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landing gear shock cord

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pilotpat

Joined: 23 Dec 2006
Posts: 14
Location: Williamsport, PA

Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 2:57 pm Post subject: landing gear shock cord

Hi all,  been watching the postings for a month or so now and am new at this.  I have a classic iv kitfox (curently working on) and am doing the bungee cord landing gear.  The book says 6 wraps , but I can only get Five,  Is there some special tool or method or someone with special tips on how to do this in order to get six wraps?   Thanks in advance



or does anyone have a Grove landing system , they want to get rid of and make it easy?



pilotpat

Tom Jones

Joined: 12 Mar 2006
Posts: 752
Location: Ellensburg, WA

Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 3:33 pm Post subject: Re: landing gear shock cord

Pat

Yes, six wraps are needed. The trick is to not loose any slack you gained on one wrap while making the next wrap.  There are several ways to do it and I suspect you will get some more replys soon.



I wrapped up the jaws of my waterpump plires with electrical tape so as not to damage the cord.  I worked from under neath the plane and held each wrap tight in place with the pliers with one hand while I fed the cord around the truss and pulled the next wrap tight with the other hand.

Tom Jones

Classic 4

Michel

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 966
Location: Norway

Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 3:34 pm Post subject: landing gear shock cord

On Jan 6, 2007, at 11:57 PM, pilotpat wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   The book says 6 wraps , but I can only get Five


	


Hello Pilotpat,

You will certainly get many advice from this list, as some of us has 

managed to do it properly and apparently without too much effort. 

Others, like me, had a hell of a time working this, as I replaced mine 

last summer. That made me wonder: Are we all working with bungees of 

the same length? My new ones were quite shorter than the ones I removed 

after 13 years of good service. I attributed that to natural 

stretching. But ... was it really?

Anyway, it's certainly a two man's job, a lot of sweat, and a vise 

wrench to hold the bungee as you take a new turn. How are your end 

fitting? Loops or hooks? When I pulled hard the last turn of the latter 

(cone spring hook), it came loose. So I went for the loop type.



Cheers,

Michel

_________________
Kitfox 3 - Jabiru 2200

Float Flyr

Joined: 19 Jul 2006
Posts: 2704
Location: Campbellton, Newfoundland

Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 4:08 pm Post subject: landing gear shock cord

Install floats... Save yourself scraped knuckles and a lot of choice four

letter words. There have been some good ideas posted here over the last

year.  Some include lubricating the posts you wrap the bungee around with

baby oil...I think some one else suggested talcum powder on the bungee

itself.



 The last two years I put mine on wheels and never got the chance to fly so

this year it's going to over winter on the pontoons.  



Still not a sign of ice on the bay.  Five years ago there would have been

Ski-Doos everywhere...Thirty years ago there would have been few Ski-Doos

but there would have been a lot of Land Rovers every where.



Noel



[quote] --

_________________
Noel Loveys
Kitfox III-A
Aerocet 1100 Floats

dave

Joined: 22 Sep 2006
Posts: 1382

Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 5:42 pm Post subject: landing gear shock cord

When I took off my floats this year and put tube gear back on, I used 5 

wraps only. It sits a little low on one side now but it flys fine. If I 

recall one bungee was 60 inches and the other 64 inches.  They are Mil spec 

bungees and seem ok here.   All these Kitfox movies were shot with the 5 

wraps only   http://www.cfisher.com   3 rd link on left side.



I have used 6 before and they are stiffer but the 5 does seem to work. I 

have flown with me  210 lbs and another 210 pounder and full fuel and never 

noticed the bungees to be much different other than a softer ride but 

certainly not mushy. I have no idea what the proper length of the bungees is 

supposed to be and maybe mine are too short ?

Good Luck and get a buddy to help it will make it allot easier.

