New Bungees

[Av8r3400]

Well, I got the new bungees installed on my Kitfox IV-1050 last night. It took about 2-1/2 hours to do. Not too terrible of a job, but definitely a two person situation. Dave Fisher posted a photo on the Rotax Board of a technique using an ax handle to wedge each wrap while making the next.

I did similar and used a scrap piece of 1 x 2" wood. I trimmed it down to a bout a 1 x 1, then made two angle cuts in the end to make the two way wedge. Without this tool, I'd have no idea how someone would do this task. If I had to do it again, I think I'd be down to maybe an hour, total. (I'll try to remember to get a photo of my Bungee-Stick next time I get to the airport...)

Not an impossible task, just a PITA.

[Av8r3400]

Here are the photos I promised:

(Sorry about the poor quality, it's a phone-camera... )

[Av8r3400]

For the record:

I bought the "new" bungees from the McBeans and they recommended 5 wraps.

With 5 wraps, the right gear is already sagging off the stop!

My plan is to leave it for now, through the winter. I will re-wrap the bungees for six wraps in the spring before the grass-strip season starts again.

[Av8r3400]

My plane is 640# empty, what is yours?

[lbushrod]

Five wraps worked for about twenty hours on my model 2. When I loaded for our trip up north I was just below gross and made probably ten landings before they stretched and I added another turn.

I saw the ax handle trick but forgot it when I need to remember.

For pulling the bungee I think that my saddlehitch method works well but for holding after the stretch the ax handle would do well.

I think that next time I will save an hour or so using the combined method.

Pete

[Av8r3400]

I re-wrapped for the sixth turn on the bungees when I had the plane apart to install my skis. Yeah, that did it.

It would sure be nicer if the crimp was not so huge on these bungees. I had to open up the aluminum reinforcing plate on the belly and overlap the cords to get the required number of wraps. A smaller crimp would have allowed a much neater and tighter looking setup.

I was seriously thinking of cutting off the "factory" loop and doing it over with one of these tools.

[sdemeyer]

I replaced my bungees a few months ago but did not have anyone to help me. I used a quick release cargo strap, hooking one end to a cross member tube on top of fuselage and the other to the bungee cord eye, after I had four loose loops. This allowed me to keep the bungee stretched while working tension into the loops using a pair of pliers with plastic tips. I was able to easily get 6 wraps. The entire process took about 30 minutes for each side.

[SkyPirate]

I have been tossing the idea around for a different system on the landing gear ,..had an air system thought out ,..but too mach weight,..so went a different route but same principal,..and this is probably the design I'm going to use ,..it has 2 harley davidson soft tail shocks in it ..understanding the shocks ..they work different from traditional configurations of shocks ,. they are also the "spring",..and the resistance is in the extension instead of retraction,..it might add a lb or 2 but I won't ever have to worry about bungee's

[Slyfox]

Chase,
A thought for you. A couple years back I thought about buying a harley, but I was too short for the thing. I was told so much for lowering the pig, which included replacing the rear shocks. Here's the kicker, I would have had to buy the kit and keep the old shocks, my thought is, there is a bunch of shocks sitting in somebodies basement collecting dust. Just a thought for ya. no I didn't buy a harley.

[SkyPirate]

good thought Steve ,.. I was thinking the same thing awhile back when a freind of mine in florida said he had to do just what you said ..he is suppose to be shipping them to me soon,..from what I hear ,..allot of the harley shops have these shocks kicking around because they have to lower the soft tails and they can be had pretty reasonable,..also from what I hear ,..they never wear out.

Chase