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Gear legs

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zharvey(at)bentoncountyca
Guest

Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 2:31 am Post subject: Gear legs

I have a Kolb Firestar KXP with a slightly bent landing  gear leg.  Doesn't seem to be getting any worse but I'm wondering if I bend  it straight will bending weaken it?  Can I just take it off and use a press  to straighten it or must it be heated?  Is the landing gear a weak link and  if so is there a better one to use?  Any suggestions are welcome.   

 I would like to add,  that after owning and flying  a goodly number of planes (both ultra lights and GA) over more years than I  care to admit, I've never had a plane I enjoy flying as much as I'm enjoying my  Kolb.  I'm undergoing Chemo and have very little energy, but somehow I find  enough energy every morning to make it out to the airport at daylight, and go  flying in my KXP while it's cooler out (very hot here in Tennessee and I'm from  Alaska).   Homer knew what he was doing.  

 Gene

 KXP  N71RB

 Camden, Tn.

   [quote][b]

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williamtsullivan(at)att.n
Guest

Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 3:34 am Post subject: gear legs

Gene- Straightening legs is common.  They are supposed to be the weak link in order to protect the "A" frame.  There was a thread a couple of weeks ago, and a search of the archives will show photos of how to do it on the plane.  Might be listed under landing gear.  Doesn't seem to weaken them, according to what I've read.  Right now a lot of the people on the list are at Oshkosh, but John Hauck ought to be available on the List this morning.  Maybe he can refer you to specific search words.  Jack Hart's "Firefly Slide Show" also has info.

   Hang in there with the chemo- my daughter has niceley recovered from it.  Good luck.

  

                                                 Bill Sullivan

                                                 Windsor Locks, Ct.

                                                 FS 447

 [quote][b]

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jhankin(at)planters.net
Guest

Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 4:18 am Post subject: gear legs

Gene, I am the one that had the post about straightening the gear  legs on the Kolb.  

   

If you can’t find the post, let me know and I will send them to you directly.  

   

Do not archive  

   

   

Jimmy Hankinson  

Rocky Ford, Ga.  

912 863 7384  

N6007L, Firefly  

JYL Sylvania, Ga.  

   

   

        [quote][b]

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George Alexander

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 245
Location: SW Florida

Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 4:25 am Post subject: Re: Gear legs

 	  zharvey(at)bentoncountyca wrote: 	
		  I have a Kolb Firestar KXP with a slightly bent landing  gear leg.  Doesn't seem to be getting any worse but I'm wondering if I bend  it straight will bending weaken it?  Can I just take it off and use a press  to straighten it or must it be heated?  Is the landing gear a weak link and  if so is there a better one to use?  Any suggestions are welcome.   

 	




Try this link to the forum......



http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?t=72986

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_________________
George Alexander
FS II R503
E-LSA N709FS
http://www.oh2fly.net

rickofudall

Joined: 19 Sep 2009
Posts: 1392
Location: Udall, KS, USA

Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 7:59 am Post subject: Gear legs

Gene, When I got my Mk IIIC I became intimate friends with Mr Hydraulic Press until I figured out the right combination to land it. You should straighten it cold. It will gradually make the leg weaker if you have to straighten it a lot, but once or twice won't make a lot of difference. The advice I got from Travis was to keep the aluminum legs until I was confident with my landings. When you arrive with sufficient energy to bend a gear leg you also have enough energy to bend the fuselage cage, too. The aluminum legs are cheap and straightenable in an evening, the fuselage cage is expensive and takes somewhat more time to return to flying condition. I made up short pieces of plastic pipe to protect the leg from hard edges when staightening and I use a pair of blocks as you have to force them quite a bit beyond straight opposite the bend in order to take it out. 7075-T6 pretty tough stuff so take your time and you'll figure it out. I usually have to bend in two or three places to take out the bend without kinking the leg.

 Happily I am no longer in practice anymore. Just take your time and you'll be fine.

I've never flown a KXP, but it seems that Kolbs are as much smile generators as they are aircraft.

 Rick Girard



On Mon, Aug 2, 2010 at 5:30 AM, Gene & Tammy <zharvey(at)bentoncountycable.net (zharvey(at)bentoncountycable.net)> wrote:

[quote]      I have a Kolb Firestar KXP with a slightly bent landing  gear leg.  Doesn't seem to be getting any worse but I'm wondering if I bend  it straight will bending weaken it?  Can I just take it off and use a press  to straighten it or must it be heated?  Is the landing gear a weak link and  if so is there a better one to use?  Any suggestions are welcome.   

 I would like to add,  that after owning and flying  a goodly number of planes (both ultra lights and GA) over more years than I  care to admit, I've never had a plane I enjoy flying as much as I'm enjoying my  Kolb.  I'm undergoing Chemo and have very little energy, but somehow I find  enough energy every morning to make it out to the airport at daylight, and go  flying in my KXP while it's cooler out (very hot here in Tennessee and I'm from  Alaska).   Homer knew what he was doing.  

 Gene

 KXP  N71RB

 Camden, Tn.

    	  Quote: 	
		  



get="_blank">http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Kolb-List

tp://forums.matronics.com

_blank">http://www.matronics.com/contribution



	


[b]

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_________________
The smallest miracle right in front of you is enough to make you happy....

zharvey(at)bentoncountyca
Guest

Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 2:31 pm Post subject: gear legs

Jimmy, great looking rig!  If I keep bending, I'll  build one.

 Thanks

 Gene

  



  From: Jmmy Hankinson (jhankin(at)planters.net) 

 Sent: Monday, August 02, 2010 7:14 AM

 To: kolb-list(at)matronics.com (kolb-list(at)matronics.com) 

 Subject: RE: Re: gear legs

 



  

Gene,  I am the one that had the post about straightening the gear  legs on the  Kolb. 

  

If  you can’t find the post, let me know and I will send them to you  directly. 

  

Do  not archive 

  

  

Jimmy  Hankinson 

Rocky  Ford, Ga. 

912 863  7384 

N6007L,  Firefly 

JYL  Sylvania, Ga. 

  

 

[quote]



href="http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Kolb-List">http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Kolb-List

href="http://forums.matronics.com">http://forums.matronics.com

href="http://www.matronics.com/contribution">http://www.matronics.com/c

[b]

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