standard vs. extended gear

[wacodriver]

Broke my right landing gear off, yesterday. Front tube bent, rear attach fitting broken off.
Thinking about to purchase a new set, HD quality, but which one is to be preferred, standard or 3" extended? Which source ?
I operate my SC out of a short, soft strip. Standard prop, 8.50-6 tires, VG.
Thore

 

[DW]

3" Atlees

 

[pzinck]

To be legal on skis here in the u.s. with a borer prop at least 3 inch extension.

 

[supercub24a]

why 3 " gear what you mean legal for ski's? i thought most the STC's went by the axle?

 

[DW]

With the 3" gear you will get a better angel of attack on the wing and more prop clearance. If you go with the Borer prop you will need at least 850s for the STC.

 

[pzinck]

why 3 " gear what you mean legal for ski's? i thought most the STC's went by the axle?

I had to get 3 inch extended as my wheel skis only have an opening for 8.00 tires. With borer prop and them skis got approval with extended gear.

 

[mghallen]

What Borer STC requires 3" gear? Axle center to ground is usually the limiting factor, a 8.00 tire meets the height requirement.

Mike

 

[T.J.]

delete

 

[DW]

Borer STC doesn't require a 3" gear just the tire to get you 9 3/8" axle center line to ground or bottom of ski. What does your 800 measure?

DW

 

[Bill Rusk]

It is probably going to cost about the same either way so may as well get the extended gear. Better resale, more prop clearance, better for skis, better TO performance. No real downside. May weigh a few ounces more but worth it in every respect. Since lots of folks have put extended gear on there are probably lots of used regular gear for sale but remember they have been abused and are probably rusted on the inside. Oh well just get Atlee or Airframes extended gear and be done with it. If you broke off the mount point I sure hope there was not a wingtip or prop involved also.

Good luck

Bill

 

[cub_driver]

Thore

Airglass 2500 skis have enough pedestal height to allow the use of a bore prop and standard length gear. I run standard length gear with 31" bushwheels the only time I feel extended gear is a advantage is when on ski's in deep snow.

If you running 8:50 tires that will give you proper prop clearance with standard gear and a bore prop.

When you upgrade to the HD gear I recommend you change everything. The rest of the gear has thicker tubing walls and larger tabs have been welded to the tubing making for a stronger gear.

Yes angle of attach is increased but the down side to extended gear is the extra stress placed on the fusalage especially when running larger tires.

Cub_Driver

 

[Coyote Ugly]

My new Cub has 3" HD and I sure think it is smoother in the rough stuff.

It really only raises the nose a small amount, because a lot of the extention goes outward making the gear wider too. Myself, I don't care for the thrustline mod, because of the loss of over the nose visibility, but the extended gear doen't really affect this much.

After having both, my 2 cents is go with 3" HD....

 

[On Patrol]

I have the Borer and always wanted to get on skis. I bought the 3" extended 1 1/4" axles from Airframes and was extremely happy with the construction and the paint.
John

 

[behindpropellers]

Alternate means of compliance for the borer prop on skis/wheels (is possibly) the thrustline mod....at least from my math.

Tim

 

[aktango58]

3" are great to use.

If flying skis, be sure that the axles are smooth inside. Some of the gear has an extra tube inside, and will be a pain for wheel ski axles.

 

[wacodriver]

When upgrading to a HD gear, should I exchange the cabane Vee too ?
Fortunately, the rear attach point broke off when the plane was close to full stop. It took quite a while for the front tube to bend so much, the rear point had to break. Wing tip seems to be okay, so far. I might weld in all four new attach points, as I don't know the amount of stress they had to "suffer".
As for the used gear legs on the market. Mine where 50 years abused in military operations and as a glider tug. Nobody knows what has happend to those used gear legs before purchase.

 

[DW]

I would go ahead and change all the gear fittings at this point--Airframes has a heavy duty front fitting that I put on my cub and is well built---you can reuse the cabane but the struts will need to be changed and I would put on safety cables it will save that wing if it ever happens again.

DW

 

[Bill Ingerson]

Don,t forget to look at CubCrafters H.D extended gear. Its Strong and well made as well. I think they told me the axel assembly was machined out of a block and very strong.

Bill

 

[T.J.]

delete

 

[cub_driver]

Heavy duty Cabane V and the struts have been beefed up from original.

Northern airframes have new front attach point fittings that have been beefed up, front plate of attach point fitting is twice as thick as original. If you have a damaged fitting I would change both front attach point fitting.

Cub_Driver

 

[DW]

Here's a link for the heavy gear fitting.
http://www.airframesalaska.com/landinggear.htm

 

[aktango58]

The extended gear takes a longer tube on the bottom of the Vee

 

[Grizzley]

Similar "incident" and question

I know I can find wisdom here...
Bought a "nice" PA-12 in mid December with little time since restoration in 2001. Put on about 20 hours and 25 landings, until...
The RH landing gear collapsed/buckled/folded on my PA-12 on landing 2 months ago, caused by a cracked front attach bracket. No ground loop, seemed like minimal damage from the accident.
Decided to go to PA-18 gear and ordered 2 new front brackets and modification kit (tabs) and Cabane Vee from Atlee.
On inspection, the left hand bracket was also cracked.

