Bending retract wire legs
02-22-2005, 09:50 PM
#4
RE: Bending retract wire legs
I have bent wire landing gear legs before. Up to 60 degree bends I bend the wire cold in a wire bender. Between 60 and 90 degrees I have to make a judgement call on how I want to do it.
On 90 degree bends, especially if you are using a tight radius, you need to heat the metal. The catch is that after you have made your bend you now need to retemper the metal. If you temper it too hard, the metal will be brittle and can crack under a hard impact. If you don't temper it enough, the metal will be soft and bend on almost every landing. Add to this that it is difficult to get both legs exactly the same. If this is for struts in retracts I suggest doing as outlined below.
I prefer to use the axles that go over the strut. You cut the strut where you want it, file a flat spot for the screw and screw the axle in place. Make sure you use some locktite on the set screw for the axle and the axle will not come loose. The down side to this is that it is heavier than bending the strut and you will most likely have to shim the door cover to get it to fit properly over the part of the axle that protrudes.
On 90 degree bends, especially if you are using a tight radius, you need to heat the metal. The catch is that after you have made your bend you now need to retemper the metal. If you temper it too hard, the metal will be brittle and can crack under a hard impact. If you don't temper it enough, the metal will be soft and bend on almost every landing. Add to this that it is difficult to get both legs exactly the same. If this is for struts in retracts I suggest doing as outlined below.
I prefer to use the axles that go over the strut. You cut the strut where you want it, file a flat spot for the screw and screw the axle in place. Make sure you use some locktite on the set screw for the axle and the axle will not come loose. The down side to this is that it is heavier than bending the strut and you will most likely have to shim the door cover to get it to fit properly over the part of the axle that protrudes.
02-22-2005, 10:07 PM
#5
RE: Bending retract wire legs
Thanks for your replies. I was just wondering if I'll bend the wire gear (more difficult) or cut it and use an axle. I noticed that most mechanical retracts nowadays use a separate axle.
02-22-2005, 11:00 PM
#6
RE: Bending retract wire legs
I never use heat on music wire. As mentioned you will change the temper. I hold mine in a vise and hammer it over to the desired angle. I have not had any break using this method. However I have had those soldered with a torch break because of brittleness adjacent to the joint. The vise method is what I recomend.[8D]
02-23-2005, 08:42 AM
#7
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RE: Bending retract wire legs
I do as Vicman. To sharp a bend can stress it enough to break. What I do is bend it about 45 degrees move it out of the vice, maybe a 1/16 of an in. then bend the rest of the way. Gives a little wider radius at the bend so it isn't so stressed.
02-23-2005, 08:45 AM
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RE: Bending retract wire legs
To prevent landing gear wire, 5/32 inches in diameter spring steel wire, also called music wire, from breaking while bending in a vise, grind a small radius, about 1/8 inch radius in the vice jaw. Always use a heavy leather glove on your hand as you bend the wire, just in case it breaks. Ever since I started using the little notch on the vice jaw, I have never broken a wire. The notch prevents a very sharp bend, which is what breaks the wire. To finish the bend I sometimes hammer the wire a little. Bend it a little further than needed, then back it up a little.
