| Author | Message | ||
     Reinhard Metz New member Username: Reinhard_metz Post Number: 3 Registered: 03-2003 |
My recollection is that the recommended toe-in is between 1/2 and 1 degree per side for the proper balance between directional stability and minimizing tire wear. Mine is set at 1/2 degree and has been working fine. So, the thing to do is measure the toe-in with no shims, and then calculate what you need, make and install them, and measure to verify. I made my shims in pairs, one dedicated to toe-in, the other to camber. They are much easier to machine with just one slope each. Then you put one pair on each side of the gear to keep the bolt heads flat. | ||
| wayne norris New member Username: Wayne_norris Post Number: 5 Registered: 02-2003 |
toe in is what we all shoot for, how much of a shim?? everyone's gear will be different so the shim size will be too. I milled the face of my axles. as you know by now I'm cheap. The amount of shimming will change over time (till things get set) and how much your plane weighs. I would recommend that you ballist up to a normal mission weight to set your wheel alignment. Mine looks and works fine empty, but after four of us get in and taxi to a stop the tires are splayed outwards so I need to redo it all too. Maybe after I wearout a pair of tires I'll get around to it. | ||
| Mark Rich New member Username: Mrich Post Number: 2 Registered: 01-2003 |
Yes, I have EAC Al gear. I measured the toe-in and camber a couple of times, first with the tires on the tarmac and using plumb bobs to find the fuselage centerline. Since my tie down has a little slope, I remeasured using a three axis laser level and measured a third time using the laser level with the tires on skid plates (two sheets of melamine in a plastic bag with axle grease between the sheets). In all cases, I measured 50" forward and aft of the centerpoint of the landing gear, perpendicular to a line between the right and left gear. I used a straight piece of 1" sq tube stock bungee corded to the tire as a reference plane for toe-in. I sighted fore and aft using the laser level and measured the difference on my 50" lines. (I got the same answer all three times so I don't think the skid plates were absolutely necessary). Like Reinhard, I made separate shims for toe-in and camber and set the camber for 2 deg in a "lightly loaded" configuration (pilot and fuel in the mains) so that it wouldn't go too far over center when fully loaded. I measured the camber with a "smart level" against the tire. This is a little harder to do since the tire buldges at the bottom, you'll need to do a little estimation of the proper angle. I designed the toe-in shims for 1/2 deg on each side. After shiming I remeasured (using the skid plates) and ended up with 0.4 deg toe-in. I'm hoping this fixes my tire wear problem. I have 75 hours on the plane and the tires are only have about 1/8" tread on the outside grooves. | ||
| Brian McKinney New member Username: Bmckinney Post Number: 46 Registered: 05-2000 |
Back in one of the archives from a couple of years ago I had a question about the Auriga nose gear. One response mentioned something about reinforcing near the spindle. Anybody using this nose gear & how about details of the modification? Thanks, Brian | ||
| jharlow Unregistered guest |
Brian, Enough of the Auriga nose gear failed that I went with the Express design which has served me well for over 2 yrs now. Suggest you upgrade to be safe. The Auriga unit can be modified but since it is 4230 chrome moly tube it take a very knowledgable welder and should be heat treated after repair IMHO. John Harlow | ||
| Eric Holmberg New member Username: Erich Post Number: 51 Registered: 05-2002 |
Hi Brian, I was just looking at it last night trying to figure out what to do with my nose gear. The fix to the gear was to add a 3/16" gusset that is welded on top of the gear leg centered on where the spindle comes out of the tube. After welding, the whole nose gear is hardened to Rockwell 34. I've heard rumors that the tube was also made thicker (1/8"???), but I haven't found any written documentation of this. I'm still undecided as to what I'm going to do with mine since I have to find someone to get my gear hardened after I weld it up . . . and I still have to get a TIG welder :P Let me know what you end up doing. -Eric | ||
| Brian McKinney New member Username: Bmckinney Post Number: 47 Registered: 05-2000 |
I forgot to mention that I am going with a "little" engine (IO360), so my nose loads should be less than the 540 or 550 guys. Here's a few pictures of my spindle area. Is the piece above the spindle the part you were talking about Eric or not? Does yours look like this?   Thanks for the responses!! Brian | ||
| Eric Holmberg New member Username: Erich Post Number: 52 Registered: 05-2002 |
Hmm, that doesn't look like my gear. I'll post some pictures later tonight. I do know that the original gear was considered to be marginal even with the IO-360 and undersized with the larger engines. Hopefully some of the more experienced guys here can give us some direction. -Eric | ||
| Brian McKinney New member Username: Bmckinney Post Number: 48 Registered: 05-2000 |
Eric, I know that my gear did come from the Auriga group. I have the receipt for it from the previous builder. Also, another Auriga guy (Jim Seibel) confirmed it was the Auriga gear too. I'll have to see when it was purchased. It may be the first design or maybe the last depending on when it was made by the group. Here's a full picture of the nose gear.  By the way, that completed, flying Auriga is still for sale out there in CO for $85K. Only has 40 hours or something like that on it. It looks nice.  Brian | ||
| Eric Holmberg New member Username: Erich Post Number: 53 Registered: 05-2002 |
Brian, Here are the images of the factory nose gear with the gussets on both sides and the one that I have... Mine must be an old factory one if you have the Auriga gear.   I noticed that Express is still for sale. If it weren't an 8-hour drive for me and I had $85k laying around, I'd go get it :P Shoot, if I had $85k lying around, I'd be done with my plane!!! You know, that plane needs a bit of color on it. -Eric |