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Champion/ACA Owners....Anyone?

Well I can #MeToo everything you just said except I never owned a Maule. And you should get what you want if you're able. Your wishes are my wishes but my reality is I look at my 7EC out there and for 1/2 to 1/3 of the $ it goes 'bout as fast and other stuff as a Cub Super. And since we're hiding down here in the Champion forum I can say I've considered a Rans S-7 too. And my airplane is 50# fatter than yours to boot. What I've decided to do for now is learn to fly my airplane so well that it almost is as capable as an SC until I can get one.
But you know what, KCAB, I've been watching those Carbon Cub videos and dangit that's what I REALLY need!!
 
I love the Carbon Cub, but the difference between a J-3 and a CC is not worth a quarter mil to me.

Take this over to Bart's new forum. There are now four or five regular posters, and with a few more, it may make it. There are Cub guys there.
 
yes, I am a proponent of that site, just replying to the gentleman with which I have much in common.
And for what I have seen as Carbon Cub prices, I could have an airplane like mine for each day of the week!;-)
 
Yea I’ve been watching all the YouTube vloger’s too with their Carbon Cubs and I’ve been up to Yakima, met Jim and his whole gang and flew in the S2 and CC at one of their open house events. But really I just want a plain old Supercub with the normal amount of patina, maybe spend around 75 or so, I can always change it back into cash when the time comes to pack it in.

The Champ has been fun though, it’s not a boring plane. Easy to fly but kind of a challenge to fly gracefully on the edge. Adverse yaw is more like a feature rather than a flaw and if turning right sometimes means you have to move the stick to the left well, that’s what you do.
 
I have just finished a 10 year rebuild on a 85hp Aeronca Chief and just trying to resolve an engine problem (blasted thing will NOT start!) before I get to fly it the first time. I understand they are nice aircraft but I cannot see me moving away from my J-3 and hot rod J-5 anytime soon. I got the Chief as a project years ago to help fill the 40’ container when I bought the J-3 and 5 in CA in 2004. I keep quiet on this forum mostly but I really enjoy the banter and the depth of knowledge you guys share, I learn something every day! I have joined Aeronca and Auster sites (yep got one of those too) but although I post a lot more there in an effort to get conversation going, threads generally die quickly - just not the numbers.


Sent from my iPhone using SuperCub.Org
 
.......and just trying to resolve an engine problem (blasted thing will NOT start!) before I get to fly it the first time.
Ah Hah ! A challenge. Another long distance problem to solve.
I assume that you are using good fresh gasoline.
How is the compression?
Do all of the valves go up and down?
Does it suck fuel up from the carburetor?
Is there a primer installed?
Does the fuel make it's way into the cylinders?
Do the magnetos make sparks jump off the little points on the ends of the spark plugs?
What type of magnetos do you have? They all work the same, yet some have little nuisance quirks.
Remove the top plugs, leaving them connected to the wires set them on top of the cylinders while pulling the prop through. Can you see good sparks?
Do the sparks occur when the pistons are at top dead center? (Yeah guys, this is just for starting.)
What color are the sparks? Yellow or blue or somewhere in between?
Are the sparks strong or weak?
 
My bet is that you are not sucking gas out of the idle ports. When you pull the prop do you hear a "sllssh" sucking sound?

We had one where a piece of safety wire interfered with float operation. Float bowl too low; no suckee.

Set up properly, these Continentals almost always fire up on the sixth pull. Be sure to pre- oil it if you wind up pulling it through twenty times without a start on a new engine.
 
Aeronca, etc

My bet is that you are not sucking gas out of the idle ports. When you pull the prop do you hear a "sllssh" sucking sound?

We had one where a piece of safety wire interfered with float operation. Float bowl too low; no suckee.

Set up properly, these Continentals almost always fire up on the sixth pull. Be sure to pre- oil it if you wind up pulling it through twenty times without a start on a new engine.

