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  #1  
Old 07-30-2019, 11:11 AM
KazooRV-9A KazooRV-9A is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan
Posts: 116
Default New "A" Nose Gear - Should I Update?

So we saw the New "A" Nose gear at Oshkosh. I'm building an RV-9A and have the original (currently uninstalled) firewall forward Lycoming Dynafocal mount and original gear leg.

The Van's salesman said that the cost of the new A mount was approx. $4200 retrofit/$3900 if original was never mounted.

So,,,,

-Should I update to the new "A" mount?
-Is the original mount/leg that prone to damage or shimmy, that I should update?
-What are builders thinking about this new option?

Andy C.
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  #2  
Old 07-30-2019, 11:14 AM
ty1295 ty1295 is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Jeffersonville, IN
Posts: 393
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I know of one person waiting for someone to upgrade as he is looking for a budget friendly front mount/nose gear.

In my view it all depends on maybe safety margin. The stock works and has for years, very simple. The new probably can absorb a few more not so good landings though.
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  #3  
Old 07-30-2019, 11:24 AM
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mfleming mfleming is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Joseph, Oregon
Posts: 561
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KazooRV-9A View Post
So we saw the New "A" Nose gear at Oshkosh. I'm building an RV-9A and have the original (currently uninstalled) firewall forward Lycoming Dynafocal mount and original gear leg.

The Van's salesman said that the cost of the new A mount was approx. $4200 retrofit/$3900 if original was never mounted.

So,,,,

-Should I update to the new "A" mount?
-Is the original mount/leg that prone to damage or shimmy, that I should update?
-What are builders thinking about this new option?

Andy C.
Wether one thinks the update is needed or not....when it comes to resale, this will be a must have upgrade and the RVs with this mod will bring a premium...IMHO
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Joseph, OR
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RV-7 Slider #74572
Started 11/2016
Empennage completed 11/2016 (sans fiberglass)
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Last edited by mfleming : 07-30-2019 at 11:26 AM.
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  #4  
Old 07-30-2019, 11:28 AM
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joe gremlin joe gremlin is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Southwest Michigan
Posts: 180
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mfleming View Post
Wether one thinks the update is needed or not....when it comes to resale, this will be a must have upgrade and the RVs with this mod will bring a premium...IMHO
That's my opinion on it as well. If/when I build a 9, it will have the new style gear. I wouldn't even consider building with the old style at this point.
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  #5  
Old 07-30-2019, 11:34 AM
Bavafa Bavafa is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 3,351
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mfleming View Post
Wether one thinks the update is needed or not....when it comes to resale, this will be a must have upgrade and the RVs with this mod will bring a premium...IMHO
Plus 1, and if it was mine, I would for sure upgrade.
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  #6  
Old 07-30-2019, 11:37 AM
alcladrv alcladrv is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Southeast
Posts: 569
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In my discussions with a Vans rep, he said the best time to install the new style mount/gear is when the initial engine mount has been mounted to the airframe. It can be retrofit to completed planes, BUT each engine mount comes out just enough different after the welding process that cowl work likely would need to be done. This could a little work or a lot of work to match up up the cowl to fuselage. That means possibly repainting the cowl.

Apparently, even with using the same engine mount jig for the metal tubes, you can't predict exactly how much the tubing could change or deform after the welding process.

I've considered it for my flying and nicely painted RV-7A, but I'm comfortable with the original design as it has served me well for the past 14 years, 1450+ hrs. and 900+ landings.
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  #7  
Old 07-30-2019, 11:47 AM
dwranda dwranda is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Jamestown,NY
Posts: 631
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I talked to one of the Vans Representatives at the booth and said I was on the fence about putting in the new nose gear. Since I have my mount drilled and my cowling all set where the current mount is he said if it was his plane he wouldn't do it. I have decided I'm not going to spend that money and upgrade. To me that's a crazy amount of money for what I saw that part looks like. I know it's a better nose gear but I have seen some of the places that Vlad has landed with the current nose gear.
As far as resale goes I don't plan on selling my plane so that doesn't even enter my mind right now. To know how much it's worth you would have to have two exact planes side by side for sale with different nose gear to see how much resale is going to be affected. Will the original nose gear plane sell for $5000 miles or $10000 less? Who knows.
I am going to put the anti splat device on my original nose gear and be careful. Right or wrong this is how I'm going about it.
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  #8  
Old 07-30-2019, 01:04 PM
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wirejock wirejock is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Estes Park, CO
Posts: 3,947
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ty1295 View Post
I know of one person waiting for someone to upgrade as he is looking for a budget friendly front mount/nose gear.
<snip>
I will be selling my 7a mount and gear leg. Waiting on the upgrade.
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  #9  
Old 07-30-2019, 02:41 PM
rightrudder rightrudder is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Laguna Hills, CA
Posts: 1,805
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If it were me...

Take that $3900, purchase some extra 100LL and practice a bunch of nose-high landings at near stall speed. With proper technique, the standard nose gear will serve you just fine, and you'll have a lighter & simpler aircraft.

As for shimmy, make sure your wheels/tires are balanced, you have proper break-out force on the nose gear, and consider adding the wooden vibration dampers during the build.
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  #10  
Old 07-30-2019, 03:03 PM
dreed dreed is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Camas, WA
Posts: 370
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I went back and forth on this too, but having just started the cowl fitting process I decided it was worth it for me to pull the trigger now.

It's a lot of money, but also some piece of mind for me too and if I ever do sell it can't hurt.

I too will have a mount and gear for sale once the new parts are available. I also have a brand new Anti-splat that'll I'll be selling at that time (the version with their fairing).

Supposedly, I am first or close to first on the upgrade list and am local so I'll be running over and picking it up as soon as I get the call. I'll share lots of pics when I get to that point too.

dan
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