The Dave Brown and Spring Air retracts both go way back to the old days in pattern. The debate over mechanical vs pneumatic will probably go on forever. I personally don't like to have to "pump up" the plane out at the field and like the gear to remain up during transport, but those are just personal quirks. Both work well w/ careful attention to the details. The Dave Brown retracts were originally designed by Ron Chidgey and sold by Pro Line, then Southern R/C, then Dave Brown.

FYI: Learned one thing about retract servos recently. I have the JR low profile servo in my Hangar 9 Mustang 60 and it works great. Found out though, that you cannot use a 5 cell receiver pack with that servo. I thought at first, I had purchased a bad servo. Phone call to JR gave the answer. I tried both with and without a Radio South voltage regulator. When used w/ 4.8 volts, it works fine. I have Futaba's low profile servo in my Tiger Tail, and it works fine on 5-cell pack. The JR servo has more advertised torque.

Thank You for asking the question and passing on this Information!!! Great!!

I have one old pair of "Southern Pro" mains...They are really nice retracts...

Chuck

I see that Hobbico has mechanical retracts for much less then DB retracts. I know that most of the time, you get what you pay for, but has anyone tried these retracts in a 40 size plane?

Which Tiger Tail are you flying? Post a picture of your Tiger Tail[8D]

Southern R/C Tiger Tail III w/ Axe Rossi .60 and Dave Brown Retracts (tail dragger). Futaba 9VAP radio.

See http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_6943045/tm.htm

I have used the Hobbico retracts on the P-51 PTS and they would get about 50 flights on them and need replaced. For the price I didn't mind replacing them once in a while. They do require adjustment every couple times out to the field though, unless you can grease her in everytime..


Shane

You guys must really bash you retracts about, been using my Hobbicos in .60's, on grass, for over 10 years, still using the original sets. A little lube every now and then and the odd check and they seem to last forever, much longer than the airframes anyway.
Evan.

I actually have a few sets of Hobbico retracts on the shelve (mains only) which I will use...I have had a set on my Ultra Sport 40 which is about 22 (+) years old with hundreds of landings....The Hobbico retracts are just now needing to be replaced as the plastic where the gear leg mounts into is cracking...but 20+ years of service is pretty good IMHO...So I'd defiantly suggest there is nothing really wrong with the Hobbico Retracts...

I will say with my Ultra Sport the retracts developed some minor "play" right off the bat...Never got allot worse...Although I tried to adjust the set screw (down stop)...I've never got rid of the play...It's never opposed a "problem" from my standpoint...Not sure how a nose gear retract would be as mine are only the mains...

But for me personally....Since I'm gonna have to buy more retracts to outfit planned airplanes...And I kinda like Kewl stuff...I think I'll step it up a notch in quality...It's just a personal decision...Having seen the Dave Brown retracts and knowing a higher quality set of retracts exists....I've decided that's what I want....No real "Performance" justification involved...It ain't that I got a bunch of money (cause I don't)...It's just I would rather spend My Money on stuff I feel is quality...I happen to like aluminum parts better than plastic...It's just me...It would be nice if these retracts don't develop the play I see with my Hobbico's...

Granted you could buy three or four sets of these for one set of DB or B&D retracts:
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXL406&P=ML

I suppose each individual has to decide what they want to spend their money on...

Have fun...

Chuck

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I have a few sets of Hobbico retracts too, but haven't used them yet and can't get to them at the moment.

Since they have been around so long, I wonder if the Hobbico retracts sold today are the same as the ones in your US 40? I would be very surprised if they were.


Ed Cregger

Funny...I was just looking at that and I think your right...

The "Tri Gear Set" are defiantly different than mine...I see a set of mains that look pretty much like mine but the pic is not really that great to tell for sure...

The Dave Browns are excellent quality and my favorite retracts overall. (I have not used the Hobbico) The main gear units are a little bit tall in profile, and can be a challenge to fit near the L.E. in some wings. Any nose unit will suffer from vibration wear, especially w/ piped engines and glass fuselages. On the Dave Brown units, there is a small plastic slide block in the locking mechanism that wears and eventually creates play, but I think it's available as a replacement part from Dave Brown.

Thanks to all for your input on this subject!! You have given me much to think about. It sounds like the DB units might be a little better quality, a real proven design. I will be going to the Toledo show in early April and I plan to talk to Dave Brown about his retracts. Maybe I'll pick up a set while I'm there.

