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Steel landing gear? Which models?

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John H Murphy

Joined: 03 Jan 2007
Posts: 78
Location: Henderson, NV

Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 5:23 pm Post subject: Steel landing gear? Which models?

I noticed that my Kolb Firestar II has aluminum landing gear. Is the Kolbra the only Kolb that comes standard with steel landing gear? Can the Firestar's gear be upgraded to steel? Thx.

planecrazzzy
Guest

Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 6:16 pm Post subject: Re: Steel landing gear? Which models?

You really should stick with the aluminum gear....

 it helps "save" the aircraft from damage....



  The gear is easy to straighten or replace....I bent my right leg once

 made a homemade leg straightener with a 12 ton jack....piece of cake



  ( see pictures )



Gotta Fly...

Mike in MN

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Roger Lee

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1464
Location: Tucson, Az.

Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 6:40 pm Post subject: Re: Steel landing gear? Which models?

Hi All,



As soon as I quit listening to CFI's telling me how to land I never had another tweaked gear. 



Then I went with 1 3/8"  T-7075 aluminum gear legs. These did not taper and were 1 3/8" all the way to the axial hub. I remade the gear strut/axial hub receptcle. That took about 1 hour to weld it up. The 1 3/8" aluminum cost $140. All I had to do then was drill the bolt holes. Never ever had another issue. I think the older stock tappered aluminum gear legs were a little light when people started to put 1100-1200 lbs on them. I think they were originally designed for 1000 lbs. max. The older gear legs tappered down from 1 3/8" to 3/4".

I also added 6" in length which worked out really well. It gave me a slightly wider stance and better ground handeling and raised me up some and then allowed the Kolb to be landed on the mains first all the time.

_________________
Roger Lee
Tucson, Az.
Rotax Instructor & Rotax IRC
Light Sport Repairman
Home 520-574-1080 TRY HOME FIRST
Cell 520-349-7056

jindoguy(at)gmail.com
Guest

Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 7:09 am Post subject: Steel landing gear? Which models?

John, My Firestar came to me with steel legs and a set of aluminum legs as spares. Part of restoring it to the air will be to jerk those steel legs and put in the aluminum. 

I don't like straightening gear legs, but I can't even imagine how much I'd dislike trying to straighten a cage. 



Rick



On 1/27/07, John H Murphy <jhm9812(at)yahoo.com (jhm9812(at)yahoo.com)> wrote: 	  Quote: 	
		   --> Kolb-List message posted by: "John H Murphy" <jhm9812(at)yahoo.com (jhm9812(at)yahoo.com)>



I noticed that my Kolb Firestar II has aluminum landing gear. Is the Kolbra the only Kolb that comes standard with steel landing gear? Can the Firestar's gear be upgraded to steel? Thx. 



	


-- 

Rick Girard

"Ya'll drop on in"

takes on a whole new meaning

when you live at the airport.  [quote][b]

John Hauck

Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 4639
Location: Titus, Alabama (hauck's holler)

Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 7:18 am Post subject: Steel landing gear? Which models?

Part of restoring it to the air will be to jerk those steel legs and

| put in the aluminum.

| I don't like straightening gear legs, but I can't even imagine how 

much I'd

| dislike trying to straighten a cage.

|

| Rick

Rick:



Do you know if the steel legs are heat treated?



john h

mkIII

_________________
John Hauck
MKIII/912ULS
hauck's holler
Titus, Alabama

jindoguy(at)gmail.com
Guest

Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 7:30 am Post subject: Steel landing gear? Which models?

No, I can get access to a Rockwell hardness tester if I need it, though.



Rick



On 1/28/07, John Hauck <jhauck(at)elmore.rr.com  (jhauck(at)elmore.rr.com)> wrote: 	  Quote: 	
		  --> Kolb-List message posted by: "John Hauck" < jhauck(at)elmore.rr.com (jhauck(at)elmore.rr.com)>

 Part of restoring it to the air will be to jerk those steel legs and

| put in the aluminum.

| I don't like straightening gear legs, but I can't even imagine how

much I'd 



	


-- 

Rick Girard

"Ya'll drop on in"

takes on a whole new meaning

when you live at the airport.  [quote][b]

John Hauck

Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 4639
Location: Titus, Alabama (hauck's holler)

Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 7:47 am Post subject: Steel landing gear? Which models?

| No, I can get access to a Rockwell hardness tester if I need it, 

though.

|

| Rick

The reason I ask is, normalized 4130 is very stiff and when bent, 

stays bent.



