Mounting a winch

Pinecone said:
A friend of mine was in a partnership in a Cherokee 180 where the t-hangar was on a slope. There was NO WAY one or even two people would have been able to put it back in. They had a winch. And used it on a regular basis for at least 15 years that I know of. No problems.

There is not much shock loading. And if needed, you could put a shock link between the steel cable and the tie down ring. Pretty much a steady pull.

Pulling from the tail automatically centers the tail. If you tried to pull backwards from the nose gear, the airplane would want to turn. Try hooking a rope to the front of a shopping cart and pulling straight backwards. Please have someone video you doing this. It will be hilarious.
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Re: Pulling backwards on the nose gear: That might work just fine - depending on how you go about it. You could place the towbar on the backside of the nosewheel and attach the winch to it under the belly. However,
that method makes it difficult to make steering corrections if needed. The original suggestion of attaching to the main gear legs using nylon lifting straps worked every time in practice (and leaves the nose gear with
towbar attached for steering corrections as needed). You could also try attaching a single nylon strap to the nose gear strut - which would also leave the towbar free. The nylon straps serve as a shock absorber (though
none is probably needed, since the main gear ls probably the strongest attachment point you will find - especially the spring steel variety such as on my Cessna). Another thing to remember is that the process is slow, and
there is no problem with stopping to correct the steering, if need be. An improvement, of course, would be to put an extension or remote control on the winch circuit - so you could run it and steer the plane at the same
time. I didn't have that - but it wasn't really a problem.

Dave
 
I have an I Beam bolted to the floor and the winch mounted on top of that. I can take pics if you want
 
cessna182b said:
Re: Pulling backwards on the nose gear: That might work just fine - depending on how you go about it. You could place the towbar on the backside of the nosewheel and attach the winch to it under the belly. However,
that method makes it difficult to make steering corrections if needed. The original suggestion of attaching to the main gear legs using nylon lifting straps worked every time in practice (and leaves the nose gear with
towbar attached for steering corrections as needed). You could also try attaching a single nylon strap to the nose gear strut - which would also leave the towbar free. The nylon straps serve as a shock absorber (though
none is probably needed, since the main gear ls probably the strongest attachment point you will find - especially the spring steel variety such as on my Cessna). Another thing to remember is that the process is slow, and
there is no problem with stopping to correct the steering, if need be. An improvement, of course, would be to put an extension or remote control on the winch circuit - so you could run it and steer the plane at the same
time. I didn't have that - but it wasn't really a problem.

Dave
Click to expand...

The problem with pulling aft on the nose gear is that if it gets off line, the pull will make the airplane turn more and faster. Think difference between nose gear and tailwheel aircraft.

Like I said before, tie a line to the front of a shopping cart and then try to pull it backwards with the line.

Straps around mains would be MUCH safer.
 
Just throw a strap around the tailwheel spring and call it good.
 
just mount the winch to the back of the plane and put a tiedown point in the back hangar wall.
You may need a 337 :D
 
Just bolt a glider/banner tow hook on the tail. They also come in handy when you are hand propping.
 
Jim_R said:
While I agree it sounds like a bad idea to pull horizontally on the tail tie-down, I challenge you to present an example of someone doing damage to their plane via winching the tie-down. I've looked for years and haven't run across any. I've asked questions like this on public forums and no one's ever provided a specific example.

I'm not saying winching is risk-free or that damage can't happen, and I'm not recommending that it's a great option. I'm just saying I've heard lots of folks who have admitted to winching their planes but never heard of anyone who's had damage result from it.

In my case I decided I'd take that risk vs. having my feet fly out from under me and crashing face first into the spinner as I go to the ground when straining to push my plane on a slippery surface. Those same surface conditions make a small powered tug unsuitable. Sometimes, the least-worst option is still the best option.
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I've mentioned it in other threads on this same topic. Hangar neighbor of mine with a 182 did thousands of dollars of damage internally to the tail of his aircraft using a winch. He damaged the internal bulkheads and skins, and not in one particular instance but from repetitive use. The approach to his hangar was flat with just a 1/2 inch or less lip at the door.

The manufacturers of most light aircraft never anticipated the tail tie-down being a tow point, and did not design it heavy enough to be used as such.

So yes it does happen. And no one that I know of at this airport has ever done it since.
 
Where does the glider tow hook attach on a 182? I know that they tow with them.
 
so no internal structure modifications to support that tow hook?? It's just attached to the tiedown point with a cap screw? How much weight can that handle?
 
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