Douwe
Well-Known Member
Hello all,
since I'm beginning to really dig into the gear-mod project, I thought I'd start it's own thread. I've researched the snot out of this issue and talked to a bunch of guys with actual experience (good and bad...). right now, I'm pulling sheet metal and ascertaining the condition of everything before I firm up my plans. I am really going to try to do with with the wings on, so that'll probably be a trick, but we'll see. so far, it looks good. at this point, the general plan is to scab on some tubing ala Glenn Gordon's mods, add some cross members to tie the pin housings together and look at increasing shock travel slightly and using some softer donuts. I know I'll get shot for this one, (I'm already ducking) but I'm seriously considering adding a rear diagonal gear leg going up to a new cluster I'd add in the fuselage. After a lot of study, I feel that while this gear was designed as a true "cantilever" gear, with today's heavier planes, it is really a pretty marginal cantilever design. I don't want to fly with a "marginal" gear. I also feel that the fore-aft forces from landings, taxiing, grass, etc. introduce fore-aft stresses into an already marginal hinge/fuselage interface that can't help. therefore, I'm probably going to add the rear cluster and hinge on the fuselage along with a tab on the gear down by the axle so I have the option of removing the rear leg at some point if I want to, or when/if I sell the plane.
I know it won't look as sexy as the unadulterated gear, but I think it'll look better than a Grove gear (currently not an option due to their work stoppage) and it'll certainly look better than some of the photos I've seen of planes on their bellies in the middle of an airport somewhere.
since I'm beginning to really dig into the gear-mod project, I thought I'd start it's own thread. I've researched the snot out of this issue and talked to a bunch of guys with actual experience (good and bad...). right now, I'm pulling sheet metal and ascertaining the condition of everything before I firm up my plans. I am really going to try to do with with the wings on, so that'll probably be a trick, but we'll see. so far, it looks good. at this point, the general plan is to scab on some tubing ala Glenn Gordon's mods, add some cross members to tie the pin housings together and look at increasing shock travel slightly and using some softer donuts. I know I'll get shot for this one, (I'm already ducking) but I'm seriously considering adding a rear diagonal gear leg going up to a new cluster I'd add in the fuselage. After a lot of study, I feel that while this gear was designed as a true "cantilever" gear, with today's heavier planes, it is really a pretty marginal cantilever design. I don't want to fly with a "marginal" gear. I also feel that the fore-aft forces from landings, taxiing, grass, etc. introduce fore-aft stresses into an already marginal hinge/fuselage interface that can't help. therefore, I'm probably going to add the rear cluster and hinge on the fuselage along with a tab on the gear down by the axle so I have the option of removing the rear leg at some point if I want to, or when/if I sell the plane.
I know it won't look as sexy as the unadulterated gear, but I think it'll look better than a Grove gear (currently not an option due to their work stoppage) and it'll certainly look better than some of the photos I've seen of planes on their bellies in the middle of an airport somewhere.