We heat treat to RC48, which produces a nice spring.  Makes 4130 nice 

and flexible.



We have a good number of mkIIIs and Kolbras flying with steel gear 

legs.  I have been doing it successfully for more than 20 years and a 

few hours and landings.



I still hit pretty hard now and again.  After I got back from Alaska 

last time, I put both legs in the press and readjusted them.  Was 

amazed at how far over center I had to go to get them straight.



john h

mkIII

_________________
John Hauck
MKIII/912ULS
hauck's holler
Titus, Alabama

jindoguy(at)gmail.com
Guest

Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 11:35 am Post subject: Steel landing gear? Which models?

Reminds me of a story my friend Scotty told me years ago. Scotty was working at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard where they sevice nuclear submarines. His buddy was in charge of straightening periscope tubes. He had it down to a science. He would put the tube in one of the big engine lathes they had and turn the tube until he had the bend down, then put a big hydraulic jack under the end. From experience he knew just how much to bend it up so it would spring back to straight. It would take a lift of several feet just to take out a minor bend the alloy was so stiff.  

One day they brought in a tube from one of the newer design subs and he set about his process. Only problem was that this new tube was of a new alloy that was a bit softer than before. It was a little over an inch out of column when he got it all chucked up in the lathe. He found the low spot and proceeded to jack it up a little over two feet, released the jack and nothing. The tube just sat there. Needless to say there was a mad scramble to rearrange the tube and get it back to straight before the shop foreman came around. 



Rick



On 1/28/07, John Hauck <jhauck(at)elmore.rr.com (jhauck(at)elmore.rr.com)> wrote:[quote] --> Kolb-List message posted by: "John Hauck" <jhauck(at)elmore.rr.com (jhauck(at)elmore.rr.com)>

| No, I can get access to a Rockwell hardness tester if I need it,

though.

 |

| Rick

The reason I ask is, normalized 4130 is very stiff and when bent,

stays bent.



We heat treat to RC48, which produces a nice spring.  Makes 4130 nice

and flexible.



We have a good number of mkIIIs and Kolbras flying with steel gear 

legs.  I have been doing it successfully for more than 20 years and a

few hours and landings.



I still hit pretty hard now and again.  After I got back from Alaska

last time, I put both legs in the press and readjusted them.  Was 

"Ya'll drop on in"

takes on a whole new meaning

when you live at the airport.  [quote][b]

d-m-hague(at)comcast.net
Guest

Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 2:18 pm Post subject: Steel landing gear? Which models?

At 10:09 AM 1/28/2007, Richard Girard wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		  I don't like straightening gear legs, but I can't even imagine how much 

I'd dislike trying to straighten a cage.


	


Exactly, on many aircraft, especially ultralights with rigid or semirigid 

gear, the gear seems too easily bent but think of it as the "fuse" in the 

system preventing further damage.



                                 =Dana

--

--

Congress shall make no law....What part of NO didn't you understand?

pj.ladd(at)btinternet.com
Guest

Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007 3:14 am Post subject: Steel landing gear? Which models?

From experience he knew just how much to bend it  >>

  

 Hi Richard,

 experience is a great thing.  I toured a car  maker some years ago and they were straightening drive shafts exactly like  that.

  

 These were new shafts, about 5 ft long which  connect the engine to the differential gear box on the back axle. They  apparently come from the forging process with quite  a curve on them.  Easily discernable to the naked eye, maybe 1/2 inch or more out of  true.  The guys were putting them in a jig which held the ends down, turn  the bend to face downwards, press a pedal and a ram came up from below and  pushed the shaft straight. They just jiggled the shaft and pressed the  pedal  couple of times  and that was that, straight on to the  assembly.

 Cheers

  

 Pat

   [quote][b]

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