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Short vs Long Gear Legs

A

AV8rDoc

Member
Does anyone know the difference in height from the bottom of the firewall or the leading edge of the wing at the root to the ground for an RV-4 with the short gear legs versus the long gear legs? Just curious how much taller the nose of a 'tall gear' RV-4 is compared to the short gear version. :rolleyes:
 
Nose height

Gee Curtis, I'm going to say 2 inches. That is not an EXACT measurement, but is pretty close. I just replaced the short gear with the long and should have taken those measurements..... :(

Deal Fair
N34CB flying
George West, TX
 
Engine mount?

Doesn't the engine mount need to be replaced when switching to the long legs? I seem to remember that the angle of the mount was changed to keep the gear legs at the same angle. A quick call to Van's will answer this.
 
randylervold said:
Doesn't the engine mount need to be replaced when switching to the long legs? I seem to remember that the angle of the mount was changed to keep the gear legs at the same angle. A quick call to Van's will answer this.
Click to expand...

Correct, the RV-4 has an engine mount/leg gear package. It is single unit. I might add that the longer gear package is a stronger gear. I changed out the gear on my first -4 years ago; and IF I remember correctly, the long gear is about 0.125 " larger diameter.

Deal Fair
N34CB flying
George West, TX
 
Long Gear

I called Harmon and he told me the following:

Long Gear: 1-7/16" Dia at the top (the part that shows at the top of the mount.
Total length 50-1/2" prior to bending during manufacturing.
 
She got Legs...

Guys, I converted 2 RV4's from short to long gear legs. First, the engine mount/legs are match drilled by Harmon Lange, not to be mixed. If you go to long legs there are a couple of small firewall mods including the bottom holes not lining up requiring some "modification" drilling.
Having flown both extensively I still like the short legs for my flying, short strips, poor, narrow taxiways which forward visibility is much better on the short legs. However comma, the long legs three-point better on landing, better ground clearance on longer props and better looks. The maximum prop diameter I recommend for short legs is 69". I have seen many 72" hartzells on short legs, but they get some erosion on sandy strips and dings on rocky strips. The difference is 6" of prop clearance between the 2.

Convert a short leg that flies fine to long legs? I wouldn't...

My dos centavos...

Rob Ray
RV4 formerly
HR2 currently
F16 till Sept..
 
I just converted my short leg RV to the long legs. I haven't flown it yet. How big of a prop do you think I can run on the tall gear without risking a prop strike?
 
Size matters...

I would think 74" would still have plenty of clearance on the long legs. The 180 C/S Hartzell is only 72" so you should have no worries.

Rob Ray
 
smokyray said:
However comma, the long legs three-point better on landing, better ground clearance on longer props and better looks. The maximum prop diameter I recommend for short legs is 69". I have seen many 72" hartzells on short legs, but they get some erosion on sandy strips and dings on rocky strips. The difference is 6" of prop clearance between the 2.


QUOTE]


Wouldn't it be 1.5" clearance difference between 72 v 69? Or am I missing something?

I agree that shorter is better if you're still getting the performance. Also I'd be curious to know if prop strikes on RV-4s (seem to be pretty common) come more from PIO or from flexing of gear on a hard plop ala Citabria style.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
gear legs etc...

where could i get a print or info on the long gear leg mounts and the socket angles etc.....
 
The long and short of it...

The 6" difference is between the long and short gear, not between the 2 props. I like the 69" prop on short gear...

RR
 
smokyray said:
The 6" difference is between the long and short gear, not between the 2 props. I like the 69" prop on short gear...

RR
Click to expand...


Okay, got it.

Just brought my new to me -4 home and was wondering why I couldn't land the thing on the first couple legs of the ferry flight. (My previous RV-4 had been the easiest taildragger I'd ever flown up to that point, so it didn't make sense.) And then I figured it out, it has the long legs. "Burned in" the new sight picture as I taxied out the next time after this revelation and then the next landing was a greaser. So far I like the shorter legs better, but I guess I'll get used to it. I have to crane my neck or do slight s-turns on taxi.
 
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