Dave

---

_________________
Realtime Kitfox movies to separate the internet chatter from the truth
http://www.youtube.com/user/kitfoxflyer
Hundreds of Kitfox Movies
Most viewed Kitfox on youtube
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mike(at)mikegibbard.com
Guest

Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 7:02 pm Post subject: landing gear shock cord

If  you use tie wraps to hold each wrap and cut them when you have all six wraps.  I was in the plane and a friend was below .  The person below would hold the tension and I would tie the tie wrap and then repeat process.  Takes less than a 1/2 hour to do both.  Good luck.  Mike  

On Sat,  6 Jan 2007 14:57:10 -0800, pilotpat wrote > --> Kitfox-List message posted by: "pilotpat" <pkelly20(at)comcast.net>  >  > Hi all,  been watching the postings for a month or so now and am new at this.  I have a classic iv kitfox (curently working on) and am doing the bungee cord landing gear.  The book says 6 wraps , but I can only get Five,  Is there some special tool or method or someone with special tips on how to do this in order to get six wraps?   Thanks in advance  >  > or does anyone have a Grove landing system , they want to get rid of and make it easy?  >  > pilotpat  >  > Read this topic online here:  >  > http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=85913#85913  >  ===============  itfox-List" target="_blank">http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Kitfox-List  ===============    ="_blank">http://forums.matronics.com  ===============    Mike Gibbard  REO Bellaire  7953  W old State Rd Central Lake  231-544-5241 Home Office  231-676-3788 Cell Phone  231-544-5015 or 231-533-6114  mike(at)mikegibbard.com  http://www.mikegibbard.com         [quote][b]

roncarolnikko(at)hotmail.
Guest

Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 8:05 pm Post subject: landing gear shock cord

Jeez my book says seven!  It's hard as a rock and a pain to do.  One wrap 

then wedge, next wrap then move wedge, next wrap move wedge, etc...  Ron NB 

Ore

[quote]From: "dave" <dave(at)cfisher.com>

Reply-To: kitfox-list(at)matronics.com

To: <kitfox-list(at)matronics.com>

Subject: Re: landing gear shock cord

Date: Sat, 6 Jan 2007 20:41:37 -0500






When I took off my floats this year and put tube gear back on, I used 5 

wraps only. It sits a little low on one side now but it flys fine. If I 

recall one bungee was 60 inches and the other 64 inches.  They are Mil spec 

bungees and seem ok here.   All these Kitfox movies were shot with the 5 

wraps only   http://www.cfisher.com   3 rd link on left side.



I have used 6 before and they are stiffer but the 5 does seem to work. I 

have flown with me  210 lbs and another 210 pounder and full fuel and never 

noticed the bungees to be much different other than a softer ride but 

certainly not mushy. I have no idea what the proper length of the bungees 

is supposed to be and maybe mine are too short ?

Good Luck and get a buddy to help it will make it allot easier.

Dave

---

pilotpat

Joined: 23 Dec 2006
Posts: 14
Location: Williamsport, PA

Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 4:29 am Post subject: Re: landing gear shock cord

Thanks for all the quick replys.   Soon as my strength regains, will give it another try.   I had to agree with you Michael, that I wondered if they were the correct length (I have the loops) ,  But I got so "wrapped up" in my work with these , that I never did measure them, (wish i had) but I guess the next time, when I try to redo for the six. (Is there a certain length?)  Again thanks to you all for the recommendations and tips.   This is a great site  and I wish you all a Happy belated New Year and Great Flying!  Also be patient with me , if I screw up the rules for this site as trying to learn that too......This is my first ever using any forum type thing on the internet , so it is ok to yell at me if I do it wrong, as i want to fly straight



Later



Pilotpat

Williamsport, Pennsylvania

_________________
Pilotpat
Kitfox Classic IV
Jabiru 2200
Williamsport , PA

Michel

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 966
Location: Norway

Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 6:07 am Post subject: landing gear shock cord

On Jan 7, 2007, at 1:29 PM, pilotpat wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   Also be patient with me , if I screw up the rules for this site as 

 trying to learn that too.....


	


So far, we have nothing but to learn from your elegant and polite 

style, Pat (if that is your name). I have been for many years on many 

lists and forum, on the internet, and the rule is simple: Write as you 

would to a good friend.

