YellowHawk

I fly my plane in a large cow pasture...I thought getting larger wheels would make takeoffs and landings a bit easier. My NexStar came with 2-3/4" wheels so I bought some Dave Brown Lite Flite 4" wheels.

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...00&FVPROFIL=++

I got them today and my problem is they won't fit my axles...the axle hole diameter is right but the wheels are too wide at 1-3/16". When I put them on the axle, I don't have room left to install the wheel collar. I didn't take the wheel width into account when I ordered them. I think I may be able to buy longer axles for the main gear, but the nose gear I'm not so sure about. Any ideas or suggestions on how to make this work?

2slow2matter

My Feedback: (1)

New gear. 4 inch wheels are very large for a trainer of that size. Go with 3 1/2's, you'll be surprised at the difference in fatness.

foosball_movie

I played around with new wheels on a Hobbistar Trainer 60 MK III ( [link=http://www.hobbico.com/airplanes/hcaa2125.html]see it here[/link] ). I put 4 inch wheels on the back and thought about putting a 4 inch wheel on the front, but I had the same problem: the wheel swallowed the entire axel and left no room for the collar. I could only fit one collar on the rear wheels, but they still worked. I eventually just put a 3 1/2 inch wheel on the front and returned to the stock 2 3/4 inch wheels on the rear. I haven't had an issue with the prop hitting the ground since. But I did notice that there is front landing gear available that has an extended axel that can handle a 4 inch wheel at my local hobby shop. I still may purchase it so I can have 3 x 4-inch wheels and be able to take on all the RC monster trucks next to our flying field.

bruce88123

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXH129&P=ML
You could try something like this. Other sizes available too, search under "fults" at Tower.

It uses 3/16" wire so you would need to drill your gear mtg block open a bit further for the wire to fit. Carefully check all specs and see if it will fit your plane
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXH134&P=ML
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXH136&P=7

are also viable IMO.

khodges

My Feedback: (1)

Another option is to turn the plane into a tail-dragger, get rid of the nose wheel altogether. Landing on such unimproved surfaces is the province of bush planes, and the great majority of them are conventional gear.

scratchonly

When I have this problem I fit a brass tube over the axle. Make it long enough to accomodate your wheels plus about 1/4 inch. Leave enough space for a washer and drill a 1/16 hole in the brass. Get a 1/16 cotter pin or use a piece of wire to hold it on. Drill the wheels to the tubing size very carefully. I glue the tube to the wire with thin CA. Works for me.

KC36330

you can also ditch the wheel collars and use flat washers soldered to the axles.

kc

YellowHawk

Lots of good ideas here. Thanks a lot. Bruce, thanks for finding the nose gear. I like that one a lot better. I keep bending mine slightly and I believe that one looks a good bit tougher.

bruce88123

they're a LOT tougher and great for rough fields. I have a flying buddy who puts those on ALL of his planes. He lands on the nose wheel a lot.

YellowHawk

I'll get one of those. I haven't bent it on the last few flights but I have landed on the nosewheel a couple of times and hit hole, antbeds and the like it that field and it's rough on that little nose gear!