As you would know, to weld the brackets on, fabric has to come off; lots of fabric... And the floor and anything that can catch fire. As it turns out, there was some of that too...
(Also decided to install a new panel and trying to get details on Atlees extended panel and can't get picture of it. If anyone can help on that)

Turning out to be a big project. Between ferrying the plane, bad, cold weather, disassembling, closer inspection and finding corrosion and modifying this and that, I've got well over 200 hours into it and all I have to show for is new front attach brackets, modified seat with bridge removed, left hand door frame structure, etc.

I haven't ordered the extended gear yet because as I was looking into it, I was told by a few to go with the 6" extended gear. For the time being I am still on a 115HP engine (will go to O-320 eventually). Brand new
1 1/4" Cleveland wheels and brakes 8.00 - 6 and don't want to change to 1 1/2". I fly off a grass strip, gravel, off airport and ski flying. I was told that the angle is such that it comes off the ground quicker, etc. The nose goes up 4". I was sold on it till I started wondering if I need 6 or should I go 3"??
My friends with Super Cruisers or Super Cubs that have 3" love them and the ones that don't, wish they had them. Some say the Super Cub needs the extra more than the 12???
At this point, the difference in $$ is minimal between the 3" and the 6" extension, but with a Scott 3200 in the back, 8.00-6 on the mains, skis in the winter (winter flying is important and off private strip) what is my best way to go from your experience?

Any help, insight and wisdom will help me decide and I'm about 2 weeks away from ordering one or the other.

Thanks,
JD

 

[behindpropellers]

Re: Similar "incident" and question

I know I can find wisdom here...
Bought a "nice" PA-12 in mid December with little time since restoration in 2001. Put on about 20 hours and 25 landings, until...
The RH landing gear collapsed/buckled/folded on my PA-12 on landing 2 months ago, caused by a cracked front attach bracket. No ground loop, seemed like minimal damage from the accident.
Decided to go to PA-18 gear and ordered 2 new front brackets and modification kit (tabs) and Cabane Vee from Atlee.
On inspection, the left hand bracket was also cracked.

As you would know, to weld the brackets on, fabric has to come off; lots of fabric... And the floor and anything that can catch fire. As it turns out, there was some of that too...
(Also decided to install a new panel and trying to get details on Atlees extended panel and can't get picture of it. If anyone can help on that)

Turning out to be a big project. Between ferrying the plane, bad, cold weather, disassembling, closer inspection and finding corrosion and modifying this and that, I've got well over 200 hours into it and all I have to show for is new front attach brackets, modified seat with bridge removed, left hand door frame structure, etc.

I haven't ordered the extended gear yet because as I was looking into it, I was told by a few to go with the 6" extended gear. For the time being I am still on a 115HP engine (will go to O-320 eventually). Brand new
1 1/4" Cleveland wheels and brakes 8.00 - 6 and don't want to change to 1 1/2". I fly off a grass strip, gravel, off airport and ski flying. I was told that the angle is such that it comes off the ground quicker, etc. The nose goes up 4". I was sold on it till I started wondering if I need 6 or should I go 3"??
My friends with Super Cruisers or Super Cubs that have 3" love them and the ones that don't, wish they had them. Some say the Super Cub needs the extra more than the 12???
At this point, the difference in $$ is minimal between the 3" and the 6" extension, but with a Scott 3200 in the back, 8.00-6 on the mains, skis in the winter (winter flying is important and off private strip) what is my best way to go from your experience?

Any help, insight and wisdom will help me decide and I'm about 2 weeks away from ordering one or the other.

Thanks,
JD

One thought:

One source for 6" extended gear. Several sources for 3" extended gear.

 

[Rob]

Re: Similar "incident" and question

Some say the Super Cub needs the extra more than the 12???
At this point, the difference in $$ is minimal between the 3" and the 6"

Actually I believe due to the AOI of a -12 it's the other way around... You will get a lot of nay sayers on the 6" gear, 99% of which have never flown a set :roll:
There are a few guys who used to post here that had 12s on 6" gear and a couple that actually worked them. I would shoot them a PM and see what they say... I bet I know the answer

 

[CLC]

I have worked the 6" extended gear for close to 20 years on my pa-18. they tend to bend under the load of skiis. over the length of the front tube there is about 1/4" bend down. When these finally bend too much I will replace them with the 3". I use 26" goodyear tires, and monitoring this they don't seem to increase the bend if I don't put the skiis on. I work primarily off-airport and rough gravel bars and strips.

for what it is worth dept.

cc

 

[aktango58]

Back to Atlee:

Atlee told me he quite making them and did not recommend them due to the length they put too much pressure on the attach fittings and were fragile.

Put on some 26" tires (do not go goodyear blimp) and you will get the lift you want without the strength issue would be my suggestion.

The one guy here with a j-5 mod-ed up loves them, but does not fly skis and flies very light.

 

[Grizzley]

Hey! Thanks a bunch guys!!
Sounds that due to the fact I do spend alot of time on skis and in different conditions and the other month or so that it isn't winter... I like to get into smaller fields or gravel and beaches, I think 3" is the wise way to go.
Thanks again,
JD