Van's Air Force
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Gear leg weight - RV8
- Thread starter Webb
- Start date
Skykingbob
Well Known Member
Not easily....
Sorry Webb.....I could except they have an airplane attached....it would skew the data
Sorry Webb.....I could except they have an airplane attached....it would skew the data
Sorry Webb.....I could except they have an airplane attached....it would skew the data
View attachment 41077
All you have to do is detach the fuselage......
RV8JD
Well Known Member
My previous RV-8 has the Grove aluminum non-airfoil gear legs and my current RV-8 has the Grove aluminum airfoil gear legs.
I could not find the weight of Van's steel RV-8 gear legs, but Bruce Eicher installed a pair of Ken Krueger's Sky Designs aluminum airfoil gear legs in his RV-8 and they measured the total weight difference:
https://vansairforce.net/community/showthread.php?t=161240
I would assume the weight delta would be very close for the Grove aluminum gear legs and Van's steel gear legs.
I could not find the weight of Van's steel RV-8 gear legs, but Bruce Eicher installed a pair of Ken Krueger's Sky Designs aluminum airfoil gear legs in his RV-8 and they measured the total weight difference:
https://vansairforce.net/community/showthread.php?t=161240
"Speaking of stock; ... And then weight savings; Ken strung up my old leg, hardware, leg fairing and brake lines on a scale and then did the same for the new components. BTW, the new inner U bracket is made of aluminum rather than steel, an added savings. Total weight reduction confirmed with two scales and then doubled for both legs and hardware came to right at 15lbs total diet results."
I would assume the weight delta would be very close for the Grove aluminum gear legs and Van's steel gear legs.
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It does help. I too did not weigh the axles.
The reason for asking is my battery will be in the bottom of the forward baggage hold and I was told that the W&B might be an issue without the battery weight aft.
My 2 legs would be 28 pounds and yours are 40.8 pounds. Since I didn't weigh the brackets but don't need the leg fairings, I'm going call it ~ a 12 pound difference.
If an Odyssey battery weighs ~ 15 pounds, then essentially I'm adding 3 pounds forward over the standard legs and decreasing 15 pounds aft.
Total diet reduction, a SWAG of ~ 12 pounds
I wonder what effects it will have on CG calculations.
The reason for asking is my battery will be in the bottom of the forward baggage hold and I was told that the W&B might be an issue without the battery weight aft.
My 2 legs would be 28 pounds and yours are 40.8 pounds. Since I didn't weigh the brackets but don't need the leg fairings, I'm going call it ~ a 12 pound difference.
If an Odyssey battery weighs ~ 15 pounds, then essentially I'm adding 3 pounds forward over the standard legs and decreasing 15 pounds aft.
Total diet reduction, a SWAG of ~ 12 pounds
I wonder what effects it will have on CG calculations.
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Hi Webb, I have the grove gear, io360 parallel valve, hartzell metal prop, and earthx on the FW and my W&B is perfect. As long as I stay in the limits of the baggage areas, I can't get out of CG. With half fuel, I can even carry a 300 lb passenger in the back.
True, with a bit of weight in the back it's easier to get the tail lower on landing, but we all know wheel landings are more fun!
