Grove aluminum gear legs are a popular option with RV-8 builders. Compared to OEM steel legs, the standard aluminum legs save 17 lbs and the airfoiled legs save 11 lbs. Both types are drilled for an internal brake fluid passage.
http://groveaircraft.com/cat1415.html
One subject at OSH this year was the idea of adapting one-piece gear to the RV8. Many (or most) RV8 ground loop incidents result in damage to the gear tower structures and forward fuselage skins. It is an expensive and time-consuming repair. One piece gear would greatly lessen many of the peak fuselage structure loads. The penalty would be the additional weight of the connecting section, but total weight is still likely to be less than a stock steel gear.
Grove is quite willing to build one-piece airfoil gear for the -8. They would like 6-10 orders, as they do for batch production of the two-piece airfoil gear.
Like you, I'm aware of sensitivity in certain quarters regarding design modification, and a one piece gear would require some modification of the belly. I'm not aware of any published work in this area, and I've done no personal review. I do recall mention of one-piece gears on past -8's.
If I had realized the possibility of a one-piece gear a few years ago, my airplane would have it....so I volunteered to open the subject.
Comments?
http://groveaircraft.com/cat1415.html
One subject at OSH this year was the idea of adapting one-piece gear to the RV8. Many (or most) RV8 ground loop incidents result in damage to the gear tower structures and forward fuselage skins. It is an expensive and time-consuming repair. One piece gear would greatly lessen many of the peak fuselage structure loads. The penalty would be the additional weight of the connecting section, but total weight is still likely to be less than a stock steel gear.
Grove is quite willing to build one-piece airfoil gear for the -8. They would like 6-10 orders, as they do for batch production of the two-piece airfoil gear.
Like you, I'm aware of sensitivity in certain quarters regarding design modification, and a one piece gear would require some modification of the belly. I'm not aware of any published work in this area, and I've done no personal review. I do recall mention of one-piece gears on past -8's.
If I had realized the possibility of a one-piece gear a few years ago, my airplane would have it....so I volunteered to open the subject.
Comments?