Retracts?
 

I was wondering which type of retracts most of you use in your pattern planes? The only brand that I am familiar with is Rhom-Air. I have not used retracts for many years and would like to install them in one of my future projects (not sure if it will be a 40 or 60 size pattern plane). Do any of you use mechanical retracts? I see that Dave Brown offers them, anyone use them? As far as pneumatics, I see SpringAir offers them. As my memory serves me, I remember having occasional air leaks with Rhom-Air, and making many wheel-up landings! Any help/suggestions would be a great help.

Thanks,

RE: Retracts?
 

I lot of people use B&D not a bad price either, trying to decide between them or Dave Browns, tower has the mains do they not make the nose wheel for DB anymore

RE: Retracts?
 

jetmech43...Do you have price + contact info on B&D??

Darn...I was hoping the Dave Brown retracts were still available in the tri gear version...I never did actually call them to see but they are still listed on their website which left me hopeful...
http://www.dbproducts.com/store/sprt.htm

Those are the two mechanical retract sets I was gonna look at also...

I was thinkin' Spring Airs if I chose to use pneumatic retracts...

Here's a link to Dave Brown's Main Page...Got some good stuff like Tuned Pipe Mounts, Vibra Damp engine mounts and other neat stuff:
http://www.dbproducts.com/

Have Fun...

Chuck

RE: Retracts?
 

Chuck,

If you're doing a tri-gear setup, DEFINITELY go for pneumatics. They are so much easier to set up, plus all you need is a single mini servo to control the valve instead of 1 or 2 big retract servos.

I like SpringAirs because if you lose pressure in the system they automatically come down. No more gear-up landings! Of course, with SAs you have to deal with transporting the plane with the gear down, although somebody on here a while back had a clip of some sort to hold the gear up while transporting.

Tim

PS - the Aurora maidens on Sunday!

RE: Retracts?
 

Awesome!! Wanna hear all about it!!

RE: Retracts?
 

Chuck try www.eam.net/Retracts/spretracts.htm 3 gear air set for 100.00

RE: Retracts?
 

also www.advantagehobby.com they have the 3 gear B&B tri gear for 85 bucks

RE: Retracts?
 

the Spring Airs are great. i plan on using them on all of my planes. the service is great too. and as for the pin idea to hold them up during transport, that idea is shown on 8178's blue angel build

RE: Retracts?
 

I expect to be putting together a Dirty Birdy soon. I bot a set of Hobbico mechanicals and will be using 2 servos. Hobby People are selling an Airtronic 180 degree retract servo for $10 bucks each with the old style connector which is easy to change out. Used this set up on most of my pattern planes of the late 70s and 80s. Will post pictures when the time comes.
Hal P

RE: Retracts?
 

I have been using Hobbico mechanicals/2 retract servo set ups in all my 70's aerobats now for over 8 years, all on grass strips. Apart from the usual maintenance/lubrication there have been no failures over 5 models (15 units). Cheap and simple and so far 100% reliable.
Evan.

RE: Retracts?
 

I'm doing retracts for the first time with a Duellist I'm starting. A Duellist with retracts is about 9 pounds. I plan to use the Spring Air tricycle setup but want to keep the weight down. Does a 9-10 lb plane on asphalt need 3/16" struts or is 5/32" enough?

I'll more than likely use the same gear for a future Dirty Birdy build. (7.5 to 8 lb)

RE: Retracts?
 

3/8" is the smallest SpringAir.

RE: Retracts?
 

These.[link]http://www.retracts.com/Retrax_100.htm[/link]

RE: Retracts?
 

Thanks to everyone for your replies. The one thing that I'm not crazy about with the Spring Air retracts is that when the system is not pressurized, the gear will be in the down position. When I used Rhom-Air retracts, they stayed in the position that they were left in. This new project will most likely be a Dirty Birdy 40. I’m not sure that there will be enough room in the servo compartment (in the fuse) if I were to use (2) servo’s for mechanical retracts. I do realize that I will need a 4th servo in the fuse anyway, but at least with pneumatics, the servo could be a micro servo if needed. The other option would be to use only (1) servo for mechanical retracts, but that presents its own problems. I guess I’ll have to think a little more in regards to which type I will finally use.

RE: Retracts?
 

One correction Rom's (also Rhom) used no locks and pressure only in the "up" position.
If you lost pressure (I used them for more years than I can count and NEVER had that happen) then the gear sagged to wherever gravity took it.

I frankly prefer the 'no lock in up' feature as you simply stall them into foam and eliminate virtually all of the vibration wear.
I still have two sets of Rhom's with lots of spare parts. I bought them (parts and second set) when they were new as I expected to need it.

Didn't happen.

Never used the parts and the second set had all of two flights on a back-up plane.
As implicated earlier I flew the Rhoms for many hundreds of flights over a number of years (Pattern) and with the exception of two metal links on each main (I have the parts) there is no perceptible wear.

RE: Retracts?
 

Looking at this photo off the Spring Air website..See the Silver color retracts...They look like mechanical retracts to me?? Maybe I'm mis-interpreting the picture...I don't see any mention of them anywhere in the site...Maybe worth a call to inquire??

Chuck

RE: Retracts?
 

Kestral, the wing retract servo will be buried in the wing anyway, shouldn't take up any room in the fuselage.
Evan.

RE: Retracts?
 

Evan,
You are right, the wing servo WILL be buried in the wing. I guess I didn't give that too much thought. In order to use mechanical retracts, I would need special servos, 180° travel, is this right?

Onewasp,
I too used Rhom-Air retracts for many years and every once in a while (maybe 1 in 50 flights or so), I would lose pressure and would have to make a gear-up landing. In any case, I think that neumatics are easier to install, I'm just not sure which brand to go with. I see that Robart and Spring Air offer neumatics. I have just returned to the hobby after a 9 year absense. Much as changed in 9 years:D

RE: Retracts?
 

It's nice with Spring Air also that they come as the complete kit, and they're are not a "get what you pay for" either, they are nice quality.

just my .02cents..


Shane

RE: Retracts?
 

I like the Spring-Air fail-safe being in the down position. It's the most logical. My daily transport is a two-seat sports car so being able to collapse the gear for transport is critical in being able to fit the fuse and wing in on the passenger side. I don't mind having to drill a few holes for transporting pins. Such sacrifices (sigh).

RE: Retracts?
 

You can use 180 degree servos, many of which you can find cheap. There are also some proportional retract servos available too - I know Airtronics has them. Don't know about the other mfg's though, as I fly Airtronics

Tim

RE: Retracts?
 

Talked to Dave Brown yesterdat 2-22 at the WRAM show. They still make the trike gear retracts. Still the same old high quality setup as in the past. Trike sets are deffinatly available from Dave.

Peace

Mark O

RE: Retracts?
 

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I just bought a set of Dave Brown retracts. After deciding to go with conventional landing gear in my models, instead of the old tricycle gear arrangement, and not wanting a set of gear where they were deployed without the system being pressurized, I went for the old Southern R/C retracts that Dave sells. Much less expensive, durable, reliable and simple to install, I decided to save my money by not going pneumatic.

I miss my Rom gear, but they aren't available new any longer.


Ed Cregger

RE: Retracts?
 

Thought I'd mention Robart who offers Spring type gear nearly identical to Spring Airs 100 series. Interesting this subject came up as I'm finishing a project that needs 85 degree 3/16" strut such as the "well used and never leak" Springair HD#116 pictured below.

RE: Retracts?
 

Kestral, both Fubaba and JR make a dedicated low profile retract servo suitable for all models up to .90 size. Should plug into most recievers either way.
Evan.