Borzak

My Feedback: (2)

Ok I have a Hobbico Avistar and right out of the box I felt the sprung wire landing gear was way too springy. Well I was right - even with super soft landings so far it's already began to sag and cause the wheels to "toe out".

I don't want to have to mess with bending them every trip to the field.

I want to use an aluminum landing gear like most planes use - something like this..

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXNM65&P=0

Not necessary that just something like it...

Ok here's my question - can I remove the wire landing gear, create a ply doubler or some such on the floor of the fuse and attach something like above with nylon wing bolts - so that when I catch grass (we don't always have low cut grass - or it's fresh cut grass which leaves a lot of stuff to catch on - piles like) I won't rip out the bottom of the fuse.

If I do that about how many nylon wing bolts would be strong enough to hold up under trainer landings yet still shear off when a real bad one crops up?

Or am I totally off my rocker for thinking this? I know I have to get new gear in the front too because the stock piece can't be lengthened to match the height of most aluminum style gears.

Dusty1

Yes.

Giant Scale

Seems like a viable alternative to wire gear. I'd add a plywood plate to the inside of the fuse bottom and then mount the gear to the plate. I'd probably use 4 nylon bolts maybe a #8 or #10 screwed into some blind nuts. You may be able to get away with 2 #10 nylon bolts. You could also use #8 aluminum bolts. The nylon bolts should shear under a hard impact saving the bottom of your fuselage.

Steve Guinn

Why not make it a taildragger?

DBCherry

My Feedback: (4)

Three or four #8's might work. And yes, get blind nuts to mount in the plywood, then screw the nylon bolts into those.

There are NO guarantees that the nylon bolts will save the plane though. Sometimes they help, but not always. Seems to be dependent on how the plane hits.

Tail dragger is actually a good idea. While you're at it.
Dennis-

big max 1935

My Feedback: (9)

Bend up some new wire ones using a better type piano wire or go to the next size larger wire. MAX H.

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

I would use two, 1/4" nylon bolts.

Borzak

My Feedback: (2)

Thanks that's what I've decided to do.

I got new wheels today and axles, nylon bolts etc..I got #10 nylon bolts and blind nuts (they had no blind nuts to fit the 1/4" wing bolt type) so I'm thinking of going with 3 - one on each side and one in the middle does that sound about right or should I go with 4?

But the LHS doesn't have landing gear (don't ask) so I gotta order a set.

I want to convert to a tail dragger but I'm still in the "let the instructor take off and land stage".

iowanspctr

Tail draggers ain't really harder than tri-gear. The secret, at any scale, is to be ahead of the plane. Give a little control the way you think you'll need it and continually correct. If you wait for the plane to get out of line, you won't easily catch up. I found this out flying full-scale TaylorCrafts and Aeroncas. Fly the plane from throttle up till it's back at your feet.

Borzak

My Feedback: (2)

I'm not sure a taildragger would work all that great at a .40 size on our field.

Like I said when they mow we get these big harrow like rows of thatch that even a 2-1/2" wheel will catch on. I can't imagine how much grass you'd take with you with a small tailwheel just taxiing around.

big max 1935

My Feedback: (9)

The flexible gear & tri-cycle gear on a trainer is used for a reason & I think should be kept . He's got plenty of time for modifications later. The wire used on most foreign built ARFs is very questionable .Think you are much better off remaking the same gear as you have using a better grade of wire or like I said the next size larger . Happy Landing! MAX H.

Papa Tango

I've seen guys replace wire gear with aluminum just as you propose, but they still get the same problem from the occasional rough landing. Going to aluminum puts you in a slightly stronger class, but the same class none-the-less. Also, I believe it is harder to realign the aluminum and get proper camber once it is bent.

I have no direct experience with them so take this with a grain of salt. Does sound reasonable though.

John Sachs

My Feedback: (1)

A while back I had a Royal 40 and it had the aluminum gear. A couple of hard landings and I was bending this gear as well. There is another solution. Why not try a composite type gear. The name of the manufacturer escapes me know, but it made out of a fiberglass type material and it pretty strong. I finally ended up using this on the Royall 40 and didn't have any problems.

Dusty1

You can also reinforce the aluminum gear with music wire.

Once you experience a taildragger you'll not go back to a trike plane. I find them to be much easier to land than a nose gear plane.

The tolerances on an RC plane does not have to be as critical as on a NASA spaceship. Don't worry about the aluminum landing gear having a wrinkle or two in it from being bent back into shape, the plane will handle and fly just fine.

Papa Tango

Reinforcing the aluminum gear with music wire will give an extremely rigid undercarriage. The idea in wire gear and aluminum gear is to absorb shock and minimize bounce, so bracing aluminum gears with music wire will probably require a change in tire durometer (softness/hardness).

Usually, fixing one problem, causes another.


Sigh.......



Luck to all!!!

Dusty1

Two of my planes are using the aluminum and music wire combo setup along with "lite" foam wheels. It seems to work alright.