Hot Rod Todd

My Feedback: (1)

Yes, a second cam gear block can be added to take advantage of the second pin on the Trunion. If you buy a trunion from Robart now, it will have two pins. They don't make the single pin "Pneumatic" style any more. Originally air retracts came with one pin, electric with two.

I had come to terms with the consequences of a ground loop. The pins bend causing the gear to want to go too far into the wing. It can cause the gear to stick (much like what Kwik just described). You take it apart and straighten the pin as best you can. I even developed a way to use the dual pins on the pneumatic gear by adding the second cam block. We also found that some toe out helps (the real FW-190 required it as well) and getting the flaps up as soon as you land lets the tail wheel grab better.

Problem is, some of the robart trunions have very soft pins. They bend with less than half the force of a good pin. If you have soft pins, you can bend the gear with a landing that looks nearly perfect. Everyone here who says it's not that bad, and the gear are fine, have not had experience with soft pins I assure you.

Tony Gag Jr.

My Feedback: (124)

Ok, thanks. I was confused because I didn't think the pneumatic gear had two pins. I thought only the electric gear had two. A while back I had the electric gear and bought a second pair of cam blocks from Robart so I could do the mod and add a second cam block. I sold the electric gear because I did not like the design but I still have the extra pair of cam blocks. I had no idea that I could use them on the pneumatic gear. Is the mod to add the second cam block on the pneumatic gear the same procedure as the electric gear?

Hot Rod Todd

My Feedback: (1)

Not exactly. You have to make a pin that goes between the two blocks that takes the place of the threaded barrel on the electric. It needs to be the exact length so it fits between the pins correctly. You also need four of the square "cam followers" from the electric gear. Add two plastic washers on each side of the air actuator and the mod is complete. As with the electrics, you have to modify the body by elongating the holes so the blocks align properly.

slembones

My Feedback: (1)

Hey Todd don't assume you know what anyone else has experienced. Ive had my bird since oct 2012 and there have been issues with my gear to some extent but they've been caused by my bad landings more than soft pins. Also Ive tried every version of the trunion that robart has made so Ive experience the softer pins. but with a gyro and better landings i have all but eliminated my bent pin issues. so please dont assume you are the end all be all of landing gear gods that knows what everyone has experienced.

Hot Rod Todd

My Feedback: (1)

I don't assume anything. I stand by what I said in that the gear is not "fine" or OK if you have the soft pins. They bend from anything but a perfect landing.

Maybe a paved runway and heading hold allows you to always roll out perfect, I for one would never use heading hold on a Warbird or even my jets, but I'm glad it's working for you. At this time I don't know how many of the trunions have soft pins, I don't think Robart even knows. All I know is that the vast majority of people will be very unhappy with their gear if they bend without much effort. FW-190's with scale gear are tough enough to keep in working order without the addition of weak parts.

kwik

I watched a friend of mine land his on grass. The landing was perfect.

It bendt.

His landing was one year ago, and he had the electric version.

But mine are still good. I have the pneumatic variant.

My maiden flight was 5'th october 2013, so mine is soon to be 2 years;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzld705eOls

There seems to be a strange variation of quality going on here.

sparky4lawndart

My Feedback: (10)

To add to the flames... I've had my TF GS FW190 since they first shipped from Tower... It's got the same DLE55RA in it swinging a 22X10 Xoar normally and a 20X10 3Blade when necessary. I've had to purchase more than a dozen gear assemblies and bent the pins too many times to count... but I've got my landings down to a sudo-science now so I have NOT bent a pin or popped the top off the cam lock (gear assembly) in months... I still carry 2 extras with me when I take the plane out.. (almost every weekend)...

either set a flight mode or re-trim at a low throttle setting with full flaps and gear down for level flight... come in long and cut the throttle (or a couple clicks in a strong headwind) at the end of the runway. keep the plane less than a foot off the deck until it bleeds enough airspeed to flare and the mains touch.. when the tail drops get ready to hit full rudder and opposite aileron if it starts to track left or right (sometimes I have to blip the throttle to give the rudder authority)...

now I'm sure that because I wrote this I'm going to bend a pin or pop the top off the wing again but I think, deep in my heart, that this is my favorite Warbird and I'll have one (or several) for a long time to come. Enjoy your flyin!!!

fw190d9

My Feedback: (1)

The pin bending problems are no joke. Ive bent the pins on my Robart P47 V2 twice now just by turning around after a perfect landing. Definitely softer than they used to be. Im considering welding in a stronger pin or just replacing with sierras if it doesnt work.

Evan Q.

