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changing bungees

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Catz631(at)aol.com
Guest

Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2007 2:55 pm Post subject: changing bungees

I have a Kitfox 4-1200 and need to change the landing gear bungees. I have done this before on my Piper Pacer and it was quite a job so before I experiment on my new Kitfox ,I thought perhaps some of the members of this forum might have a good way to do it.I have thought of lifting the aircraft by the engine mounts or pulling the gear together with a "come a long" and building a wooden cradle to hold the gear together (using 2 x 4's running along th outside of each wheel and connecting at the front and back of the gear-a rectangle shape which is the way I replaced the Hydrosorbs on the Pacer)  Any ideas ?

                Thanks

                              Dick Maddux



top rated recipes and easy ways to stay in shape for winter.

  [quote][b]

f.miles.tcp.833(at)clearw
Guest

Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2007 3:32 pm Post subject: changing bungees

Dick, Have you ever considered replacing hat gear with Grove landing gear?  

   

Frank Miles  

         

  

From: owner-kitfox-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-kitfox-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of Catz631(at)aol.com

 Sent: Thursday, December 27, 2007 2:54 PM

 To: kitfox-list(at)matronics.com

 Subject: changing bungees  

  

     

I have a Kitfox 4-1200 and need to change the landing gear bungees. I have done this before on my Piper Pacer and it was quite a job so before I experiment on my new Kitfox ,I thought perhaps some of the members of this forum might have a good way to do it.I have thought of lifting the aircraft by the engine mounts or pulling the gear together with a "come a long" and building a wooden cradle to hold the gear together (using 2 x 4's running along th outside of each wheel and connecting at the front and back of the gear-a rectangle shape which is the way I replaced the Hydrosorbs on the Pacer)  Any ideas ?  

    

               Thanks  

    

                             Dick Maddux  

  



 

         

  

top rated recipes and easy ways to stay in shape for winter.  

  

      	  Quote: 	
		  



href="http://www.matronics.com/contribution">http://www.matronics.com/chref="http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Kitfox-List">http://www.matronhref="http://forums.matronics.com">http://forums.matronics.com



	


  12/27/2007 1:34 PM

   Release Date: 12/27/2007 1:34 PM     [quote][b]

mike(at)mikegibbard.com
Guest

Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2007 3:38 pm Post subject: changing bungees

Have 1 person under the plane and 1 on  top.  Make 1 wrap at a time and have the person on the bottom hold  and pull bungees tight as possible and the person on top use  plastic tie wraps to hold the bungees tension. Continue untill the bungee is  complete with the proper # of wraps and then cut the plastic ties and you are  finished. Plastic ties will allow you to not lose your tension on each  wrap.  You should have 4 or 5 ties to cut when complete.   Mike

 [quote]   --

Mnflyer

Joined: 15 May 2006
Posts: 78

Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2007 4:27 pm Post subject: Re: changing bungees

Mike has it down pat, its a two person job and I find it easiest to hoist the plane via the engine mt just enough to let the gear come together, the 2x4 cradle would be tough as one person has to be under the plane and the cradle would be very uncomfortable. I tried a come along but again it was in the way. Its not the easiest  job. While some like the Grove gear I prefer the bungee gear its lighter has more ht/prop clearance and lots less money, just MHO.

_________________
GB
MNFlyer
Flying a HKS Kitfox III

shinco(at)bright.net
Guest

Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2007 4:36 pm Post subject: changing bungees

Dick.I have a KF2,this summer I changed my bungees.was not easy.there 

were two of us.one on top and 1 on bottom.alot of cussing and pinched 

fingers but got it done.I used a tool that I made.it had a handle,and a 

small hook at one end.I used this to help pull and to help streach the 

bungiees,by pulling them down.to help streach  them in to place.it made 

it lot easy to do.we had them changed in app.1hr.  Steve Shinabery 

N554KF  KF2 582



Catz631(at)aol.com wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   I have a Kitfox 4-1200 and need to change the landing gear bungees. I 

 have done this before on my Piper Pacer and it was quite a job so 

 before I experiment on my new Kitfox ,I thought perhaps some of the 

 members of this forum might have a good way to do it.I have thought of 

 lifting the aircraft by the engine mounts or pulling the gear together 

 with a "come a long" and building a wooden cradle to hold the gear 

 together (using 2 x 4's running along th outside of each wheel and 

 connecting at the front and back of the gear-a rectangle shape which 

 is the way I replaced the Hydrosorbs on the Pacer)  Any ideas ?

                Thanks

                              Dick Maddux



 ------------------------------------------------------------------------

 top rated recipes and easy ways to stay in shape 

 <http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aoltop00030000000003> 

 for winter.

 *

 *

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------

kirkhull(at)kc.rr.com
Guest

Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2007 5:41 pm Post subject: changing bungees

When I changed the bungee on my classic 4 I took the turtle deck off and

after putting as many loops in it as I could by hand, hooked a ratcheting

tie down to the end of the bungee and the other end to the hanger truss.

Then I had 1 person on top ratchet the strap in as I worked it from the

bottom with a hook.  That way the strap kept the tension on the bungee while

I slowly tightened up the rest of the loops 1 at a time  when I had enough

hanging out I clamped it and made the last loop then hooked the strap back

up and continued working it until I was able to hook it on the post.  Took

about an hour and a half for both.



--

Tom Jones

Joined: 12 Mar 2006
Posts: 752
Location: Ellensburg, WA

Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2007 6:26 pm Post subject: Re: changing bungees

Dick, this is one of those jobs that is easy if you know how to do it.  The only way to learn how to do it is to try the suggestions offered here and see what works for you.  There are quite a few ways but the key is to not lose the tension you gain on each wrap while you make the next one.



