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Need advice on new landing gear please

B

BritishCubBloke

SPONSOR
Bellingen, NSW, Australia
OK, so after 18 years of PA18 ownership and landing in all kinds of places I need to buy some new landing gear with some urgency due to, er, something happening with a ditch and for which I am very thankful I have safety cables.

Aircraft: PA18-150 with 31" BWs 160HP STC
Otherwise mainly stock
Currently running a 74-54 Sensenich
Main use is beach landings and small amount rugged off airport work. Off airport work likely to increase in future in Tasmania and New Zealand.

What should I buy?

The Beringers look pricey. Are they STCed yet? I can't seem to find a reference to it.

Airframes Alaska HD gear - regular or 3" extended?

Cheers.

David
 
With 31’s I would recommend 3” extended. Especially if you have a pod. I have standard length gear on an 18 with 35’s and a pod. I was advised to run standard length with the with 35’s. I think 3” extended would be better especially for skis. Grass is always greener.
 
Airframes 3" extended with long step on the right, fueling step on the left....but I'm a little biased ;-)

Atlee 3" gear is great too and ever so slightly lighter but also every so slightly not as strong. Strength is relative and for 99% of people any modern PA-18 gear is plenty strong.

You'll need to know and specify which axle diameter you'll need. 1.25" is fine with 31's and is a bit lighter. 1.5" uses Cessna wheels and brakes and is obviously much stronger (again maybe overbuilt?) and there are some wheel and brake mounting spacers you'll need to get along with possibly a new set of wheels and brakes if you're not already running that axle size.
 
Crash said:
Airframes 3" extended with long step on the right, fueling step on the left....but I'm a little biased ;-)

Atlee 3" gear is great too and ever so slightly lighter but also every so slightly not as strong. Strength is relative and for 99% of people any modern PA-18 gear is plenty strong.

You'll need to know and specify which axle diameter you'll need. 1.25" is fine with 31's and is a bit lighter. 1.5" uses Cessna wheels and brakes and is obviously much stronger (again maybe overbuilt?) and there are some wheel and brake mounting spacers you'll need to get along with possibly a new set of wheels and brakes if you're not already running that axle size.
Click to expand...

1.25 is stronger than 1.5


Sent from my iPhone using SuperCub.Org mobile app
 
Thanks, everybody, looks like I will be going with 3" extended, either from Airframes AK or FA Dodge. I am guessing you can't get the steps with the FAD gear?

Javron is experimental and I need STC, unfortunately Glenn.

What is everyone's favourite way to do bungees? Isn't there a bungee tool Univair sued to sell? I can't find it on their site now.
 
BritishCubBloke said:
Thanks, everybody, looks like I will be going with 3" extended, either from Airframes AK or FA Dodge. I am guessing you can't get the steps with the FAD gear?

Javron is experimental and I need STC, unfortunately Glenn.

What is everyone's favourite way to do bungees? Isn't there a bungee tool Univair sued to sell? I can't find it on their site now.
Click to expand...

Atlee is the ORIGINAL alternative step STC holder


Sent from my iPhone using SuperCub.Org mobile app
 
BritishCubBloke said:
Thanks, everybody, looks like I will be going with 3" extended, either from Airframes AK or FA Dodge. I am guessing you can't get the steps with the FAD gear?

Javron is experimental and I need STC, unfortunately Glenn.

What is everyone's favourite way to do bungees? Isn't there a bungee tool Univair sued to sell? I can't find it on their site now.
Click to expand...

Eddie Trimmer May have the finished the STC for Maule oleo struts for the 3” extended gear on a PA18...


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
 
Airframes steps are on the drawings for the gear as approved under STC so it's just one STC for the gear w/ steps

Atlee has the gear under STC, the seaplane step under STC, and the fueling step under seperate STC. Their steps are bolt-on additions vs Airframes are welded on during production.

1 week bare metal, 3 weeks powder coated on AF gear

Mike, I'd be interested in hearing where you found that 1.25" is stronger than 1.5". I have it on VERY good engineering authority, mathematical models, computer models, and testing that 1.5" is stronger by a very large margin. Too strong if you ask me (transfers the failure point further up the gear and even into the fuselage) but it's stronger.
 
I would just call. Atlee often has gear legs hanging on the wall powder coated in white or black ready to go. I imagine airframes is the same.
 
I just bought the 3" extended gear from Atlee. Haven't installed them yet, but they sure do look nice :). They did have powder coated in stock and shipping was quick. Also, they were a pleasure to deal with.
 
Crash said:
Atlee 3" gear is great too and ever so slightly lighter but also every so slightly not as strong. Strength is relative and for 99% of people any modern PA-18 gear is plenty strong.
Click to expand...

Not according to the tests the Anchorage ACO did. Do you get the alignment issues squared away on your gear?
 
So I slid down a hill sideways in the back seat of my brothers Super Cub on 1 1/4" 3" extended Airframes gear. Didn't hurt the gear but bent the axle. 1 1/2" is considerably stronger. Rest of the gear is fine.

Atlee Dodge is a sponsor of SuperCub.org, Airframes Alaska is not. Sad but true. Between that and checking alignment of Atlee gear with Airframes gear I would buy Atlee gear in a New York minute.
 
Steve, Airframes actually still supports SuperCub.Org, just not at the level they used to. We will take any support we can get!

sj
 
So there’s a new player coming to town as well. Acme Aero seems to have some gear options on the Table.
STCs in the works it seems.


Sent from my iPhone using SuperCub.Org
 
From the Super Cub Safety Seminar in Fairbanks January 2015.
20150122_122653.jpg
 

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I bet Atlee has them in stock. If you are running 31's, you don't need a fuel step, just the right side step Atlee originally STC'd to help get you in. Stand on the tire
 
I like my fuel step. It gives you a rigid point to put your left foot, and the wider stance helps with overall stability.
 
Thanks, everyone.

I have gone with the Atlee Dodge standard HD gear with a long step on each side, HD short legs and safety cables.

I did not choose the 3" extended after talking to a good Alaskan friend of mine. He said the 3" extended came about to increase AoA in the days before BWs, but with BW that isn't so necessary, gives you a heavier tail to lift and an increased AoA on tie down, giving increased stress on wing tie-down attach points. I'm not flying in the Aleutians, but the aircraft will eventually be based in NZ where it does get breezy. Plus, I don't want more height than currently - it's already inconvenient enough.

I also splashed out and bought the bungee buddy. I have done that job a couple of times without. Never again.
 
I'd advise you go back and change your order to 3" extended. The 3" gear may not be "necessary" to your buddy but it does help when you're really dragging the plane in for 3 point landings. IMO it's a no brainer to go 3" extended even with Bushwheels. Heck, every single person I know has 3" gear on their cub; it's almost the new standard for PA-18's in Alaska. 3" gear, 31's and a borer prop minimum.
 
On the left side a long step is not needed and a fuel step is actually better because it can be mounted higher, foot placement is better and weight is less. On the right side a long step helps with fueling and getting in both front and back of plane. If you are going to be doing a lot of off airport work having a bit heavier tail can be a good thing when landing, if you get a wide fork tailwheel it will float much better when you have to push it around. I also prefer the 3 inch gear due to prop clearance. DENNY
 
Last edited:
I want the prop clearance. I would be curious how much more weight the 3" extended gear puts on the tail. I doubt it is much.
 
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