Lifer

My Feedback: (1)

Has anybody posted a picture of the pins?

steph69

cant the robarts be upgraded with down and locked retract mechanisms or is there nothing you can do but buy more parts over and over.

kwik

Lifer, have a look at Tally-Ho's pictures at page 84.

He is the one I watched doing a perfect landing, and still the pin was bent.

Lifer

My Feedback: (1)

kwik,

I don't know the diameter of the pins or their length, but couldn't one purchase the correct diameter aluminum or brass rod and make their own?

kwik

As you probably can see on the picture, the cylinder the pins are inserted into, is hollow, it seems to me. And they seem to be welded into that hollow cylinder, right?
(This isn't a fact coming from me, it just looks like it on the pictures)

It will be hard to get them out of there, I would imagine, without ruining the cylinder.....

One would have to make a new cylinder, and then perhaps one could use 1/4 inch steel-bolts as pins....that would do it, I think!

Something else would have to give then, if you do a ground loop.....

Mpizpilot

My Feedback: (45)

Here you go

kwik

Had two flights today with the newly glassed wing.

The Saito FG-57 growled in its usual way.

Ah, what a joy to fly. This plane (and engine) is no doubt the best buy I ever did. ( ARF-wise, that is.)

I didn't notice any changes in the way it is flying, so the weight gain must have been very small.

Regarding the pin;

I remembered suddenly that I have couple of such cylinders among my spare parts, and had a look at it.

I now think that I would have dremell'ed away the weld seam on one side, and see if the pins fell out.

And replaced them with a steel bolt. Just glue it in place.

I would use a long bolt with a long part of it non-threaded. Dremel away the bolt-head (if neccessary) and the threaded part.

SrTelemaster150

How did you finish the wing, paint? Would like to see some pics when you get a chance.

erwin peters

Hello friends, I had a bent pin on my robart electric retracts ; I am going to do the modification using the second block.

Do you have to get parts from Robart??
Tower won’t sell the spare parts??
It’s possible to straighten the bent pin?? Or you have to buy the trunion??

Regards

Erwin

Hot Rod Todd

My Feedback: (1)

Yes, parts must be purchased from Robart directly.

You can straighten the pin, but it's not easy to get it perfect. Also, when you do the dual block mod it makes it even more critical that the two pins are aligned perfectly.

kwik

If you look here on the 148 gear, there are spare parts for the gear (scroll) ;

http://robart.com/products/90-deg-ro...acts-1-6-scale

But for the Fw gear, there is not;

http://robart.com/products/top-flite...matic-retracts

And down on the page they say contact great planes ( !!!!!! ), even now, two years later. ( !!!!! )

So, you will have to order from Tower. But they have no spare parts. So you must call Robarts. They dont answer mails on this topic.

[email protected] was the only one answering there earlier, but he no longer work at Robart.

So, I would try to replace the pins with bolts, as described earlier. New parts will, as others say here, be just as soft as the "old" ones......

birddogs2

My Feedback: (2)

If you go to Robart's web site for the FW190 gear and click on "Spare Parts" you can get the part number. Then in the search block at the top of the page type in the number i.e. "FW107A" it will bring up the "Front Housing -$18.50" click on "Learn More" and it will take you to a page where you can put it in your cart and place the order. Robart's site is not very user friendly, they may use a dash (-) in their part number, but if you use the dash in your search it will tell you part not found. In that case just re-enter the part number without the dash and it will take you right to the part. You would think they would make their site easier to navigate. Hope this helps someone get the parts they need.

Bob Mc

birddogs2

My Feedback: (2)

I just tried doing the search for the pneumatic FW190 gear and that does not work, it makes me wonder if they no longer sell pneumatic replacement parts. I went back to the FW190 electric gear and could look up all the parts, like I said they are not very user friendly!

Bob Mc

Tony Gag Jr.

My Feedback: (124)

Century Jet claims to offer a drop in gear for the FW-190. I wonder if they are any better than the Robarts.

BobH

My Feedback: (2)

The best would be Sierra.

Tony Gag Jr.

My Feedback: (124)

Agree, but the Sierra's require a pretty substantial modification and if you read post #3882 the Sierra's have their own issues. Also, I am totally disgusted with Darrell's customer service so I am trying to avoid purchasing anything from him in the future.

kwik

Hello there, Telemaster !

First I glassed it;



Next is primer with panel lines, and finally there will be paint;



I should have changed the ailerons to friise ailerons with hidden pushrod up to a horn on the upper side, like the real one.

And hidden flaps pushrods too.

But it will have to wait until next round.