The general "netiquette" is: In you reply, cut what is not relevant to 

the understanding. Change the title when the topic changes and add 

"Off-topic" in the title when talking about other things than Kitfox 

building or flying.

In addition, this list like to see the words "do not archive" at the 

end of an email if the subject is personal and not of interest for 

those who are browsing via the search engine, for relevant general 

information.



To get back to the subject, I think the success of the installation of 

the shock absorbing bungee is in the technique of not loosing tension 

as you make the next turn. Wood wedges, pliers, tie wraps - everything 

helps. Find your own technique and let us know how it went. Good luck.



Cheers,

Michel



do not archive

_________________
Kitfox 3 - Jabiru 2200

Guy Buchanan

Joined: 16 Jul 2006
Posts: 1204
Location: Ramona, CA

Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 7:45 am Post subject: landing gear shock cord

At 06:04 AM 1/7/2007, you wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		  To get back to the subject, I think the success of the installation of

the shock absorbing bungee is in the technique of not loosing tension

as you make the next turn. Wood wedges, pliers, tie wraps - everything

helps. Find your own technique and let us know how it went. Good luck.


	


I found a different tack that worked solo. I tied the wheels together to 

support the aircraft and to make sure they were all the way "up". I then 

removed the old shock cord and installed the new at both ends getting as 

many wraps as I could easily do. (I think it was four.) I then pulled all 

the slack toward one end using fairly smooth pliers pulling on the shock 

cord cover as gently as possible. Once I'd worked down the slack I removed 

the slack end and pulled another wrap. I did this all the way to six wraps 

and it was fairly easy. Though I worried about damaging the cover and core 

with the pliers I found the detriment no worse than the various methods I'd 

tried to hold full tension on each wrap while taking the next.

Guy Buchanan

K-IV 1200 / 582-C / Warp / 100% done, thanks mostly to Bob Ducar.

_________________
Guy Buchanan
Deceased K-IV 1200
A glider pilot too.

alnanarthur(at)sbcglobal.
Guest

Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 8:10 am Post subject: landing gear shock cord

Hi Pilotpat,



I can change the bungie cords on my Series 5 by myself in about 30  

min. each.  I don't even break a sweat.



I use zip ties and a cargo tie-down strap (the kind that when you  

pull it tight, the spring loaded friction lever holds it tight).



First, mark the old bungie across the top with a marking pen and  

remove it.   Lay out the old beside the new and transfer the

  marks to the new one, marking all the way around the new cord.  Or,  

if this is a first time installation, mark the new bungie cord

  cord at the approximate locations for the required number of loops  

needed.



Now with the new bungie cord,



2. now make a loop around the gear and



3. about a foot up after the gear loop on the free end form about a 3  

inch temporary "free end loop" and secure it with a zip tie.



4. Take the cargo tie-down over the forward fuselage carry-through  

tube and thru the friction lever and hook it to the "free end loop" .



5  With the cargo tie down, pull up on the "free end loop" till the  

first mark on the new bungie is on top,(the friction lever

     will hold it, now you hands are free) then secure  the gear loop  

tightly with one or two zip ties.



6. Release the  friction lever and unhook the cargo tie down and cut  

the zip tie on the "free end loop"  and



7. Repeat 2 thru 6 till all gear loops are on then secure the final  

end loop of the new bungie to the post.



8. "Carefully" cut all the zip ties holding the individual gear loops.



Hope this makes sense.

Allan Arthur

Kitfox 5, N40AA

Rotax 912s, Warpdrive 3 blade

Byron Airport, CA  (C83)  Hanger C8

On Jan 6, 2007, at 2:57 PM, pilotpat wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   



 Hi all,  been watching the postings for a month or so now and am  

 new at this.  I have a classic iv kitfox (curently working on) and  

 am doing the bungee cord landing gear.  The book says 6 wraps , but  

 I can only get Five,  Is there some special tool or method or  

 someone with special tips on how to do this in order to get six  

 wraps?   Thanks in advance



 or does anyone have a Grove landing system , they want to get rid  

 of and make it easy?



 pilotpat

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