Grove Gear - RV-8 not listed

fl-mike · #1 10-30-2017, 04:18 PM

Any idea of why the RV-8 gear have disappeared from the Grove web page?

MartinACFactory · #2 10-30-2017, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fl-mike

Any idea of why the RV-8 gear have disappeared from the Grove web page?

Hello Mike,

I sent an e-mail to Grove recently, inquiring about RV-8 Airfoil gear. Here is the response I got 4 days ago (Oct 26):

"I'm sorry but we are not taking orders for the airfoil RV8 gear. We can keep your name on record in the event that we decide to make some but I don't have a date or lead time of when that would be. We are still making the standard RV8 gear if you would like to go with that option."

It is a very different response than the one I got when visiting their booth at Oshkosh back in July. Then, I was told they make then in batches, three times a year.

I am just about to start installing my landing gear on my fuselage. Based on Grove response, I will stick with Van's stock landing gear

fl-mike · #3 10-30-2017, 06:45 PM

Interesting that even the standard gear is no longer showing.

TheMrAWeaver · #4 11-01-2017, 09:46 AM

Well this is disappointing....

1flyer · #5 11-01-2017, 11:26 AM

Wasn't there a posting about this several months ago. If I remember correctly they were asking for any potential customers for -8 gear to get onboard so they could plan their final production run for the -8.

Indytim · #6 11-08-2017, 06:07 PM

We should organize a group buy; perhaps that would encourage them to make one final run.

I'd be happy to contact them to see if there is some minimum qty they would require.

Mach.26 · #7 11-08-2017, 07:39 PM

I'm in for a airfoil group buy if it makes a difference but I don't think it will. They have quite a few people already on the "list". When I called they informed that I could still order the standard gear and it wouldn't take long...

VA Maule · #8 11-08-2017, 08:46 PM

I spoke with Robby Grove a while back when this subject of the airfoil gear being discontinued or delayed was posted here. To paraphrase what he told me is that they will continue to make their standard Aluminum 8 gear along with the one piece gear for the 8 as well as one off custom design such as my build requires. When I asked about getting my custom gear airfoiled he said he would rather not it's just too labor intensive.

Indytim · #9 11-09-2017, 11:31 AM

I just got off the phone with Gail at Grove. According to her, they have not discontinued the airfoil gear. Grove currently have a very large contract which they are fulfilling, and have no capacity to slot this product. Therefore they don't want to take orders for it right now; hence it's been dropped from the website for the time being.

I asked if there was any size order which would compel them to build now, and she said no - there just isn't any capacity.

Gail said they like to run minimum batches of 15. They have a call-back list with 11 names on it (including mine, now). When they are ready to resume production (and assuming that have not, at that time, decided to discontinue), they'll give the folks on the list a call.

I would encourage anyone interested to call and get your name on the list to register interest - that could dissuade them from possibly discontinuing prior to running another batch.

sjhurlbut · #10 11-09-2017, 07:02 PM

I?ve been bugging grove myself lately. Must be some huge order they are working on because I couldn?t convince them to build them. I?m at stage of adding gear now and they told me that if I drilled the stock gear the airfoil would be a bolt on replacement but I?m just not convinced with alignment issues.

Keeping fingers crossed