A2A snubber or no snubber

The snubber is always a source of spirited conversation. I will give you the sum total of my wisdom right here:

No snubber: this is how the airplane shipped originally. The nose wheel is out of the propeller blast and with the nose gear fairing it’s slipperier. On a crosswind takeoff you maintain lateral control longer as the nose comes up. It’s what Fred would do!

Snubber: airplane doesn’t look weird in flight. A bit less lateral control as the nose gets light on the ground. The guys at Safe Flight in Ohio told me Ercoupes with snubbers showed less firewall damage in extreme situations since the arm of the nose gear is less so a side load doesn’t push as hard on the engine mount.

My take is that as long as your takeoffs and landings are done well you will be fine either way.

Larry