| Author | Message | ||
     Reinhard Metz |
One additional piece of advice on door seals: Once you have a good fit, I found it very effective when the plane is in the hanger, to leave the door slightly propped open with a piece of foam - that way dust and dirt are pretty much kept out, but the seal is under no deformation pressure most of the time, and saves it's "spring" for flight. I also leave the baggage door open in the hanger for the same reason. Reinhard Metz N49EX | ||
| BOB WALLACE |
LANDING GEAR.... JUST TO REMIND, OR ADVISE THOSE USING "U-BOLTS" BY EDI ON STEEL MAINS, KEEP CHECKING ALL CONNECTIONS... I HAVE 35 HOURS ON MINE, WITH ABOUT 5-6 LANDINGS ON NOT SO SMOOTH GRASS STRIP, AND JUST HAPPENED TO CHECK AND FOUND THAT BOLT HAD SHEARED AT NUT ON U-BOLT. LARRY IS SENDING NEW BOLTS THAT ARE RIGHT GRADE OF STEEL... HOPE THAT WILL WORK, BUT I THINK I WILL KEEP IT OFF GRASS STRIPS IF AN OPTION | ||
| Brian McKinney (Bmckinney) |
How many Express flyers are flying regularly on and off of grass strips? Any indication that the landing gear bracket, ribs, or legs are being affected by the rough terrain? We might be buying a new home lot with a 2800' grass strip, so I thought I'd make additons to Rib R & J to strengthen them a bit before closing out. Thanks, Brian | ||
| wayne |
Go for the new place, living with your plane is worth a million bucks.Since the second landing, our plane has been on "turf" and all is good. I can only speak for my place but not all grass strips are rough terrain. We have been hot and heavy and get out on 1800' and in on 2000' with little effort. But then that's the beauty of 300 HP. I have seen an old ad for the Express out in the rough country. I must say it does perform well. Now get to work. | ||
| Jerry Sjostrand |
Fellow builders: Me again. I will contribute my 2 bits worth one more time. Wayne: Which gear legs are on your Express? Bob: Sorry I missed you at the factory last week. I certainly would have liked to discuss with you the alternatives to replacing with the aluminum gear as you have now done. I'm sure you will be happier with them on your Express considering your problems with the bracketing on the steel. I have had no problems with mine and understand and resolved the problem with the "U" bolt. Maybe someone else can use your gear legs? Anyone interested, contact me for installation details. There seems to be a lot of concern about the strength of the ribs and brackets for the gear mounting as well there should be. I have the steel gear legs and have had 2 landings hard enough to "remove" my nose gear and to "bend" the steel legs to some degree. I have straightened the main gear legs by having a truck spring shop arch the flat upper portion on the leg to bring the spindle mounting area back to proper distance from the wing and to increase the camber. I also have been on some rough grass strips and appreciated the "spring steel gear" to absorb the shock. Having seen the new aluminum gear legs and bracketing, I would guess they are much stiffer than the steel and will transfer a lot more of the stress to the brackets and the ribs. If you are planning on using non-paved landing strips, I think the spring steel gear has proven itself over the years in many, many types of aircraft. I realize that Express Aircraft is offering only aluminum gear legs and there seems to be little experience with them so far except on paved runways. Time will tell. I made the comment to Larry last week while at the factory shop that "if I had had the aluminum gear legs on my Express when I did the last "hard landing", that the gear legs would have been sticking through the wings. The steel gear legs absorbed a tremendous shock and the aircraft bounced back to fly again. Of course, I did lose the nose gear and the prop, but it did fly again in 2 weeks time. A side note for you builders trying to make a decision about 2 blade versis 3 blade props, metal or wood or composite: My 3 blade Hartzel prop came to rest on 2 of the blades in an upside down "Y" and acted like a skid which saved my under carraige keeping the fuselage about 4 inches off the runway. Who would have thought of the 3 blade aluminum propeller as being a "safety item". | ||
| LOUIE LACY (Llacy) |
I machined two blocks and put a forward cant on 3 degrees in them and did not use the u bolt at all seems to work fine. I don't like grass strips!! Can anyone loan me $25,000 for asphalt for my strip. Lou | ||
| Brian McKinney (Bmckinney) |
Thanks for the input guys. Jerry - Wayne has aluminum legs on his 2000. He had his made by Grove right around the time EAC began using theirs. I'll look into the "springier" legs as you suggest. I currently have Auriga glass legs which have seemed to hold up well for others. I assumed I would probably go the Alum. route in the end, but I'll check out the steel too. Lou - Sorry, no $25K laying around right now... Thanks, Brian | ||
| Rob Jordan |
Can anyone give me a rough draft of the procedure that everyone is doing to the glass gear to beef them up ? I know they add bid cloth to it but where ? how much etc? thanks | ||
| Jerry Sjostrand |
Hi Rob, I had hoped by now everyone has gotten the message that the glass gear legs are a problem and have been since the first ones were made. The biggest negative is the vibration (or harmonics) that sets up at the spindle mounting point. The leg twists at this point and I do not know of anyone who has completely gotten rid of the problem. I have heard from others who have tried, and worked with Bob Gisburne in Arizona, to stiffen that area. I was able to help Bob by making a ridged connection from the wheel fairing to the gear leg at the bend just above the spindle mounting portion. You should talk to or email Bob and see how that has worked. The situation is so sensitive that Dennis Warner, who's father, Jim, built the first customer built Express, is in the process of installing aluminum gear legs. Again, talk to Dennis or email and discuss the situation. The factory has replaced the glass legs with aluminum (which were previously replaced with steel by EDI) and they both appear to have resolved the problem. I have the steel legs from EDI and have none of the vibration and sensitivity experienced by others with the glass gear legs. I hate to suggest that you spend more money, but, better now than later. Of course, I hope someone out there is going to help you improve the glass legs so they are usable and free of the problems. I can only speak from my own experience. Builders, please prove me wrong on this one. One more suggestion: Do a "keyword search" for landing gear and read all that has been published so far. I did it and was amazed at the information that is already there for you. Bob Gisburne @ gisburne@technolabinc.com Dennis Warner @ DennisWarner@NVision1.com Phone: 530-265-6454 Business Information: Phone: 530-265-1013 | ||
| Kevin Dennes (Kdennes) |
Rob. I did the modification to the glass legs according to the factory instructions. You first have to add several layers of uni directional cloth up along the inside curve of the legs of various lengths and then you have to "bandage" the leg with bid cloth so that it has at least three layers of bid cloth over the entire area. I have forgotten the exact details but I would think that the factory would supply those details to you if you ask. I have had a quick search on my e-mail history (very extensive)with EAC and I cannot find it under any logical subject heading. The info probably came with details of some other subject at the time. If you are unable to obtain the details from EAC, then let me know and I will do a thorough search and try and find it for you. Nevertheless, I am with Jerry. Even though I did the modification, I subsequently purchased the aluminum gear and feel very much more confident with that after all the 'bad press' that the glass legs received. Regards. Kevin (from Downunder) |