Thanks for all the replys,

Deadstick, I have mechanical retracts with a 360 degree loop in the wire. I have purchased struts pre-made and bend my own with music wire with the same results. Wheel always bends back.

Patternflyer, The bending tool is capable of straightening the wire while it is still in the retract housing? That will be worth looking into. If possible can you send the link to the tool or refer me to the manufacture. One concern is I am never sure if the bend is occuring on take off and if I can safely retract once in the air. I do not want to drain my batteries with a retract servo stalled out.

Maybe I just need to get the field guys to cut the grass shorter! The other pattern flier at my field does not have the same problem and he has the same plane and the same retracts. He takes off very quickly (he has a YS 140L and I have YS120) and kills his engine on landing so he spends very little time rolling through the grass.

I will conduct some tests on strut wires with annealing and tempering the wire after the loop is made. I believe the correct way to do this is heat the wire at the bend to relieve the stress in the metal then quench in water. Any metalurgist out there to confirm this is the way to go?

Thanks again,
Mitch