Right on - but the reason for the cable, is to restrict the position of the nose wheel to the originial position as you approach for a landing. With the longer fork, the tire is three inches lower (without the cable) - making it difficult to land on the mains only. When landing in a crab, the lower nose wheel would contact the ground prior to the coupe straightening out - this results in destruction of the nose gear from excessive side loads and lots of $$ repairs, as the coupe straigtened out into the direction of travel.
The cable keeps it from extending too low. The shame is that this "fix" doesn't allow the linkage to extend properly, and the cowling to cover the linkage. This increases drag, and acts like an additional rudder. The solution here is to remove the linkage cowling. Later linkages didn't have the cowling - only the original welded linkage did. Often, when the double fork was installed, the forged linkage was also installed, eliminating the linkage cowling. I think I remembner that installation of this cowling added about 2 MPH to the cruise speed!!! - but only when the nose gear could fully straighten out and the cowling fully cover the linkages - streamlining the linkages. Fly safe - have fun Harry Francis 93530 BCB
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