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Thread: what gear do I have????

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  1. #1
    Senior Member jiott's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Portland, OR
    Posts
    2,977

    Default Re: what gear do I have????

    Zadwit, if I read your question correctly, it sounds like you are having problems with the spring suspension bottoming out and bending the gear. Aside from learning how to make smoother landings, it appears you have a couple of choices:
    1- To get more travel without remodeling the spring mounting collars, you could reduce the number of coils to get more space between coils, but that would increase the load when the spring finally bottoms, putting higher load on the gear. In addition the spring wire diameter would need to increase to handle the higher load.
    2- You could keep the same number of coils but reduce the wire diameter to give more travel, but that would allow the spring to start deflecting at a lighter load, probably not desirable.
    3- There are some other possibilities, including trying some different spring steel alloys that may offer a better compromise, but I don't really think anything is going to give you enough extra travel without major load changes to make the difference you are looking for.

    Probably the best solution is to remodel the spring mounting area to allow a longer spring to be installed and/or add shock absorbers, or bigger softer tires.
    Jim Ott
    Portland, OR
    Kitfox SS7 flying
    Rotax 912ULS

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    Davenport, Washington
    Posts
    31

    Default Re: what gear do I have????

    I can land nice and smooth but what I have seen in Alaska when on skis or landing off airport sometimes you just hit stuff you didnt see or is under the snow. The spring set up does not have enough travel if you hit a ditch and I think the grove gear or bungees would go thru it....That is my delima... I can make smooth landing on smooth surfaces... the problem occurs off airport... and most of the time it isnt a problem but it only takes once.
    I orderd steel tubing and will make a bungee set up and replace the spring set up , I just dont trust it....

  3. #3
    Super Moderator Av8r3400's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Merrill, WI
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    3,048

    Default Re: what gear do I have????

    Acme Aero Fab

    Here is an option for those with the Cabine style gear. This company makes bolt in struts that replace the bungee or spring style links.
    Av8r3400
    Kitfox Model IV
    The Mangy Fox
    912UL 105hp Zipper
    YouTube Videos

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