Wendell Hostetler Bonanza Build
06-20-2017, 01:22 AM
#101
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Another headache of a weekend as far as this bird went...started fitting the retracts, not a task for the impatient 
Started off with checking the fit of the mounting plates in the wing.
Fitting retract mounting plates.jpg (83.26 KiB) Viewed 54 times
Then started the rib cutting for the wheels bays. This is where the "fun" starts. These retracts get mounted at weird angles to get them in there and the indications on the plan don't help because the retracts on the plan are not the same as the Century Jet retracts
This process is therefore a SLOW and monotonous one consisting of cut, fit, cut, fit, cut...you get the picture.
Start of retract fitting (1).jpg (87.23 KiB) Viewed 54 times 
Start of retract fitting (2).jpg (74.92 KiB) Viewed 54 times 
Start of retract fitting (3).jpg (78.81 KiB) Viewed 54 times
Finally got what is looking like a reasonable fit (pants up) by using a sheet of 1.5mm ply tacked in a couple places to form the inside of the top wing skin. This gives me the tolerances for spacing between the top and bottom skins (bottom skins indicated with two steel rules taped to ribs). There is not much room for error here and the "rear" part of the axle will have to be cut shorter to fit inside the wing skins, although I won't cut it too short as I want to fasten the bottom of the gear door to it with some form of bracket.
The fit so far (1).jpg (76.88 KiB) Viewed 54 times 
The fit so far (2).jpg (77.34 KiB) Viewed 54 times 
The fit so far (3).jpg (61.68 KiB) Viewed 54 times
Next I must check the angle of the leg to the bottom of the fuselage as well as to the bottom of the wing with pants down. once all is fine I can then mark where the mounting plate goes, cut beech bearers, glue them in place and then glue the mounting plates in (or bolt them in, haven't decided yet)
Started off with checking the fit of the mounting plates in the wing.
Then started the rib cutting for the wheels bays. This is where the "fun" starts. These retracts get mounted at weird angles to get them in there and the indications on the plan don't help because the retracts on the plan are not the same as the Century Jet retracts
Finally got what is looking like a reasonable fit (pants up) by using a sheet of 1.5mm ply tacked in a couple places to form the inside of the top wing skin. This gives me the tolerances for spacing between the top and bottom skins (bottom skins indicated with two steel rules taped to ribs). There is not much room for error here and the "rear" part of the axle will have to be cut shorter to fit inside the wing skins, although I won't cut it too short as I want to fasten the bottom of the gear door to it with some form of bracket.
Next I must check the angle of the leg to the bottom of the fuselage as well as to the bottom of the wing with pants down. once all is fine I can then mark where the mounting plate goes, cut beech bearers, glue them in place and then glue the mounting plates in (or bolt them in, haven't decided yet)
06-20-2017, 09:22 PM
#105
Join Date: Mar 2017
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Thanks Mods or whoever fixed the mess...
Fly, I build planes, trains and automobiles...computers, that's my sons world
...but hey, at least I do a "decent" job of it
Fly, I build planes, trains and automobiles...computers, that's my sons world
...but hey, at least I do a "decent" job of it
06-21-2017, 11:51 PM
#107
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Mike, you have NO IDEA how much of a challenge this gear is...the lock pins in the gear are in the wrong places so the gear is a RIGHT NIGHTMARE...I'll try post more on this later, just have to find the correct pics in my the build file
06-23-2017, 02:15 AM
#109
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Fortunately my walls are brick Mike...problem is my head isn't...
Here's my problem. To install the retracts so they fit properly inside the wells means that the mounting plate needs to lie at an angle...all fine you say...except when you drop the gear.
Gear down the legs should be 90 deg to the tarmac...well that doesn't happen, here the gear stands way out.
Now to correct this, one could mount the plates level with the bottom of the wing one would think...again, NO...if you do that then the gear will go through the top of the wing in the retracted position but be 90 deg to the tarmac.
The only solution I can find is to adjust the "locking pins" on the retracts, they are held on with two tack welds and a grub screw. If that doesn't do it, then I will have to have two new "locking pins" specially made for these retracts which will also mean making a jig that matches precisely with the wing thickness and angle top and bottom.
It all looks fine...till you see it from the front...
Here's my problem. To install the retracts so they fit properly inside the wells means that the mounting plate needs to lie at an angle...all fine you say...except when you drop the gear.
Gear down the legs should be 90 deg to the tarmac...well that doesn't happen, here the gear stands way out.
Now to correct this, one could mount the plates level with the bottom of the wing one would think...again, NO...if you do that then the gear will go through the top of the wing in the retracted position but be 90 deg to the tarmac.
The only solution I can find is to adjust the "locking pins" on the retracts, they are held on with two tack welds and a grub screw. If that doesn't do it, then I will have to have two new "locking pins" specially made for these retracts which will also mean making a jig that matches precisely with the wing thickness and angle top and bottom.
It all looks fine...till you see it from the front...
06-26-2017, 04:20 AM
#112
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I read another thread here on RCU regarding Century Jet products (also retracts) and must say, from that thread I understand why these retracts aren't right...
06-26-2017, 04:23 AM
#113
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I have also discovered that I will have to make new bushes for these retracts as there is SO MUCH slop in them it's just not funny...when this bird's done...NO MORE HOSTETLER, BELAIR KITS or CENTURY JET for me
06-26-2017, 05:17 AM
#114
I asked my LHS owner about Centry Jet retracts and He couldn't reply after self-censoring out the profanity! He hats them I think he has a few customers that were burned by Century Jet. I looked at their Bonanza gear but thought the Robart gear were heavy looking at were better built.
06-26-2017, 05:41 AM
#115
I asked my LHS owner about Century Jet retracts and He couldn't reply after self-censoring out the profanity! He hats them I think he has a few customers that were burned by Century Jet. I looked at their Bonanza gear but thought the Robart gear were heavy looking at were better built.
06-26-2017, 09:24 PM
#116
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I asked my LHS owner about Century Jet retracts and He couldn't reply after self-censoring out the profanity! He hats them I think he has a few customers that were burned by Century Jet. I looked at their Bonanza gear but thought the Robart gear were heavy looking at were better built.
07-17-2017, 04:21 AM
#119
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Just to let you all know, this build is not dead, it's just in recess. Busy trying to sort a solution for the retracts but may just have to buy new electric set and just use the struts from these. Customer also had another crisis to deal with so I'm waiting for funds for more material, in the mean time I've been keeping busy with my own builds
08-07-2017, 03:39 AM
#122
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It's been a while guys but I'm still in it. We have what looks like it will be a solution to the pants up and down issue as far as angles goes. I need to cut a small plate around 2 - 2.5mm thick, drill and tap it and the side wall of the retract unit to fit it between the side and the cam. At the moment the cam pushes against the side to limit the retracted travel of the retract but that needs to be reduced. the pics show it works in theory as well as practice but there is still just one other issue...these retracts have NO up or down lock, they are held up or down purely by air pressure...REALLY STUPID if you ask me and NOT what one would expect from a 12.5K set of retracts (that's Rand value guys).
08-07-2017, 09:24 PM
#124
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My customer also doesn't seem too fazed, he says his air systems never leak...personally I would use electrics though, this aint a cheap bird and I would hope to see him get many years of flying from her without having to constantly repair wings etc. due to retract failure