Van's Air Force
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Wood grear leg stiffeners on the RV-8A main gear
- Thread starter ron_nx
- Start date
I decided to try it without first and see if there was any appreciable shimmy - then install the stiffener(s) if necessary. I do have a slight shimmy at about 15 mph - sometimes. I haven't figured out if it's coming from the mains or the nosewheel. So far I haven't felt it necessary to do anything about it.
John Miller,
RV8-A, 140hrs TT
John Miller,
RV8-A, 140hrs TT
Go for it
Ron,
I installed them on my -8A and found it easy to do. I didn't want to wait until after flying because I am trying to minimize the number of things that will take away from my flying time when it is done. Plus, I've heard from those that have done it that the gear feels more solid.
I cut out some base trim on a table saw per plans. You could probably cut it out with a circular saw if you had to. I glued the halves together, glued (epoxy and microballoons) them onto the gear leg and wrapped in 2 layers of 9 oz. glass cloth.
If you do do it, make sure that the stiffener is aligned (more or less) with the air stream. I roughly followed the gear fairing alignment procedure before installing the stiffeners to make sure that they would not interfere with the fairings once glued on. You don't have to get it perfect, just close enough.
Ron,
I installed them on my -8A and found it easy to do. I didn't want to wait until after flying because I am trying to minimize the number of things that will take away from my flying time when it is done. Plus, I've heard from those that have done it that the gear feels more solid.
I cut out some base trim on a table saw per plans. You could probably cut it out with a circular saw if you had to. I glued the halves together, glued (epoxy and microballoons) them onto the gear leg and wrapped in 2 layers of 9 oz. glass cloth.
If you do do it, make sure that the stiffener is aligned (more or less) with the air stream. I roughly followed the gear fairing alignment procedure before installing the stiffeners to make sure that they would not interfere with the fairings once glued on. You don't have to get it perfect, just close enough.
sch 40 pvc
You might also consider using sch 40 (thick) 3/4 or 1/2 inch PVC pipe. Cut in half length wise and taped to the landing gear leg with 3M strapping tape. I've did this on my RV-6 (flying for 8 years), and plan to do the same on my -8A. It is easy, fast and effective. On the six it is on the leading edge of the gear leg with the brake line inside the PVC.
You might also consider using sch 40 (thick) 3/4 or 1/2 inch PVC pipe. Cut in half length wise and taped to the landing gear leg with 3M strapping tape. I've did this on my RV-6 (flying for 8 years), and plan to do the same on my -8A. It is easy, fast and effective. On the six it is on the leading edge of the gear leg with the brake line inside the PVC.
Chickenlips
Active Member
I checked with Van's and got a little larger picture of the gear leg stiffeners. True, they do not have them on their planes but in fact they are suggested in the manual for a good reason.
Apparently, because of the very slight variations in the toe-in and overall geometry of the landing gear on the still "homebuilt" planes, there can be finished examples that exhibit a tendency to shimmy. The addition of the wood pretty much apparently eliminates this tendency.
It also has a larger effect on the trigear planes. It seems that many folks do not "tend" to their nose wheel breakout force or wheel bearing tightness and end up with less than a favorable situation. When this happens, any slight main gear shimmy translates into a "sympathetic" nose gear shimmy or vice versa. This makes any shimmy difficult to pinpoint on "A" models as to where it fcomes from, nose or main gear.
For the little amount of work I think they may be worth the effort.
cl
Apparently, because of the very slight variations in the toe-in and overall geometry of the landing gear on the still "homebuilt" planes, there can be finished examples that exhibit a tendency to shimmy. The addition of the wood pretty much apparently eliminates this tendency.
It also has a larger effect on the trigear planes. It seems that many folks do not "tend" to their nose wheel breakout force or wheel bearing tightness and end up with less than a favorable situation. When this happens, any slight main gear shimmy translates into a "sympathetic" nose gear shimmy or vice versa. This makes any shimmy difficult to pinpoint on "A" models as to where it fcomes from, nose or main gear.
For the little amount of work I think they may be worth the effort.
cl
