GP .40 size float question
 

I'm finishing up a GP RV-4 right now that I mounted GP .40 size float on. They give you plastic 5/32" 'U' straps to hold it all to the plane. Is this sufficient? It looks like it would all rip off once you touch the water? This is my first float plane experience, been building for 15years and decided to try something different. How strong are those little screws and plastic clamps into aircraft ply? Should I be thinking about coming up with a better mounting setup?

Thanks
chad

GP .40 size float question
 

I've used those little straps before and they're pretty hard to break, I had them on a Goldberg Cub. the main/front gear went into the gear blocks and the straps held the rear wire in place. When my radio went wacky and the plane hit the water those little straps were fine, they just didn't have very much plane left around them any more.

If you're nervous about them, why not try doubling them up or use them mains that came with the kit in the front and the wire in the rear. be sure and install spreader bars front and rear.

They should work fine unless you really have a hard landing/Crash
Then you'd probably rather have or the straps break or the screws pull out other than the whole bottom of the fuse come off?

Add water have fun :)

Fair enough!
 

That's good enough for me. I just wanted an opinion. I had a goldberg cub years ago that used the flat straps, but they simply held the gear from falling out of the blocks. I made my own landing gear for my floats out of 3/16" steel. There are obviously the front and main gear, plus I welded cross supports front to rear on both sides. The gear itself is bullet proof, as well as how they mount to the floats. The mounts to the plane just seemed weak. If you have had good luck with them, then I'm satisfied. We had 3" of snow on the ground until Tuesday of this week that I wanted to "test" off of. Now I'll have to wait for more snow.. =(

Thanks for the response
chad

GP .40 size float question
 

If you worry about the little hat-shaped landing gear clips, you can use nose-gear mounts to mount the axles on top of the floats. Lots stronger, somewhat heavier. It's pretty clean 'cause you only need one wheel collar then.

But there's a funny phenomenon to airplanes and chains: If you strengthen the weakest link, then another link becomes the weakest link. And with Murphy's law, when the NEW weak link breaks it does more damage than the old weak link would have done when it broke.

GP .40 size float question
 

Think of it the same way you use nylon wing bolts. The nylon bolts will break well before it rips the whole wing off. Same with you floats.