Portable Tie Downs

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sfarringer
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Re: Portable Tie Downs

Post by sfarringer »

Richard, that looks like a great idea. Ever have any trouble pulling them out?
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n3833v
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Re: Portable Tie Downs

Post by n3833v »

I have the same similar type and just have to pull a little harder. I have rings on top so when they cross the rings are together.

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hilltop170
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Re: Portable Tie Downs

Post by hilltop170 »

sfarringer wrote:Richard, that looks like a great idea. Ever have any trouble pulling them out?
I have a removable landing gear step that I slip over the stakes and rotate the stake and pull at the same time. The stakes usually slip out without much trouble. Damp clay soil and gumbo are the worst.

A simple bar with a hole in one end would work just as well.
Richard Pulley
2014-2016 TIC170A Past President
1951 170A, N1715D, s/n 20158, O-300D
Owned from 1973 to 1984.
Bought again in 2006 after 22 years.
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Ryan Smith
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Re: Portable Tie Downs

Post by Ryan Smith »

So apologies for the dumb question, but a necessary component to tie down anchors are ropes. There is more than a passing chance that I'll be flying 56D to Oshkosh this year because of my friend's Comanche being stuck in the shop. I have a set of the screw-in anchors that my dad used, but I'm strongly favoring the system that Richard uses because of its simplicity and portability in the neat PVC tube.

That said, I'll need ropes, and we're too late to try to order them from Aircraft Spruce. The ropes I'm seeing at Lowe's or similar don't appear to give a tensile strength rating (worded exactly in that manner), rather an absurdly low working strength value. Is it possible to get good quality tie down ropes from a hardware store? I don't want to just put something on the airplane that isn't actually going to hold it in case the wind does pick up.
hilltop170
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Re: Portable Tie Downs

Post by hilltop170 »

If you have a Tractor Supply or Ace Hardware nearby, get at least a good quality 1/2" twisted or braided nylon rope. Kern mantle climbing rope is also very good, but expensive. Do not use manilla or cotton as they will both loosen/stretch when wet. Likewise do not use polypropylene, polyethylene, or other cheap synthetic as they will stretch out and break down in sunlight over time. Melt the ends to keep from unravelling. It takes at least 50' to make good tie downs, 20' wings, 10' tail, more is better.

Find someone who can teach you how to tie a slip knot, bowline knot, and a trucker's knot. You always want to use knots that will easily un-tie no matter how hard they are pulled. These three knots will do that if tied properly. The bowline is the best knot for tying a loop in the end of a rope because it can always be untied no matter how tight it is pulled. The trucker's knot has a mechanical advantage of 3, can be tensioned positively, and can be un-tied and re-tied without losing its tension, very handy in a strong gusty wind when the ropes need to be re-tensioned and you don't want to lose tension. A proper trucker's knot will NOT slip. The slip knot is what you use at the bottom "X" where the stakes cross each other, the harder you pull, the tighter it gets. Making a large loop using a bowline, then passing the line thru the loop will make a very strong slip knot that is easy to loosen no matter how tight it has been pulled.

Whatever you do, DO NOT use the common "lazy pilot knot" (similar to tying a horse to a hitching post in the old westerns) where you just loop the loose end around the tension leg two or three times and pull. There is no way to insure proper tension and the loops will slip and loosen the tiedown further. It will slip in a strong gusty wind as there is no positive stop. Always tension tie down ropes fairly tight and let the stretch of the rope cushion any movement of the plane. Leaving them loose or using chains will allow impact loads to be transmitted into your plane when it moves in the wind.
Last edited by hilltop170 on Thu Jul 28, 2016 2:46 am, edited 6 times in total.
Richard Pulley
2014-2016 TIC170A Past President
1951 170A, N1715D, s/n 20158, O-300D
Owned from 1973 to 1984.
Bought again in 2006 after 22 years.
It's not for sale!
bagarre
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Re: Portable Tie Downs

Post by bagarre »

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pdb
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Re: Portable Tie Downs

Post by pdb »

Here is another very high quality portable tie down system to consider. I have one and am very pleased. It may not be suitible for very rocky soils however. (I have yet to try it in such.)

http://www.abesaviation.com/amelia/sear ... D=1~1&id=1

Of course, if you don't know how to tie the proper knots, any system is useless.
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Anchorage, Alaska
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N2625U
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Re: Portable Tie Downs

Post by N2625U »

Keep your speed up, Blackhawk on final behind you.
hilltop170
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Re: Portable Tie Downs

Post by hilltop170 »

