My 3rd landing with my 1/5 Topflite P-51 ARF, a crosswind on a paved runway, you guessed it, pop goes a PLASTIC cam on my Robart 622 retracts. I got away lucky, small scrapes on wing tip, spinner and cowl. If you just have to have these retracts, I would consider it a good investment to install the SLG metal cams, that's what I have to do now. For the price of these retracts they just got to get rid of the plastic. In retrospect I wished I would have bought the whole gear set from SLG, yeah they would have cost me $600 Cdn. but I have 5 times that invested in the plane.


Man I got to give cedit where credit is due. I just e-mailed Darrell at SLG at 5 AM Ohio time with some questions about his cams and had an answer back from him in 15 mins. with all the info I needed. On the ball or what.

Don I have said it before , but why bother , when you give your honest opion on Robart and the cost-to value statement you get bashed from a ton of people . I have been there , done that and my money will never go there again . I wont tell anyone what gear i use now because that starts another big battle , I love the gaer I have now and I mostly fly 90 to 120 size models . Good luck with your plane I only wish you the best with the what ever gear you choose in the future .

I have Robart 615 retracts and WOW are they crap!
If you want plenty of gear chatter,axle toe in on landing,broken PLASTIC trunion,by ALL means buy these gear!
I get so much chatter out of this gear that my airplane looks like it's having a siezure going down the runwway...LOL.

LDM,
I am currently looking into buying some decent retracts for a project (my first), and your statement has peaked my interest...

Please pm me with what brand of gear you are using. I promise not to "bash" you.

Thanks

I wil only use century in planes from 60 to 120 size engines .
The struts are real , the gear is heavy duty and when you total adding the toy like robo struts to the existing gear the cost is better on century . I have had both and they dont compare .
I take the following steps on all gear , I use clear silicone at all air connections , I set my gear in place ane make sure the move freely .If not I use saran warp over wooded gear mounst , add plastic balsa and set gear in place over plastic wrap .This little step will form a perfact place for the gear to mount and move freely .Then when dry remove the gear , the wrap and drill your set screws and put the gear back in .
For the money from 60 to 120 size planes CJ have been flawless for me but you will see a ton of post for and against both brands of Robart and CJ . I have been luckey but when comparing them side by side luck leans on CJ when you simply look at the gear .
I just purchased the newest CJ gear for H9 Corsair , they are great !!!!!!

Don't worry LDM I won't bash you, this post was intended to pass along first hand knowledge, regardless of the brand. This was my first set of air operated retracts in a lot of years of flying, so I am out to LEARN, that's why I started the post. Actually the rest of the Robart 622's are very robust, it's just those chincy plastic cams, I can't understand why they would put them in.

I have had several e-mails & a phone call back and forth to Darrell at Sierra (a very nice guy) and I have a set of his metal cams on the way, should cure my problem.

Hi Guy's:
I went with Frank Tiano's gear and they are all metal. Check them out.

Dave R

Ok two quick questions, How do you puchase the after market cams ? where can I get some ,
two -dose Frank make gear for a P40 in the 90 to 120 size?
Thanks for the help

If your talking about replacement cams for the 622's go to [link]http://www.sierraprecision.com[/link]

Thanks Don , good luck with the plane , look at the tips I have listed they came from others on the site with the same gear

same thing happened to me tonight the right on snapped and the gear collapsed wing tip and flap damage belly scuffed up got luckey no major damage! TF p-47

Tim

Cool, Im not going to fool around. I too will order these replacement "upgrade" parts.

Thanks guys

Gunny

I landed my P-51 hard enough to bend the strut and the mount flanges last weekend. The cams held-up fine.

Well, I guess I will have to check out these Robart gear myself.

I just bought a new/never used pair of Robart 606HD and the air control kit for $50 (going on my H9 Mustang). Made it hard to pass up...

Wish me luck...