Stiffening Aluminum Landing Gear
10-05-2010, 10:02 AM
#2
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RE: Stiffening Aluminum Landing Gear
As far as I know, there is no way to do that at home. Try a DuBro Fiberglass main gear #LXNM65 for about $14.00 from Tower Hobbies or your own LHS. Best I have ever seen in over 35 years of R/C flying.
10-05-2010, 10:11 AM
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RE: Stiffening Aluminum Landing Gear
Aluminium or Duraluminium?
Unless you are setup to factory batch process it, the process to harden it is way too expensive and complicated to do at home. Just the amount of electiricity required for the long heating and cooling cycles will make it cheaper to just buy a new set of landing gear.
Unless you are setup to factory batch process it, the process to harden it is way too expensive and complicated to do at home. Just the amount of electiricity required for the long heating and cooling cycles will make it cheaper to just buy a new set of landing gear.
10-05-2010, 10:28 AM
#4
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RE: Stiffening Aluminum Landing Gear
I have seen the axles removed from the alum 'legs' and replaced with a music wire item that goes from one alum 'leg' to the other. There were bends in the music wire so that a 'spreader bar' in the shape of a 'V' was obtained. A spring was attached to the fuse and to the apex of the 'V'. Wheel collars or washers soldered to axle stub end of music wire kept it from pulling thru alum 'leg' axle hole. Wheel retained in habitual fashion. If this doesn't make sense I'll post a 'cartoon' pic when I get out of the office, tonight.
10-05-2010, 10:31 AM
#5
RE: Stiffening Aluminum Landing Gear
A very good idea here:
LANDING GEAR REINFORCEMENT STANDOFFS
http://www.bennettbuilt.com/page7.htm
My solution:
Sandwich a reinforcement piece of aluminum under high stress areas using J&B weld.
LANDING GEAR REINFORCEMENT STANDOFFS
http://www.bennettbuilt.com/page7.htm
My solution:
Sandwich a reinforcement piece of aluminum under high stress areas using J&B weld.
10-05-2010, 10:36 AM
#6
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RE: Stiffening Aluminum Landing Gear
ORIGINAL: Lnewqban
A very good idea here:
LANDING GEAR REINFORCEMENT STANDOFFS
http://www.bennettbuilt.com/page7.htm
My solution:
Sandwich a reinforcement piece of aluminum under high stress areas using J&B weld.
A very good idea here:
LANDING GEAR REINFORCEMENT STANDOFFS
http://www.bennettbuilt.com/page7.htm
My solution:
Sandwich a reinforcement piece of aluminum under high stress areas using J&B weld.
10-05-2010, 11:07 AM
#7
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RE: Stiffening Aluminum Landing Gear
I used the B&B gear reinforcements on my Spacewalker. It worked out well and looks pretty good.
ORIGINAL: ARUP
Definitely more 'elegant'![sm=thumbs_up.gif]
ORIGINAL: Lnewqban
A very good idea here:
LANDING GEAR REINFORCEMENT STANDOFFS
http://www.bennettbuilt.com/page7.htm
My solution:
Sandwich a reinforcement piece of aluminum under high stress areas using J&B weld.
A very good idea here:
LANDING GEAR REINFORCEMENT STANDOFFS
http://www.bennettbuilt.com/page7.htm
My solution:
Sandwich a reinforcement piece of aluminum under high stress areas using J&B weld.
10-05-2010, 12:04 PM
#8
RE: Stiffening Aluminum Landing Gear
I don't have an image, and the plane is long gone, but I reinforced the Duraluminum on my GP Ugly Stik by criss-crossing 12" 20 lb Musky wire fishing leaders from the axle stud up as far as I could on the opposite side. I drilled 3/32" holes and used cotter pins as anchor points. This stiffened it up quite a bit (and also made a nice whistling sound on low passes).
You can also duplicate the method as shown on the Bennett Built site with Du-Bro straps and music wire.
You can also duplicate the method as shown on the Bennett Built site with Du-Bro straps and music wire.
