| Author | Message | ||
     Al Kittleson New member Username: Al38kit Post Number: 22 Registered: 07-2007 |
Thanks for the info Guys. I think I have all the stuff for the conversion, except for what may go on rib R. The fiberglass gear had the aluminum angles with the bushing for the gear leg "clamp". With the new gear I did not get anything for the rib R mount and need to fabricate/buy what Jim has referred to as the "picture frame", or something similar. My email is: alfranken at msn dot com...thanks for the input. | ||
| Werner Maag, CH8174 Stadel, Switzerland New member Username: Wmaag Post Number: 27 Registered: 01-2003 |
Experience with rough terrain: At the end of a fine trip from Switzerland LSZF to north eastern Poland, Olstyn, then Riga in Latvia and Tallin in Estonia, we (my friends Lancair Legacy and my Express S-90) finally made it to southern Denmark. When landing (not the Lancair) on a grass strip with a "wave like swell" surface, some crosswind, bushes on the side with downdrafts and a heavy airplane (Fuel to carry me home from the no fuel place) in Denmark last summer, I heard some crushing noise from the gear. The nose gear pants where lightly cracked underneath, but only at home I found the right gear fix at Rib R was loose, with cracks in the corners of the cutout in rib R. The rib R laminates into main and aft beam were ok. The steel bracket was slightly bent upwards, the bolts keeping the bracket together and into the alu parts were bent and their endplate weldings cracked. So everything bent but not completely broken off! We studied and planned to 1. fill rib R with hard glass instead of foam, 2. attach a 12 mm alu plate under the alu brackets, 3. stiffen the upper part of the steel bracket, 4. make stronger Bolts 16 mm with new bushings and including the endplates made of one piece full material (good steel) 5. Plus if possible make the alu gear more flexing, as it was very stiff. Of course we did it on both sides and the "acceptance engineer" accepted this repair as a "major alteration" for the records. It took my friend George and myself a full weeks work to have the 6mm alu plate machined (water jet), drilled as exactly as possible rom the old holes with four extra bolts onto Rib R, inforce the bracket including the bolts and their endplates going thru the bracket into the alu brackets on the sides. My engineer still had the drawings and strenght calculations in his laptop, he at the time of changing to the alu gear told me the alu gear leg would be rather stiff. So he calculated to grind off the upper surface (the 45° downward part) of the legs some material off to get them more flexing to reduce the stress maxima on the attachments. He found 2 mm less from 38 mm strenght on the upper end and 6 mm off the lower end of the straight surface would be fine. The grinding shop had trouble to clamp the parts in the machine, but made it the same day. We had to hurry because of limited hangar/workshop space available only for one week. If anybody is interested, I could send my work report for the maintenance record with some pictures to him by email | ||
| Al Kittleson New member Username: Al38kit Post Number: 33 Registered: 07-2007 |
Werner. I would like to get to see your photos. The Al gear I have is from Grove Aircraft, is that where yours was made? I still have not finished my modification to the wing, so your info is timely. Thank you. Email: Alfranken@msn.com Al Kittleson | ||
| Bill Page New member Username: Bluemoonxpress Post Number: 1 Registered: 12-2003 |
I didn't like the stance and outward splay that my steel gear was exhibiting so I took the plunge and ordered a new aluminum gear and all the new attach hardware. I now have my CT with IO-540 propped up on stacks of pallets with the landing gear removed. I'm in the process of reinforcing Rib R with three ply on each side. I wanted to see if I could use the old mount holes for the bracket at the knee but while the three holes on the forward bracket line up, the two holes on the aft bracket do not. Also, Darrell pointed out that the bracket should be aligned at five degrees frome the spar web. I'm not quite sure what he means by that and some pictures would really help. It probably means that I can't use any of the old holes through Rib R in which case I'll glass/flox them closed but it would simplify things if I could use the old holes if they are aligned at the correct 5 degree angle. Some pictures and advice would help, particularly if someone has converted from the steel to aluminum gear before. Gary, perhaps you could e-mail me your 12 pictures you took while your wing was open. Thanks, Bill Page FrontPage@rcn.com | ||
| Hugh Thomas New member Username: Arrowiii Post Number: 2 Registered: 02-2009 |
Bill Here is what I did for the new grove gear. I did not want the added engineering of the 5 degree front angle to the gear. After looking at old gear bracket and the new aluminum brackets I decided to make my own new bracket that would fit the old holes. And I also relayered rib R. Here is the new bracket versus the old picture. Hugh  | ||
| Bill Page New member Username: Bluemoonxpress Post Number: 2 Registered: 12-2003 |
Thanks Hugh, The pictures were a great help. I'm using the new brackett from Express and now that I see how to measure the 5 degree angle, I find that I can use two of the old holes in the rib to assist with the alignment. Now it's on to completing the rib reinforcement and installing the gear. Bill Page | ||
| RICHARD SCHUR New member Username: Richinoz Post Number: 3 Registered: 08-2009 |
can anyone inform me if the the factory aluminium gear kit is straight forward process for fitment | ||
| Bill Page New member Username: Bluemoonxpress Post Number: 3 Registered: 12-2003 |
Richard, While it seemed complicated at first, once I got into it and with the help of some pictures, it was straight forward. Of course I was replacing the old steel gear brackets with the ones for the new aluminum gear and was trying to reuse some of the old holes. I think starting from scratch might have been easier. I'm 25 hours into my 40 hour Phase 1 flyoff and I must say I'm really glad I switched to the aluminum gear. It not only corrected the stance and brought the A/C up to a level sitting attitude, but also is much stiffer and stronger. Daryl Peterson and Dan Roundtree at the Express factory were a big help during the installation and I suggest that you contact them. Let me know if I can help in any way. Regards, Bill Page | ||
| Gary H. Wolfelt New member Username: Wolfelt Post Number: 61 Registered: 11-2003 |
Richard: I just completed the installation of my aluminum gear at the Express facility in Washington. Dan lead the way on this one and I am sure glad that he did. As we were about to put things together for the last time, it was explained to me that there are "picture frame" backing plates that I didn't know anything about. They have these in their inventory and this is a pretty critical assembly. So I would make sure that you have all of the parts that you need and the instructions on how to do the job. Mine turned out GREAT! Kudos to Dan and Darrell for all of their help. This is why I am still making trips back and forth to Washington every so often to make sure that I get things done right. GHW | ||
| Werner Maag, CH8174 Stadel, Switzerland New member Username: Wmaag Post Number: 28 Registered: 01-2003 |
Dear Bill: The Alu gear is really stiffer than the glass gear, for my taste it is too stiff and I got cracks in the cutout corners of rib R from a hard landing on a grass strip. I did underlay a 12 mm Alu plate with more "flesh" and 2 more bolts to both sides to better distribute the load onto rib R and also exchanged the ribs inner foam part with hard glass material. My engineer had still the gear legs strength calculation in his laptop and he suggested to grind 2 mm off the 38 mm thick upper outer surface and gradually to 6 mm off at the bottom outer surface of the gear leg to make it more flexing. Now it seems to be much better. I have some pics if you need. Write to wmmaag@swissonline.ch Regards, Werner Maag |