I recognize the bowline but the trucker's hitch and slip knot are not the ones I am talking about. I'll try to make some pictures tomorrow to show them.
Richard Pulley
2014-2016 TIC170A Past President
1951 170A, N1715D, s/n 20158, O-300D
Owned from 1973 to 1984.
Bought again in 2006 after 22 years.
It's not for sale!
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N2625U
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Re: Portable Tie Downs

Post by N2625U »

hilltop170 wrote:I recognize the bowline but the trucker's hitch and slip knot are not the ones I am talking about. I'll try to make some pictures tomorrow to show them.
I was wondering about that so I put that up. That is a good website for knot tying the boy scouts and other outfits around here use it.
Keep your speed up, Blackhawk on final behind you.
hilltop170
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Re: Portable Tie Downs

Post by hilltop170 »

Slip Knot- Use to secure the lower end of the tie down by slipping over the "X" in the rebar tie downs. The harder you pull, the tighter it gets.
Tie a stop-knot in the end of the rope. Form opposite loops near the stop knot.
Tie a stop-knot in the end of the rope. Form opposite loops near the stop knot.
Fold the loops together and slip over the stakes. Pull to tighten. To loosen, bend the loop away from the knot.
Fold the loops together and slip over the stakes. Pull to tighten. To loosen, bend the loop away from the knot.
Or better yet, tie a loop using a bowline, then make a slip knot to go over the "X" in the rebar tie downs, it tightens evenly around the ground anchor.
Using a bowline, tie a large loop
Using a bowline, tie a large loop
Form opposite loops
Form opposite loops
Fold the loops together and slip over the stakes. Pull to tighten. To loosen, bend the loop away from the knot.
Fold the loops together and slip over the stakes. Pull to tighten. To loosen, bend the loop away from the knot.
Last edited by hilltop170 on Sat Jul 30, 2016 12:42 am, edited 9 times in total.
Richard Pulley
2014-2016 TIC170A Past President
1951 170A, N1715D, s/n 20158, O-300D
Owned from 1973 to 1984.
Bought again in 2006 after 22 years.
It's not for sale!
hilltop170
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Re: Portable Tie Downs

Post by hilltop170 »

Trucker's Knot- Has a 3-to-1 mechanical advantage and can be tensioned and later re-tensioned without losing tension on the tie down as when the tie down loosens in a gusty wind and needs to be re-tensioned. This knot will not slip.
With lower end of tie down rope securely anchored to the ground, run the loose end thru the airplane tie down ring. Form a loop in the rope between the tiedown ring and the ground anchor.
With lower end of tie down rope securely anchored to the ground, run the loose end thru the airplane tie down ring. Form a loop in the rope between the tiedown ring and the ground anchor.
Reach thru the loop and pull the upper side of the rope thru the loop.
Reach thru the loop and pull the upper side of the rope thru the loop.
Continue to pull the rope thru the first loop forming a second loop.
Continue to pull the rope thru the first loop forming a second loop.
Run the loose end of the rope thru the second loop and pull up as hard as necessary to get the desired tension.
Run the loose end of the rope thru the second loop and pull up as hard as necessary to get the desired tension.
While holding tension by pinching where the loose end goes thru the second loop, tie off the loose end at the second loop with a couple of half-hitches. To re-tension, untie the loose end and re-tension then tie it off again without loosing tension on the tie down.
While holding tension by pinching where the loose end goes thru the second loop, tie off the loose end at the second loop with a couple of half-hitches. To re-tension, untie the loose end and re-tension then tie it off again without loosing tension on the tie down.
Last edited by hilltop170 on Sat Jul 30, 2016 12:36 am, edited 6 times in total.
Richard Pulley
2014-2016 TIC170A Past President
1951 170A, N1715D, s/n 20158, O-300D
Owned from 1973 to 1984.
Bought again in 2006 after 22 years.
It's not for sale!
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KG
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Re: Portable Tie Downs

Post by KG »

Hi Richard!

Can you explain one more step? On that last pic where you say "tie off the loose end", where are you tying to? The standing part of the rope above the loop? Or back up to the tie down ring?

Hope you are doing well. I sent you an email....

Keith
53 170B
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Bruce Fenstermacher
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Re: Portable Tie Downs

Post by Bruce Fenstermacher »

The first knot Richard shows is called a cow hitch:
http://www.animatedknots.com/cow/index. ... crollPoint

The second is essentially a truckers hitch as previously linked but Richard only showing the first half. Richard also ties this upside down compared to the linked demonstration which assumes the hook to be down.
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pdb
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Re: Portable Tie Downs

Post by pdb »

Maybe this helps...
Attachments
Truckers hitch
Truckers hitch
Pete Brown
Anchorage, Alaska
N4563C 1953 170B
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2366/2527 ... 4e43_b.jpg
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