I have a P-51D built from the Great Planes kit. It's equipped with Dave Brown mechanical retracts. It was my first mechanical retract installation. The way I set them up, they have a slight forward bend in the middle of the leg.
I fly off a gravel runway and sometimes land on a mowed grass runway. The gear legs bend easily, causing the retracts to bind, and causing me to have to bend them back, stressing the retract mount area of the wing.
I've seen titanium gear legs for sale at Central Hobbies. They're quite a bit more expensive than regular music wire struts, but if they hold their shape, they will be well worth the $16.75 cost to me.
Can they be bent in a vice like music wire struts? Will I have any trouble putting the slight bend I need in them?
My only experience with titanium was seeing my brother-in-law demonstrate his new titanium eyeglass frames by twisting them almost into a knot and letting them spring back to perfect original form. Now
THAT'S the kind of performance I need from a landing gear strut!
Good flying,
desmobob