Mitch,....

You never mentioned which brand of retracts you have? I've used the Great Planes retracts in a .40 size Kaos and have NEVER had them bend back so that they wouldn't retract the wheel back up into the wheel wells. I'm very delighted with the strength and durability of the Great Planes struts, but then again it is only a five pound .40 size plane!

On the other side of the coin,.... I've had a Ditry Birdy which required the gear struts to be bent back forward after each landing (different brand of retracts and different struts). I got into the habit of carring a pair of vice grips in my flight box to facilitate the rebending procedureafter each flight. Currently I have a Boxer 120 with the same problem!!

I have ordered a replacement a set of left and right gear struts for the Great Planes 60 size retracts which I'm planning on using in my Boxer. I have yet to replace them or try them out, but they seem as strong and durable as the forty size struts, only thicker!! Don't know if they'll hold up upon landing a ten pound plane?

Just a suggestion, let me know if it helps.

Signed,
Steve T.
Monson, Massachusetts