| Author |
Message |
    
Eric Holmberg (Erich)
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 01, 2002 - 10:20 pm: | |
Hi Brian,
I hope I understand your question correctly . . . because after looking at my plane, I'm somewhat confused.
I have a bracket that is actually very similar to what you're describing. The only problem I see with your idea is that you will need some webbing running out radially from the brackets to distribute the stress over a larger area (i.e. stiffen up the metal). Otherwise, the metal will not provide any assistance since it's more flexible than the multi-layup fiberglass underneath of it. I took some pictures of the braket in my wing. It is magnetic, so I'm assuming it's 4130 chrome-moly. I then have approx. 1/8" aluminum brackets on the back side. Here are the pictures:
I can get exact measurements for you if you need them.
Hope this helps... What do other people have out there?
-Eric |
jharlow
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 02, 2002 - 05:49 am: | |
FWIW, I have the Auriga model which has about 150 hours on the glass gear. I have the steel plates and the additional wraps on the legs. No problems to date.
We did the load test during the development of the glass legs and the steel reinforcements were the cure for the delaminations, it now passes the load test. Another friend has over 300 hrs on his Auriga with no problems.
As for rib R, It will be on my annual check list for close inspection but I feel that any gear will have an impact on the rib R so everyone should make note of Dennis's experience.
John |
Brian McKinney (Bmckinney)
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 02, 2002 - 07:57 am: | |
Eric,
I have the new EAC main gear brackets which are a bit different than the original Wheeler. The EAC brackets do not have any material that ties the bracket legs together. The rear side is the same as yours with the aluminum backing plates. See below:
The plates I am thinking about adding would be bonded to the rib and bolted with the brackets as usual. The only goal is to prevent the corners of the Rib R opening from splitting. Remember that I am an electrical engineer, so my mechanical engineering ideas could be useless... :-)
Also for picture, I threw in the Auriga leg and slid the bend plates in for everyone to see what John mentioned above. John, do you put bolts through all of the holes in the plates (19 of them)? Which way do they go on (more holes towards inboard or outboard)? I looked through all of my Auriga stuff but couldn't find any info.
Thanks,
Brian |
Eric Holmberg (Erich)
| | Posted on Sunday, October 13, 2002 - 07:17 pm: | |
Hi Brian,
Sorry about the delay, work has been crazy! Anyway, I worked up a quick little drawing for you to show where the forces would go. Of course, remember that I am a computer engineer, so I'm just remembering the stuff from statics :P So, from looking at it, I would guess that a plate would be beneficial on the outboard side of rib R at the top and on the inboard side of rib R at the bottom (I am refering to top and bottom of the wing, so it would be swapped in the picture). That should spread the load out to prevent localized stress on the joint between Rib R and the skin.
Hope that helps somewhat, I'm assuming it's the same thing you had in your head, too ;)
-Eric |
Brian McKinney (Bmckinney)
| | Posted on Monday, October 14, 2002 - 08:23 am: | |
Eric,
Thanks for the info. I was a bit more concerned with the twisting of the rib when the gear touches down on landing just as the wheels begin to spin. This plus a force as you describe will seem to put some stresses on the corners of the Rib R opening.
I am going to make the plates as I have desribed above and "glue" them to the Rib with the same Hysol adhesive used on the legs to hold the plates.
I'll bolt the clamps on as usual through the rib and plates. I figure it can't hurt to have a little more support.
Brian |
Eric Holmberg (Erich)
| | Posted on Monday, October 14, 2002 - 11:31 am: | |
Brian,
Ah, now I have the full picture in my head! Sorry, I didn't think of the twisting as being one of the primary forces, but it does seem like that would add a lot of twisting to the rib. So, to go full circle, I think your plate idea that you had in the October 01 is probably the best way to go. I'm still undecided on the material selection. I would vote for aluminum since you can make it thicker for the same weight, but if it flexes a lot, it will fatigue. So on that note, steel would be better. Maybe I could get one of the gear-head guys at work to comment for you.
-Eric |
jharlow
| | Posted on Monday, October 14, 2002 - 03:01 pm: | |
In looking at the gear to determine how the bolts pattern of the doublers was. (most bolts go down and are No.6 AN. top of gear has a space for the attach bkt.
I have 150 hrs on my plane and rib R show no signs of distress.(not all of my landings were greasers).
Brian, I hope you got my email on ditails of the installation.
John |
Brian McKinney (Bmckinney)
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 23, 2002 - 09:13 am: | |
For anyone interested, here is a picture of the Rib R plates I made. They are 1/8' 4130 "glued" to the rib with Hysol (EA934NA) adhesive. This is the same stuff used on the Auriga glass leg upper bend plates.
 |
Eric Holmberg (Erich)
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 23, 2002 - 10:34 am: | |
Looks good, Brian.
-Eric |
Rob Jordan
| | Posted on Saturday, December 07, 2002 - 11:14 am: | |
I think I found out what they mean by the varations in the fiber glass gear. I got mine on and one looks good the other has a large toe in. |
Andy Plunkett
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 24, 2004 - 10:03 am: | |
I am currently a Glasair TD builder researching tricycle gear installations.
I like the simplicity of the nose gear on the Express. Can anyone tell me what the diameter and wall thickness of the current nose gear tube is? What is the gross weight of the Express?
Thank you for the help.
-Andy |
Matthew Byrne
New member
Username: Mbyrne
Post Number: 29
Registered: 07-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, June 30, 2005 - 11:33 am: | |
I have several sets of gear. I think I want to use the spring steel gear but would like input as to what the problems were with them. Also the heat treat information would be helpful as I may have the treated if need be.
Thanks,
Matt |
Jerry Sjostrand
New member
Username: Jerry
Post Number: 64
Registered: 08-1999
| | Posted on Thursday, June 30, 2005 - 01:18 pm: | |
Matt;
Please do a "search" from the forum page using "landing gear", or my name "Jerry Sjostrand".
You will find all the posted information and you can glean it to help you make a decision. Personally, I found the steel gear legs to have the best "spring effect" to absorb hard landings. It was also possible to reshape the legs when I needed it. I had adjustments made to the legs, as tempered, by going to a truck spring company. They were able to "tweek" the spindle mounting end and also arch the upper flat portion so I could regain my height and camber. You should not attempt to re-bend at any previously bent area while the leg is in the tempered state.
If you need more input, please call me or email me.
Jerry Sjostrand
51119 Bon Veu Dr.
Oakhurst, CA 93644
Hm: 559-683-5918
Cel: 559-760-2745
Email: gsjostrand@sti.net
Web: www.sierratel.com/jerico |
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