10-05-2010, 02:19 PM
#9
Senior Member
RE: Stiffening Aluminum Landing Gear
Iused standoffs with my Kadet Senior (8 1/2#) ...
pic 1 - before
pic 2/3 - after
yea - the bar size is overkill - but in my defense - ya don't know what ya know until you try ...
pic 1 - before
pic 2/3 - after
yea - the bar size is overkill - but in my defense - ya don't know what ya know until you try ...
10-05-2010, 06:12 PM
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RE: Stiffening Aluminum Landing Gear
A side note. The gear is on a GP Super Skybolt with a 20cc gas engine. Will any of the above installations cause RFI? Thanks ...Pete
10-05-2010, 08:01 PM
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RE: Stiffening Aluminum Landing Gear
There is no black magic involved in bending your own tough gear. In the USA you can get the proper material from sources such as McMaster-Carr and bend your own.
The process is quite simple if you have a bender and a propane torch. Critical to bending 6061 T6511 is to use a bending mandrel diameter of at least 2 1/2 times the thickness of the material being bent. Also, use a black Sharpie brand marker for the bend line. When heated using a propane torch the black will turn brownish when the proper temperature is reached. Bend while hot.
I have done this numerous times and it still amazes me that people think it is hard to do.
Bliksem
The process is quite simple if you have a bender and a propane torch. Critical to bending 6061 T6511 is to use a bending mandrel diameter of at least 2 1/2 times the thickness of the material being bent. Also, use a black Sharpie brand marker for the bend line. When heated using a propane torch the black will turn brownish when the proper temperature is reached. Bend while hot.
I have done this numerous times and it still amazes me that people think it is hard to do.
Bliksem
10-05-2010, 08:16 PM
#13
RE: Stiffening Aluminum Landing Gear
ORIGINAL: runwaypete57
A side note. The gear is on a GP Super Skybolt with a 20cc gas engine. Will any of the above installations cause RFI? Thanks ...Pete
A side note. The gear is on a GP Super Skybolt with a 20cc gas engine. Will any of the above installations cause RFI? Thanks ...Pete
10-06-2010, 07:31 AM
#15
RE: Stiffening Aluminum Landing Gear
I think the original question may refer more to stiffening the aluminium landing gear.
10-06-2010, 08:17 AM
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RE: Stiffening Aluminum Landing Gear
I apologize my first post didn't have enough information. I'm looking for any type of way to stiffen the gear. All the above answers were great but I wanted to see what ideas were out there to fit my perticuler situation. Prop to ground clearance is tight. On take offs I had to hold up elevator which made a steep climb out and a chance for a stall. I broke 2 props landing. I have 2-3/4" tires presently installed and going to increase that size maybe to 3-1/2" or more but I don't think that will be enough. I think that by stiffening the gear would give less bounce and keep the clearance with in a safe distance.
Pete
Pete
10-06-2010, 11:05 AM
#18
RE: Stiffening Aluminum Landing Gear
ORIGINAL: blikseme300
There is no black magic involved in bending your own tough gear. In the USA you can get the proper material from sources such as McMaster-Carr and bend your own.
The process is quite simple if you have a bender and a propane torch. Critical to bending 6061 T6511 is to use a bending mandrel diameter of at least 2 1/2 times the thickness of the material being bent. Also, use a black Sharpie brand marker for the bend line. When heated using a propane torch the black will turn brownish when the proper temperature is reached. Bend while hot.
I have done this numerous times and it still amazes me that people think it is hard to do.
Bliksem
There is no black magic involved in bending your own tough gear. In the USA you can get the proper material from sources such as McMaster-Carr and bend your own.
The process is quite simple if you have a bender and a propane torch. Critical to bending 6061 T6511 is to use a bending mandrel diameter of at least 2 1/2 times the thickness of the material being bent. Also, use a black Sharpie brand marker for the bend line. When heated using a propane torch the black will turn brownish when the proper temperature is reached. Bend while hot.
I have done this numerous times and it still amazes me that people think it is hard to do.
Bliksem
How do you cut the shape from the flat piece?
