Landing Gear retracts.. almost.

OK Friends,
I am building a Sig ShoeString profile. Here is my problem. The landing gear moves. I found Larry Cunningham's document on Pampa but it was after I put the doulbler's on. So that option is out. Any other suggestions?

Thanks
Paul

Hmmm....

Maybe you could put on a brace and make a triangle of sorts?

LAST EDITED ON Mar-13-04 AT 12:23 PM (CDT)
 
How about getting a set of flat landing gear blanks from Brodak. You know, the ones that you can bend your self. I installed mine with three thru bolts, and they have held up through a couple crashes.

Just how does it move Paul, is it loose in the fuse or what? Looks like a good installation in the pictures. If it is moving in the fuselage you might try injecting epoxy in the hole. You'll have to seal on side so it doesn't run out. I've done this on older models that had the gear loosen up after many flights.

From your pictures it looks like the ends of the landing gear are moving in the fuselage. Put a piece of brass tubing, with same ID as the landing gear OD, in the fuselage to hold the ends of the landing gear in place. I am presuming this is a two piece landing gear. For a two piece gear, it is a good idea to put a small piece of motor mount stock in the fuselage(under the doublers) where the hole will be. Also are your nylon clips a tight fit on the landing gear? I might be inclined to put on a second set of clips near the top of the landing gear.

I will try both suggestions.

Thanks
Paul

Jim has the fix but if it isn't too late, use 3 or more layers of brass tubing in sizes that will fit inside each other. Drill the hole bigger and epoxy the tubing in the hole, make the tubing long enough so it is flush with the outside of the formers. You will need to cut/form a relief in the tubing so the gear will go in far enough to be flush with fuselage sides. A hammer works pretty good, just put both gear in. support one side against something solid and gently pound until the gear wire is flush with fuselage sides. I did this to a Twister that spent it's life flying off grass and never had another problem with the landing gear coming loose.

Next time extend the lower motor mount back to the wing and mount the gear through it with a brass tube. This is what I did with the TwistMaster, it has spent the last 4 years flying off grass and the gear is as tight as the day it was built. Oh and it also has only one set of Nylon clips.

LAST EDITED ON Mar-13-04 AT 02:59 PM (CDT)
 
My bet is this is a one piece gear, is that right Paul? That was my assumption. If not then by all means go with the brass tubing. Since the doublers are already installed, I'd drill about a 3/8 hole through the landing gear hole area and epoxy in a piece of 3/8 maple dowel. Then drill to the tubing OD and push the brass tubing in place. Bob's idea of multi concentric tubes is good too. What Ive taken to doing is to make one gear longer then the other so they pass through the fuse one above the other. Then I bush both holes and it allows the torque lug portion of the gear to be the full width of the fuse. This has really helped flyin goff rough fields like my back yard.

How about drilling the hole oversize by perhaps 1/8" all around, fill the hole with JBweld, install the gear and let set. Use masking tape to keep the epoxy in the hole. To assure that the gear stay in line, tape one more piece of wire across the two axle sections.

If you want the gear removable, grease it well before installing, otherwise clean it well to assure a good bond to the wire.