I have a C-90 in my J-3 and it does start first kick every time. Here I think the aircraft mechanic and engine man have got something wrong for sure and I will pass on your comments and those from Skywagon. I don’t want to answer in full here as I think it would constitute a thread hi-jack, but I really appreciate the input from both of you.
 
Yea my C-90 rarely makes it past the second blade unless I forget to turn the mags on.

Same for my O-200... I've only forgotten to turn the mags on once, but it was memorable! And I do have the lightweight replacement starter, which spins the prop a good bit faster than the old pull-starter.
 
Thread drift is allowed here. Most airplane forums are not heavily policed or monitored. Note that this thread encourages you to visit another forum, and management here is happy with that. Enlightened!
 
Agree. I've owned three small continentals, when they are fueling and firing, they start easy. Harder to start hot than cold. My $.02
 
A local Carbon Cub owner decided his 26 inch Airstreaks were getting a little worn so he "tossed" them and bought a new set and I figured what the heck I'm not so proud I can't at least try on an old pair of shoes. All I can say is wow! I guess once you go fat you can never go back ;-)
 

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The bungee gear on the Cub is a lot better on rough ground at taxi speeds than the Champ's oleo because the taxi springs are really short and stiff. I tried the 26's out on a pretty rough strip that hasn't been taken care of for the past three years and they did a much better job than the 800's but if you are mostly landing on pavement the Airstreaks aren't going to last long. Fortunately I am able to land on the grass next to the runway at my home airport so I might keep them on for awhile but ultimately, for me, the 800's are more practical.
 
The Champs oleo gear is way softer then a Cub type gear. If you fly both on skis you will have no doubt that the oleo works all the time. Bungees only work when you drop it in. Tire diameter and pressure helps it ride softer also. The only time an oleo sucks is in a strong crosswind.

Glenn
 
The Champs oleo gear is way softer then a Cub type gear. If you fly both on skis you will have no doubt that the oleo works all the time. Bungees only work when you drop it in. Tire diameter and pressure helps it ride softer also. The only time an oleo sucks is in a strong crosswind.

Glenn

It does get weird when the wind lifts a wing and the tires are on the ground still. Have to use a lot of rudder, funny sitting in the back when a cub guy is flying
 
About half the Super Cubs here have ILTs. (Incredibly large tires). They operate 100% on surfaces that require only a 6:00x6. They are aware of the performance penalties and can afford the cost. It is an appearance thing for them. That is a good reason for big tires - whatever floats your boat!
 
It took me awhile to get used to the Champs oleos and I’m talking about the heavy duty “no bounce” gear that hangs down about half a foot all pigeon-toed. It works well if you just drop it on and it can absorb an astounding amount of downward momentum but if you try to grease it on it’s very rare that both oleos compress at the same time so you get that weird leaning to one side but still tracking straight down the runway situation. True to it’s name though it’s almost impossible to “bounce” and lord knows I’ve tried.

But when you've slowed to a taxi there’s very little oleo travel left, no more than an inch and you are riding on the short taxi springs. That’s when I can feel it bottoming if I’m on rough ground. The Cub gear is kind of the opposite in that it’s basically at the top of its travel in that situation and has plenty to give if you run over a gofer hole. The Airstreaks give the Champ a much smoother taxi, I’ve never been on anything bigger than 8.50’s and I was pleased with how they handled. They also didn’t seem to slow me down, still hauled along at 85 mph. ;-)
 
It took me awhile to get used to the Champs oleos and I’m talking about the heavy duty “no bounce” gear that hangs down about half a foot all pigeon-toed. It works well if you just drop it on and it can absorb an astounding amount of downward momentum but if you try to grease it on it’s very rare that both oleos compress at the same time so you get that weird leaning to one side but still tracking straight down the runway situation. True to it’s name though it’s almost impossible to “bounce” and lord knows I’ve tried.

