMax tug. Would I purchase this again? Yes.
This is what I purchased: https://www.minimaxtugs.com/Piper-wheel-pants-aircraft-tug-p/012piper(wp).htm
Pros
– Attaches easily to a Piper with wheel pants (this is a small sub-set of tugs available for General Aviation)
– On the lower end of the pricing spectrum
– Plenty of HP (I own a Dakota, so a heftier PA28 platform)
– Can be broken down and transported in (most) Pipers – https://youtu.be/S4xYU_xMCzg?si=nAV1psqENgrMhq3d
– Fast shipping and good customer serviceCons
– Poor wheel grip in reverse (backing out of your hangar)
– Requires a bit more time to assemble than one would thinkMy criteria for purchasing was a tug that could connect to the Piper dual-hole tow ring on a plane with wheel pants. I did not want to spend more than $2k. And I have not been a fan of internal combustion options in the tug market, so I focused primarily on electric drive tugs.
Assembly
I highly recommend assembling this on a bench. Kneeling down for 45 minutes is not a good thing. The assembly video is helpful, for sure.Operation
The tug is propelled by a 60v DeWalt drill motor. 20v may be suitable for lighter aircraft. With the optional Speed Mover, the tug is a breeze to move around and align to your tow ring.Hooking up your tug to the tow ring can be a bit tricky. I had to kneel while aligning the two down forks with the holes on the tow ring. Once aligned, I engage the tow ring lock. Once locked the mini tug stays securely connected to the plane (unlike many hand-held Piper tow bars).
Towing in reverse – as in pulling the plane in a forward direction out of the hangar – is the weakness of this tug. On level ground the wheels spin…and the plane does not move. Applying down pressure on the tug handle, the plane might move. Once you get a bit of momentum and get it over the threshold of the hangar things are easier. Lowering the tire pressure on the tug tires helps a bit.
If the plane is on a gritty surface such as asphalt or hard packed gravel, down pressure on the tug is enough to get it going.
Towing forward (pushing the plane into the hangar) is a dream. The tires dig in to the asphalt or concrete and push the Dakota up a 2-3 percent grade with ease.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Bill
ParticipantFor sure I will report back once I have taken it on a few laps!
ParticipantHi Kent,
I decided to go with MiniMax for a few reasons. First, I preferred the fork attachment to the plane vs the approach taken by Aero Tow. Second. MiniMax is lighter, allowing me to more easily carry it in the plane. It also was a bit less expensive vs Aero Tow, but not really by a significant margin.
https://www.minimaxtugs.com/Piper-wheel-pants-aircraft-tug-p/012piper(wp).htm?utm_source=google&gad_source=4&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=&utm_term=
Thank you for your input. Much appreciated!
Bill
ParticipantThank you Eric. Robo Tow looks good, except it is not compatible with wheel pants. That is a no-go for me 🙂
Bill
ParticipantThank you Jennifer. I will look into Aero Tow.
Bill
