mrbigg

My Feedback: (21)

I have to fabricat some new landing gear for my Ultimate. It weighs about 30 pounds fully loaded with 40 ounce smoke and gas tanks. Should I use 3/16" or 1/4" wire from K&S? I see they have a bender for the 3/16" which should make the job easier. The plane has flat aluminum gear that just bends too easy. A coulple of guys told me to run one piece of wire under the gear and attach with wheel collars. That might make it easier in the long run. The pics show a piece that I added to finish the season out last year. It needed to be longer as you can see because it just bent right below it.

vrhoward1122

My Feedback: (1)

Instead of wire landing gear, I would go with carbon fiber landing gear. Go here: http://www.graphtechrc.com/Secure/mall/maingear.asp and scroll down.

da Rock

With the simple gear that's on that airplane, layering works well.

You ever see the leaf springs that were used on automobiles years ago? They were simply a stack of single leafs, enough to carry the load. Same concept works with flat gear like yours. And it's very simple to do. It's actually easier to do than the center brace. And it supports from top to bottom so the shock absorption works as it did before, only this time without any bending.

You can make the extra layer from conventional replacement gear, even one-piece gear. Just cut whatever you find to match the layout of each side of your existing gear, drill matching holes for bolting on top of the existing, and it's good to go. Two layers work better than one, especially the one layer you have that's already showing it wasn't up to the weight you're asking it to handle.

TLH101

My Feedback: (90)

Check out the landing support stand-offs from B&B: http://www.bennettbuilt.com/page7.htm
They will hold a piece of 1/4" wire against the aluminium gear, but still let it have some flex. I used them on the stock gear for a Giant Stinger, and it's still going strong after about 7 years and 6 changes of owner.

mrbigg

My Feedback: (21)

Thanks guys for all your answers.

Jim Messer

My Feedback: (2)

Another solution:

Purchase a piece of 1/4 x 1 1/2 tempered aluminum from Aircraft Spruce & Specialties, 6061-T6. You will have a difficult time bending this tough stuff, but when you are done, you have a gear that will hold up. Just copy the original gear.

mrbigg

My Feedback: (21)

That's a good idea also. Never heard of that company. What's the best way to bend the stuff?


Edit. Here's a link to the Aluminum Square Rectangle Bar. http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...ges/6061t6.php

Which one do you think I should use? I'm thinking of the 1/4"x3" or the 1/2"x 2". The weak stuff on the plane is 1/4x 1 1/4".

Jim Messer

My Feedback: (2)

Last week I bent a gear for my new 40% Piper J4-E that will weigh in at about 45 lbs. Having always used the soft aluminum from Home Depot and the like, I decided to go with a 1/4 x 3 6061-T6 bar from AS&S. Well - let me tell you, there is no way in hell that you can bend that 3" wide bar. So, I cut it in half to 1.5" wide, and with considerable difficulty, one man pulling, and me with a 5# hammer, we bent it to the desired shape. Plenty strong - better than any gear I have seen to date on any big airplane. the 1/4 x 1.5 bar will be good enough for you also.

mrbigg

My Feedback: (21)

I'll try that size then.