My new tug

JCranford

JCranford

En-Route
Joined
Mar 8, 2015
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2,598
Location
North TX
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Display name:
JCranford
Rather than spend thousands on a new tug, I made this. Just cuz I could
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it would be pretty badass if u painted that deere to match the paint of the plane!
 
yup, that's exactly the setup I'll get into if and when I upgrade to a twin. Plenty of cheap tired mowers in town to weld an arm and hitch to. For now, I just manual tow the Arrow. It's only 1680 lbs empty, though still a royal PITA to back into the hangar due to the poor condition of the so called driveway, plus an up gradient. Mo money mo problems lol.
 
I've had one in my hangar for a while and every time they have a hangar inspection they tell me I can't store a mower in there and I have to explain that it is a tow tractor.
 
cgrab said:
I've had one in my hangar for a while and every time they have a hangar inspection they tell me I can't store a mower in there and I have to explain that it is a tow tractor.
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Stencil "Aircraft Tug" on the side in big letters.
 
Is that belt drive or hydrostatic? I did the same with a belt drive mover. It’s a bit jerky.

How do you attach it at the nose wheel? My tow bar is a manual push/pull that I converted and it pops off (spring loaded on-off). Only tried it once and didn’t want to break anything so I shelved the idea for now. Might try a c-clamp to keep it on.
 
eman1200 said:
it would be pretty badass if u painted that deere to match the paint of the plane!
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It needs paint anyway. Might as well match the plane! I’ll put that on my list of ‘things to do’.
 
455 Bravo Uniform said:
Is that belt drive or hydrostatic? I did the same with a belt drive mover. It’s a bit jerky.

How do you attach it at the nose wheel? My tow bar is a manual push/pull that I converted and it pops off (spring loaded on-off). Only tried it once and didn’t want to break anything so I shelved the idea for now. Might try a c-clamp to keep it on.
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I specifically looked for a hydrostatic to avoid the jerky motions.

I have set screws that hold the wheel thingamajiggys in place.
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cgrab said:
I've had one in my hangar for a while and every time they have a hangar inspection they tell me I can't store a mower in there and I have to explain that it is a tow tractor.
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You have got to be kidding, right? Hangar gestapo?
 
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I use a 70’s sears garden tractor. The extra weight helps as well as the old school transmission that has a real clutch. The gearing is so low it makes handling easy. Almost too slow though when I have to tow very far.
 
1RTK1 said:
You have got to be kidding, right? Hangar gestapo?
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No, really, every couple of years they make sure the hangars are being used for aviation only. My hangar neighbor had to move to a house with a garage to keep his mid-60s Camaro since they threatened to kick him out of the hangar if he didn't move it.
 
I still push mine in myself. Good exercise, and limits the damage I can inflict on the poor thing.
 
cgrab said:
No, really, every couple of years they make sure the hangars are being used for aviation only. My hangar neighbor had to move to a house with a garage to keep his mid-60s Camaro since they threatened to kick him out of the hangar if he didn't move it.
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Sounds to me like he had one of the coolest tugs ever!
 
I did similar for the 310 and it worked well. For the 414 it didn’t work so well, and the MU2 needs more. So here’s what I rigged up this weekend:

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cgrab said:
I've had one in my hangar for a while and every time they have a hangar inspection they tell me I can't store a mower in there and I have to explain that it is a tow tractor.
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Get some stick-on letters and write "CGrab Aviation Official Aircraft Tug" on it.

Edit- I see Capt Thorpe already made a similar suggestion.
 
JCranford said:
Now THATS a tug!
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I was originally going to plan to leave the pintle ball on the front all the time, but it messes with the parking sensors. Oh well.
 
Yal hear about those AC AIR tugs? I have one of their models and it pulls my plane up a 4 degree incline into my hangar and also tows my neighbors L39.
 
so satisfied that your first three posts on PoA were in three separate threads all promoting the same tug? wow you must really, REALLY like it.....
 
eman1200 said:
so satisfied that your first three posts on PoA were in three separate threads all promoting the same tug? wow you must really, REALLY like it.....
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It's good to know that I already have a follower on here too after 4 posts. Thanks bud.

As i continue on...
 
20180317_153700.jpg Add us to the lawn tractor tug group. Our 9yo line girl (daughter) pulling the 182 back to the hangar after fueling up.
 
Jon Stockton said:
Yal hear about those AC AIR tugs? I have one of their models and it pulls my plane up a 4 degree incline into my hangar and also tows my neighbors L39.
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Can they be used for other tug type operations such as pulling power carts, nitrogen bottle carts, lavatory carts, baggage carts, maintenance stands, etc? How about transporting a mechanic and his tools across the ramp? Mounting a snow plow?
 
SkyDog58 said:
Can they be used for other tug type operations such as pulling power carts, nitrogen bottle carts, lavatory carts, baggage carts, maintenance stands, etc? How about transporting a mechanic and his tools across the ramp? Mounting a snow plow?
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That's a good question man. I really have no idea.
 
455 Bravo Uniform said:
Is that belt drive or hydrostatic? I did the same with a belt drive mover. It’s a bit jerky.

How do you attach it at the nose wheel? My tow bar is a manual push/pull that I converted and it pops off (spring loaded on-off). Only tried it once and didn’t want to break anything so I shelved the idea for now. Might try a c-clamp to keep it on.
Click to expand...
If it helps any for the John Deere 277 + Cessna 182 setup:

  • Bought the tractor with plow (no mower) on CL for $325 :)
  • Put a 2" ball on the back (easy)
  • Where the front blade attaches, you can remove the blade and mount a 2" ball on the front
  • When we bought the plane from the retired doctor he include a long tow bar with 2" hitch
  • The tow bar hook onto the nose wheel via the pegs which are up above the nose wheel fairing.
  • The 17" air cooled twin in the JD 277 pulls it with ease and it is hydrostatic + belts. Slight inclines are okay and it pulls fine across grass that isn't too wet.
  • The all wheel steer is nice on grass, but on pavement takes a lot to turn the wheel when not moving. The ideal lawn tractor tug would have power steering (eg. JD 345 or 400+)
  • With chains on I can sometimes pull the skylane on ice and sometimes not. My x500 probably would since it has a locking differential.
  • When my daughter takes her foot off the forward pedal rapidly, the plane will push the lawn tractor on its chains about about 2ft :)
  • I always keep the lawn tractor battery on the tender. It started as low as -8F (checkride day!). Would have started easier with a lightbulb on under the hood.
  • The front plow has been awesome for clearing the snowlow truck pile in front.
  • Our city guys don't say anything but it doesn't have a mower on it.
  • Great place to throw the 100LL after sumping.
  • Pushing a plane back in in is a "art" to be respected...basically like backing up a haywagon. Ideally, a person would pull it in via the tailhook.
  • After I land I usually fuel up. I usually grab the lawn tractor and pull it back instead of starting the plane again. Hopefully the starter in the plane will last longer.
 
Lack of power steering isn't an issue with the power chair, the front end is so light weight.

I would love to try a 4 wheeler with power steering, in the wintertime when the powerchair doesn't do so hot on snow and ice.
 
Jon Stockton said:
Yal hear about those AC AIR tugs? I have one of their models and it pulls my plane up a 4 degree incline into my hangar and also tows my neighbors L39.
Click to expand...

Those are the radio controlled tracked ones, right?

I'd love one but they're pretty expensive. :(
 
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