Aluminum gear

Hey Bill, your not that far from us. If you are ever up in the Adirondacks, feel free to stop by.
0NY0

Pete
 
volvo164 said:
I was having difficulty figuring out how you bolted the u extension on. Did you use a clamp? Or what did you bolt it through without drilling any frame members?
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Factory method is to cut/grind the old ones off and weld the new ones into place.

I haven’t tried it, Bob figured out an alternate means, goal is to have a rigid frame there to attach fabric where the gear passes through.
 
It is a skinny U tube of steel. To weld it you would cut the legs, insert a tube of lesser diameter and a sleeve of the same diameter, and tack it with rosette welds. I just put a small machine screw in where the rosettes would go and locked it with epoxy glue. There really isn't much force on that little part.
No photos - want a sketch?
 
Pburns said:
Hey Bill, your not that far from us. If you are ever up in the Adirondacks, feel free to stop by.
0NY0

Pete
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Hi Pete,
Learning this site. Should have replied this way to you. Got 0NY0 checked out. My strip here on the farm is NY35 check it out sometime. Somewhat of a one way strip at times call for details if you’re heading this way, I’ll brief you.
Bill
 
Here you go - I think I pinned this with small aircraft grade screws, But I now think that something like JB Weld would be way mre than strong enough without the pins.
We just loosened a set of tubes held with JB Weld - granted, it was a slightly larger surface, but it took oxy acetylene and a hammer to break it loose. This stuff is no joke when used as an adhesive.

IMG_0227.webp
 
Pburns said:
Hey Bill, your not that far from us. If you are ever up in the Adirondacks, feel free to stop by.
0NY0

Pete
Click to expand...
Hi Pete,
Learning this site. Should have replied this way to you. Got 0NY0 checked out. My strip here on the farm is NY35 check it out sometime. Somewhat of a one way strip at times call for details if you’re heading this way, I’ll brief you.
Bil
Bob Turner said:
Here you go - I think I pinned this with small aircraft grade screws, But I now think that something like JB Weld would be way mre than strong enough without the pins.
We just loosened a set of tubes held with JB Weld - granted, it was a slightly larger surface, but it took oxy acetylene and a hammer to break it loose. This stuff is no joke when used as an adhesive.

View attachment 9371
Click to expand...
 
Bob Turner said:
Here you go - I think I pinned this with small aircraft grade screws, But I now think that something like JB Weld would be way mre than strong enough without the pins.
We just loosened a set of tubes held with JB Weld - granted, it was a slightly larger surface, but it took oxy acetylene and a hammer to break it loose. This stuff is no joke when used as an adhesive.

View attachment 9371
Click to expand...
Thanks Bob,
 
Bob Turner said:
It is a skinny U tube of steel. To weld it you would cut the legs, insert a tube of lesser diameter and a sleeve of the same diameter, and tack it with rosette welds. I just put a small machine screw in where the rosettes would go and locked it with epoxy glue. There really isn't much force on that little part.
No photos - want a sketch?
Click to expand...
Bob Turner said:
Here you go - I think I pinned this with small aircraft grade screws, But I now think that something like JB Weld would be way mre than strong enough without the pins.
We just loosened a set of tubes held with JB Weld - granted, it was a slightly larger surface, but it took oxy acetylene and a hammer to break it loose. This stuff is no joke when used as an adhesive.

View attachment 9371
Click to expand...
Thanks Bob - but that's not how the fairing tube is attached. On one side it is, but on the other side it's welded to the fairing tube running down under the belly. See the ACA drawing. Perhaps you also cut that fairing tube further below, shortened it with the same splice method?
 
It has been ten years. I don't really recall serious difficulties. Next time the floorboards are out I will look.
 
New vendor, 92nd West Aviation in Arkansas, not sure if he set up a new business entity for the gear business. He is making gear for a few different companies already including his Pitts Model 12 customers.
 
Good point, but a better investment than ten grand on fancy cockpit instrumentation that will be obsolete and unsupported in a decade.
 
Bob Turner said:
Good point, but a better investment than ten grand on fancy cockpit instrumentation that will be obsolete and unsupported in a decade.
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It’s a no brainer for a super D if you have the ACA wings to get the extra useful load. Otherwise … I have a 150 Decathlon with new wings that was just refinished. The previous owner who did the restoration wanted the new gears, but they were not available. So .. I don’t know … my mechanic thinks I’d be crazy to cut into the fabric, on top of the 10K. I did join the gym - but so far no difference on the scale 😟
 
volvo164 said:
It’s a no brainer for a super D if you have the ACA wings to get the extra useful load. Otherwise … I have a 150 Decathlon with new wings that was just refinished. The previous owner who did the restoration wanted the new gears, but they were not available. So .. I don’t know … my mechanic thinks I’d be crazy to cut into the fabric, on top of the 10K. I did join the gym - but so far no difference on the scale 😟
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Note to everyone,

When refinishing an airplane, install the fabric loops for the gear openings that allow the aluminum gear to be installed whether you do the gear or not.

That is all. 🤗
 
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