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Thread: Landing gear choices...

  1. #31
    Senior Member av8rps's Avatar
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    Default Re: Landing gear choices...

    Larry, those are some really good points, and well taken.

    For the record, I've always hated the early landing gear design used on Avids and Kitfoxes where they wrap bungees around the bottom of the seat truss. It should have been modified early on to the style of cabane gear like is used on the Super Cub (fyi -the Highlander put the right design on from the word go and has had virtually no issues, and it has been tested extensively by guys like S. Henry). Unfortunately it took the aftermarket companies, and the McBeans STI design to finally provide owners a better cabane style gear for the Kitfox.

    And I do agree that even with a good cabane style design, unless you use a gas / hydraulic suspension option, springs or bungees just return any excessive energy into the next bounce. But again, the most commonly used gear in the bush world has used bungee cord forever.

    So back to the spring gear. Yes, it is a much easier option to the whole issue overall, but when we talk about absorbing excessive bounce energy, the spring gear has no ability to use a gas shock. So from that perspective the cabane style gear is advantageous.

    Of course the cabane style and spring gears have both been used sucessfully for decades, so a lot of this is probably just over analysis to most. So it really is a persons preference. I'm just happy that we now have so many good choices to pick from.

    Oh, and I have to admit I'm impressed that Dave gained 10 mph by going to a spring gear. Was his previous gear uncovered? I don't lose 10 mph when I put floats on.

  2. #32
    Super Moderator Av8r3400's Avatar
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    Default Re: Landing gear choices...

    This is the original gear Dave had on Sputzee.

    Sputzee.jpg
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  3. #33
    Senior Member av8rps's Avatar
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    Default Re: Landing gear choices...

    Hmmm? Well, I guess that is proof positive of what drag a gear design like that can have. Do you have a pic of his plane with the new gear for comparison?

    I know my Highlander gear always makes me think I need to do something with the center cross tubes as they are just round tubes like the ones in the picture, so are huge drag all by themselves. And the bungee cord covers are just vinyl so aerodynamic covers would be good there too.

    Or I suppose I could just put a spring gear on it and call it good

  4. #34
    Super Moderator Av8r3400's Avatar
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    Default Re: Landing gear choices...

    Not the best angle, but...

    Sputzee2.jpg
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  5. #35
    Senior Member av8rps's Avatar
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    Default Re: Landing gear choices...

    Thanks Larry. Those two pics do a good job of showing the difference between the two styles of gear. And just looking at them both it is quite obvious how the spring gear is cleaner aerodynamically.

    Of course, I'm used to a set of floats hanging down underneath my plane. So anytime I fly without them my plane feels like a rocketship, regardless of how big the tires or what kind of a gear

  6. #36

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    Default Re: Landing gear choices...

    Hi
    I am building a KF5 and have been reading a lot of post on the landing gear option and I am leaning towards the Cabane/Roberts style spring or preferably shock landing gear. I have no problem fabricating my own but do not want to try to do it from scratch with no plans. Are there plans available to purchase and build your own gear?

    Joe

  7. #37
    Senior Member rv9ralph's Avatar
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    Default Re: Landing gear choices...

    Kitfox Aircraft has a newer "Bush Gear" that is not in their catalog. Check with them for more information.

    Ralph

  8. #38
    FoxDB's Avatar
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    Default Re: Landing gear choices...

    I just want to put in my 2 bits, there are 3 important factors of the cabane gear 1) Front Down tubes should be 1.25" not 1" 2) Die springs are not a good idea mainly due to short travel 3) A cross tube should be used between the mounts of the cabane"V"
    That said here is were I am coming from: I built my Cabane gear I used 1.25" for front tubes, used a longer travel die spring enclosed in a hydraulic dampener IE: Bearhawk design, did not use a cross tube for the Cabane "V"
    I did a poor landing to a steep hill and hit HARD No damage to the gear but major damage to the Fuse Longeron twisting and buckling diagonal tubes.

  9. #39
    Senior Member av8rps's Avatar
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    Default Re: Landing gear choices...

    Is it possible the front tube of the gear was originally sized at 1" so that it would bend before the fuselage gets damaged? (Easier to replace gear legs than a fuselage...)

    Your gear sounds interesting. Pics?

  10. #40
    FoxDB's Avatar
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    Default Re: Landing gear choices...

    The tube does not bend it folds and props hit the ground and it's a bad day. It was not easy to fix the fuse but I did not have to replace the prop or engine mount or .... Don't know for sure but that is why I think the horizontal tube at the top of the cabane V may have saved the fuse. The geometry of the gear mounts on the fuse are not correct for a cabane style gear and causes a twisting moment on the longerons. If you look at cub mount tabs you see the gear leg is inline with the center of the longerons.
    I will see if I can find some pics to post.

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