But when you've slowed to a taxi there’s very little oleo travel left, no more than an inch and you are riding on the short taxi springs. That’s when I can feel it bottoming if I’m on rough ground. The Cub gear is kind of the opposite in that it’s basically at the top of its travel in that situation and has plenty to give if you run over a gofer hole. The Airstreaks give the Champ a much smoother taxi, I’ve never been on anything bigger than 8.50’s and I was pleased with how they handled. They also didn’t seem to slow me down, still hauled along at 85 mph. ;-)

Have you checked the oil level?

Glenn
 
Just did the annual, 8.5 ounces of 5606 for the no-bounce gear. I’m talking about the Champ oleo gear in general, not just my specific aircraft. They all perform like this.
 
Just did the annual, 8.5 ounces of 5606 for the no-bounce gear. I’m talking about the Champ oleo gear in general, not just my specific aircraft. They all perform like this.

My 7AC/7CCM convert, non no bounce gear had about 3" of travel in taxi mode. Smooooooooooth

Glenn
 
Just did the annual, 8.5 ounces of 5606 for the no-bounce gear. I’m talking about the Champ oleo gear in general, not just my specific aircraft. They all perform like this.

My experience with a 7GC is similar. I might be one of the few who ran stock no-bounce gear and then switched to field approved supercub style gear. I loved the cub gear with skis on uneven, chopped up snow such as where snowmachines had been around. While great for the landing, the no-bounce gear just couldn't soak up the bumps on roll-out and takeoff, and it felt like it put too much stress on the airframe. The cub gear was just as good on wheels in a variety of off-airport operations, including big rocks and dips, bumpy sandbars, and the like. It also had other advantages, such as being taller, wider, and lighter than stock, but I always thought the bungee-hydrosorb was a much better fit for off airport flying with the Champ, and the best mod I put on the airplane.
 
I built the first set of Champ gear legs to use stock Supercub hydrosorbs and shock struts in 1973. I built a jig to weld up
the gear Vees and loaned it to others over the years. This was done after I traveled to anchorage and talked to
Attlee Dodge about my idea for cub type gear on a champ. He told me to forget it it won’t work kid.
I went ahead and did it anyway and it’s been well liked and copied
Stan
 
..... but if you try to grease it on it’s very rare that both oleos compress at the same time so you get that weird leaning to one side but still tracking straight down the runway situation.

But when you've slowed to a taxi there’s very little oleo travel left, no more than an inch and you are riding on the short taxi springs. That’s when I can feel it bottoming if I’m on rough ground. . ;-)
When was the last time that the gear was off the airplane for a good inspection as this does not sound right? Something is binding. I watched a fellow land once with one gear hanging down after whatever was supposed to hold it up had broken. The whole shock mechanism had fallen out of the housing.
 
My buddy just got this a few weeks ago up in Walker, MN. haven't had a chance to fly her yet as the wx has been so miserable. 20181002_155750 (1).jpg
 

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skywagon8a - as I said I’m not talking about just my particular aircraft, this is how the no-bounce gear acts as it has a much longer stroke than the standard oleo gear. It will also extend on takeoff roll if you keep the tail down at around 25 mph increasing the AOA and shortening the run for soft field use. It’s a good setup in many aspects I just don’t think it has enough sponge at taxi on rough ground but the Airstreaks seem to solve that issue from what I’ve seen so far.

I’ve added a picture that shows how much more travel the oleos have over standard gear.
 

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I built the first set of Champ gear legs to use stock Supercub hydrosorbs and shock struts in 1973. I built a jig to weld up
the gear Vees and loaned it to others over the years. This was done after I traveled to anchorage and talked to
Attlee Dodge about my idea for cub type gear on a champ. He told me to forget it it won’t work kid.
I went ahead and did it anyway and it’s been well liked and copied
Stan

That might explain this picture I took of a plane at Calaveras a few years back, obviously an Aeronca but the gear had me scratching my head.,
 

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kcabpilot, I used to own a 7GCB with the no bounce gear and never experienced an uneven gear extension as you have described. I also learned to fly in a 7AC with the original gear and never in that model did I experience an uneven gear extension. That Is why I asked the question. If it were mine I would be concerned.
 
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