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Steel Gear Legs

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rowedenny

Joined: 09 Mar 2008
Posts: 338
Location: Western PA

Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 4:19 am Post subject: Steel Gear Legs

Thanks again for everyones input, the legs are  finished and at the powder coating shop, here is how it went.

 Bought two three foot long pieces of 5/8" hot  rolled steel rod this morning.  ($1.10 per foot) Found out they did not fit  in the axle tubes so I went looking for my belt sander to reduce one end of  each.  Recalled a buddy borrowed it a few months back and since he lives 20  miles away and was at work I had to make do with my disk grinder and than  cleaned the ends up by hand with a couple belts from the missing sander.   Two hours later I had what I could have done in 5 minutes with the sander  finished.

  

 Inserted the rods so they almost touched in the  center under the fuselage, taped the rods so they would not slide in and out of  the axle tubes, had the wife hold one gearleg in to the factory line while  my son held the other. With the tail wheel blocked up about a foot I C-clamped a  flat 1/4" thick aluminum plate to each rod making sure the plate was close to  plumb. I figured as Jim H noted that the toe in and out will very slightly  as I raise and lower the tail so I figure a foot high tail kind of split  the difference. Also had the plane hanging from the ceiling so the wheels almost  touched the ground.

  

 I'll skip all the cussing but I found you can use  the original bolt holes in the gear sockets if you drill the front  sides first, than insert a 1/4" bolt half way, next take a Sharpie and reach  around behind and mark the back side through the hole in the fuselage. Now slide  the gear leg out and center punch the Sharpie mark and drill it on the drill  press. Reinsert the leg and run the drill through it from the front to clean it  up a little.  Sure would have done a lot less cussing if I had done this on  both legs instead of only the second one!

 Anyway, its done and I can move on to other things  that need done.

  

 Thanks again to all for your help.

  

 Denny, N616DR

   [quote][b]

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lcottrell

Joined: 29 May 2006
Posts: 1494
Location: Jordan Valley, Or

Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 11:32 am Post subject: Steel Gear Legs

[quote] ---

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Coop

Joined: 21 Aug 2008
Posts: 4
Location: Wellsboro, PA

Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 4:14 pm Post subject: Re: Steel Gear Legs

Hey guys,



While we are on gear legs...how far should I slide my Slingshot gear legs into the socket? The plans don't specify a length. Any help would be appreciated. By the way, thanks for the responses to the motor mount question I had much earlier. Called TNK and had them a couple of days later.

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rowedenny

Joined: 09 Mar 2008
Posts: 338
Location: Western PA

Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 7:49 pm Post subject: Steel Gear Legs

Coop,

Can't help with the Slingshot gear leg info, but my Mk-3 legs had (insert to 

lines) on them from the factory.



Denny

---

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John Hauck

Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 4639
Location: Titus, Alabama (hauck's holler)

Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 5:11 am Post subject: Steel Gear Legs

> Coop,

 	  Quote: 	
		   Can't help with the Slingshot gear leg info, but my Mk-3 legs had (insert 

 to lines) on them from the factory.



 Denny


	




Denny/Gang:



Brother Jim and I found through experimentation and testing, back in 

1987-88, a way to get the most out of the gear leg sockets.  That was to 

push our steel gear legs all the way in until they bottomed out at the 

intersection of the gear leg sockets.  This spreads the load through out the 

length of the socket.



We installed our initial set of steel legs as the FS plans called for, at 

midpoint in the socket.  Tested during a crash on Grand Island, NY, 1988, 

the left leg sheared the gear leg socket at the mid point.  Our next set of 

gear legs were lengthened and pushed all the way in until they bottomed out. 

Further tests (crashes) in 1993 and 2000, in the MKIII, bent gear legs 90 

degrees with no damage to the sockets.



Midpoint of the socket is the weakest position.  Makes for a lighter, 

shorter leg, but weaker socket.



john h

mkIII - Who tests his landing gear quite frequently and unintentionally.

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_________________
John Hauck
MKIII/912ULS
hauck's holler
Titus, Alabama

rowedenny

Joined: 09 Mar 2008
Posts: 338
Location: Western PA

Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 6:08 am Post subject: Steel Gear Legs

Thanks John,

Makes a lot of sense. My legs are way past half way in but probably an inch 

or so shy of all the way.

Since I have them drilled and at the powder coating shop, I guess it'll have 

to be close enough.



Denny Rowe



John H wrote>

 	  Quote: 	
		   Denny/Gang:



 Brother Jim and I found through experimentation and testing, back in 

 1987-88, a way to get the most out of the gear leg sockets.  That was to 

 push our steel gear legs all the way in until they bottomed out at the 

 intersection of the gear leg sockets.  This spreads the load through out 

 the length of the socket.



 We installed our initial set of steel legs as the FS plans called for, at 

 midpoint in the socket.  Tested during a crash on Grand Island, NY, 1988, 

 the left leg sheared the gear leg socket at the mid point.  Our next set 

 of gear legs were lengthened and pushed all the way in until they bottomed 

 out. Further tests (crashes) in 1993 and 2000, in the MKIII, bent gear 

 legs 90 degrees with no damage to the sockets.



 Midpoint of the socket is the weakest position.  Makes for a lighter, 

 shorter leg, but weaker socket.



 john h

 mkIII - Who tests his landing gear quite frequently and unintentionally.



 270.6.6/1627 - Release Date: 8/22/2008 6:48 AM

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HShack(at)aol.com
Guest

Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 9:43 am Post subject: Steel Gear Legs

On my FS II ('98 Model) the right gear leg socket gave way & also  damaged a wing tip after about 300 hours. The other gear leg was just about  to let go.  I fitted a new cage.  The gear legs were only half way up  the socket;  easy to see how metal fatigue would break the socket.

  

 Howard  Shackleford

FS II

SC   

  In a message dated 8/22/2008 9:11:27 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  jhauck(at)elmore.rr.com writes:

  	  Quote: 	
		  We    installed our initial set of steel legs as the FS plans called for, at    

midpoint in the socket.  Tested during a crash on Grand Island, NY,    1988, 

the left leg sheared the gear leg socket at the mid point.  Our    next set of 	






It's only a deal if it's where you want to go. Find your travel deal here.

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Coop

Joined: 21 Aug 2008
Posts: 4
Location: Wellsboro, PA

Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 6:23 am Post subject: Re: Steel Gear Legs

Thanks also. I was wondering why the legs wouldn't share the load across the whole socket. I'll slide mine up as far as possible. Maybe that way, I can get in the thing.



Vertically Challenged,

Coop SS17

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John Hauck

Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 4639
Location: Titus, Alabama (hauck's holler)

Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 7:00 am Post subject: Steel Gear Legs

> Thanks also. I was wondering why the legs wouldn't share the load across 

the whole socket. I'll slide mine up as far as possible. Maybe that way, I 

can get in the thing.

 	  Quote: 	
		  

 Vertically Challenged,

 Coop SS17


	


Coop:



The reason the gear legs set the nose of the SS up so high is because the 

amount of incidence in the wing was reduced a great deal over what is called 

for on the mkIII.  Lowering the nose also lowers the capability of taking 

off and landing  shorter and quicker in a nice 3 point position.



john h - Who enjoys flying the SS, but has not flown one in a while.

mkIII

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_________________
John Hauck
MKIII/912ULS
hauck's holler
Titus, Alabama

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