The best method for me is to pad the jaws of a large pair of water pump pliers with tape, support the wheels off the floor by placing a saw horse under the front of the fuselage, pulling each wrap tight as I can and holding it with the pliers while I make the next wrap. First installation took me two days and all my best swear words.  Second replacement took about 15 minutes...I knew how that time.  My wife couldn't believe I could do it by myself!  I'm an old skinny guy.

_________________
Tom Jones
Classic IV
503 Rotax, 72 inch Two blade Warp
Ellensburg, WA

shinco(at)bright.net
Guest

Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2007 8:02 pm Post subject: changing bungees

Dick,the tool that I made ,with the hook..I too used it to pull each 

loop down to streach and to make it longer to do the next loop.and to 

adjust the bungees evenly after the bungees were in place.I did tie the 

tail down.and raised each landing gear one side at a time.may B it would 

B better to raise plane on to saw horses.any way this worked 4 me..Steve 

Shinabery N554KF KF2 582



kirk hull wrote:

[quote] 



 When I changed the bungee on my classic 4 I took the turtle deck off and

 after putting as many loops in it as I could by hand, hooked a ratcheting

 tie down to the end of the bungee and the other end to the hanger truss.

 Then I had 1 person on top ratchet the strap in as I worked it from the

 bottom with a hook.  That way the strap kept the tension on the bungee while

 I slowly tightened up the rest of the loops 1 at a time  when I had enough

 hanging out I clamped it and made the last loop then hooked the strap back

 up and continued working it until I was able to hook it on the post.  Took

 about an hour and a half for both.



 --

Guy Buchanan

Joined: 16 Jul 2006
Posts: 1204
Location: Ramona, CA

Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 8:32 pm Post subject: changing bungees

At 02:53 PM 12/27/2007, you wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		  I have a Kitfox 4-1200 and need to change the landing gear bungees.


	




Tools: Vice grips

         Chunk of leather

         BIG channel locks



Personnel: 1



Procedure:



1. Tie wheels together. (It doesn't take much as friction does most 

of the work. You'll want to put in a trucker's hitch to snug gear 

hard against the fuselage.)



2. CAREFULLY unwind the old bungee. Don't just cut it unless you like 

doing fabric work.



3. Put on new bungee getting as many wraps as you can without working 

hard. Attach loop to peg.



4. Tape the leather to the vice grip jaws.



5. Take channel locks and CAREFULLY pull slack out of the bungee, 

starting at the "inboard" end and working out. When you get to the 

last loop, pull the slack then clamp the bungee where it goes over 

the upper tube. DO NOT TRY TO GET ALL THE SLACK OUT, JUST ENOUGH TO 

GET ANOTHER WRAP. The remaining bungee will go around the lower tube 

and back to the peg. This remainder will have a lot of slack in it.



6. Using the slack, take another wrap around the fuselage tubes.



7. Repeat 5 and 6 until you get six wraps. It turns out to be quite 

easy. Just be careful not to shred the bungee with the channel locks 

or vice grips. It doesn't take much pressure to get a grip and you 

don't have to pull hard.





Guy Buchanan

San Diego, CA

K-IV 1200 / 582-C / Warp / 100% done, thanks mostly to Bob Ducar.

_________________
Guy Buchanan
Deceased K-IV 1200
A glider pilot too.

patreilly43(at)hotmail.co
Guest

Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007 6:53 am Post subject: changing bungees

Guy, Thanks for the Bungee seminar. I have seen others, but none as conscise or clear as yours. I am confident I can get new bungees on the mod III I am rebuilding.  Pat Reilly Rockford IL

[quote] Date: Sat, 29 Dec 2007 20:28:03 -0800

 To: kitfox-list(at)matronics.com

 From: bnn(at)nethere.com

 Subject: Re: changing bungees

 --> Kitfox-List message posted by: Guy Buchanan <bnn(at)nethere.com>

 At 02:53 PM 12/27/2007, you wrote:

 >I have a Kitfox 4-1200 and need to change the landing gear bungees.

 Tools: Vice grips

 Chunk of leather

 BIG channel locks

 Personnel: 1

 Procedure:

 1. Tie wheels together. (It doesn't take much as friction does most 

 of the work. You'll want to put in a trucker's hitch to snug gear 

 hard against the fuselage.)

 2. CAREFULLY unwind the old bungee. Don't just cut it unless you like 

 doing fabric work.

 3. Put on new bungee getting as many wraps as you can without working 

 hard. Attach loop to peg.

 4. Tape the leather to the vice grip jaws.

 5. Take channel locks and CAREFULLY pull slack out of the bungee, 

 starting at the "inboard" end and working out. When you get to the 

 last loop, pull the slack then clamp the bungee where it goes over 

 the upper tube. DO NOT TRY TO GET ALL THE SLACK OUT, JUST ENOUGH TO 

 GET ANOTHER WRAP. The remaining bungee will go around the lower tube 

 and back to the peg. This remainder will have a lot of slack in it.

 6. Using the slack, take another wrap around the fuselage tubes.

 7. Repeat 5 and 6 until you get six wraps. It turns out to be quite 

 easy. Just be careful not to shred the bungee with the channel locks 

 or vice grips. It doesn't take much pressure to get a grip and you 

 don't have to pull hard.

 Guy Buchanan

 San Diego, CA

 K-IV 1200 / 582-C / Warp / 100% ================

   	  Quote: 	
		  [b]

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