Thanks,

Now you have me thinking. Has anyone tried the Hitec low profile retract servo on 6v?

When I set mine (Dave Brown) up in the wing, I used an old JR 700 PCM receiver and 4.8 battery pack. They worked fine.

When I connected the wing to the receiver in the plane (JR 921 2.4 mhz) all sorts of strange things began to happen. The 921 is running a 6v pack due to all the documented issues with re-booting, etc. if the voltage drops below 5v. I played around with it, changed output arms and readjusted the linkage and now it seems to be working okay...but this has me wondering how reliable this will be.

I was on a job in the Dayton Ohio area today and waiting for some laser parts so I took a ride to Hamilton, OH and found Dave Brown Products. As my luck would have it Dave and Sally were out for the afternoon but I met the crew and got a tour of the place.

When I asked about purchasing a set of retracts I was told they would be ready in about 15 minutes. An employee stopped her tasks and finished a set of gear for me while I waited. I also watched as spinners were made on CNC lathes and the wheels were being assembled in the next room. All in all it was a good time and I walked out with a brand new set of Southern Pro Retracts.

They are still the same old high quality retracts that were in my old Chidgey Tiger Tail and will be in the new one (locked down during SPA contests). If any SPA guys are looking for retracts Don't forget Dave Brown Products. Mains only and trikes are available.

Good people, Good products and Good deals.

Peace

Mark O

No doubt the Dave Brown retracts are good, 'Spring Air' makes an excellent #116 retract unit thats spring down and air up 5/16 or 3/16, 85 degree strut mains and set includes every thing you need and competative with the "other" air up&spring down.. [:-] For this weight class I've had -O- hassels with the Spring Air units and found them over the years to be very reliable and durable;no doubt as the Dave Brown units would be-

I just found this thread and wanted to share this "little" guy with y'all.
http://www.advantagehobby.com/produc...roductid=50701

I know it's not on the topic that this thread is going. (DB, B&D, Rhoms, SpringAirs, and Hobbico comparisons) but I thought some might be thinking... 1/2A BPA?? [X(]


DM

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Not being familiar with electric nomenclature, would they be too small for a .15 sized Peppermint Pattie?


Ed Cregger

Go ahead (I would) if it will support 400 class electrics,then again[:-]Any way thanks for the link I have to check these out as there might well be 'other applications' in addition to retracting gear struts...[8D]

I would say "no" they should work fine

Thanks, Nick.


Ed Cregger

Here are some photos of my install of Hobbico mechanical retracts in the Dirty Birdy wing. I was going to use 2 retracts, one for the mains and a second for the nose. Scratched that idea as I couldn't find a space in the DB fuse to operate the nosegear. So I jury rigged an arm on the wing retract to operate the nose. The install was a bit tedious as I had to fabricate sub ribs for the retract plates and ply reinforcements. I spoke before on using an Airtronics retract servo purchased from Hobby People for 9 bucks with the old style plug, which I reworked to fit my JR set up. The servo operates the three retracts with a pushrod coming off the wing mounted one. Took a bit of fiddling to get it operating, but works fine on 6 volts and I have positive locks in both extended and retracted positions.

Thats interesting how your Tri Gear Mechanical Retracts set up functions it reminds me of a friend ages ago that was studing Aeronautical Engineering and was more "challanged to "set his C/G mechanical retracts ,"than his majors-- I think he was using a Carl Goldberg products mechanicals retracts and a 'special,'servo that was about the best choice for a mechanical retract servo/actuator of the period late 1960's [8D] in those earlier years of Digital Radio Control development,which had yeet to incorporate (end point adjustment[:-]

I went with Rhom Air from the start as opposed yo mechanicals and had lots of issues with air leakage;so when I tried a set of Spring Airs and they are reliable,tiough and well engineered retractsI just got a new set of Spring Air 85 degree 3/13 mains and now they have adjustable axels for either strut diameter including 5/16 and another thing new to me was the air control/filler valve thats way cool.

Too bad they don't make a rotating retract, unless I overlooked them...

Think you are right.

My retracts just arrived from Tower. They are Robart 521W1 Tri-Gear with 5/32" steerable nose gear and 3/16" mains. $139 bucks. I bought them for a 9 pound Duelist Twin I'm building. Those 3/8" oleo struts were tempting but the price was double! I plan to make some folding doors and that should hide the skinny leg look.

They are surprisingly light. I may also put them in a vintage pattern ship at some point if the Duelist meets an untimely end.

Richard, What are yours going into?