Extended gear

My RV4 was built in 89 and I assume it has the short leg but not sure. I am currently looking at a used set of legs so not sure what the length of extended legs should be. Can anyone give me a measurement to go by??

can't swap

If you have short gear now then you must teplace with short legs. The motor mounts are different.

RV4 Long Gear

Hi.
I just replaced my short gear with the longer gear. They are about 4 inches longer. In my case, I had to buy a new dynofocal motormount with the new legs. That was more convenient than to have the longer legs drilled for the old motormount.

In addition, my pressure recovery wheel pants no longer fitted on the longer legs as the extended geometry changed the angle where the pants bolt to the bracket. So, plan on modifying the wheel pants and making new leg longer fairings as well.

As far as the landings are concerned, I feel much better with the longer gear. You sit a bit higher and the visibility over the nose while taxiing is not as good, but not a problem.

I think the longer gear make the plane look better, and more importantly, you have a better chance of not striking the prop. Well worth the $1500 (not including wheel pants and fairing legs labor).

RV 4 prop strike

Has anyone had a prop strke with the short gear that they felt would not have happened if they had the long gear? I have a short gear RV-4 and it would take a lot of pitch to cause a prop strike. Much better view on the ground.

RV4 prop strike

I had a prop strike on a newly purchased RV4, short gear and a 74 inch Hartzell prop.

The strike was my fault. It was my first landing with a passenger in some gusty conditions. I nosed it over a bit much to keep it from bouncing and grazed the prop on the asphalt. One blade was slightly bent a 1/4 inch and the other just scuffed. Never even knew I struck the prop until I got to the hangar.

I have had 700 hours on a previous 4, but only 15 on this new one I bought in Florida after a non-eventful return flight to California. It's not that I'm inexperienced, but I prefer wheel landings and this plane had too long of a prop for the short legs.

Rebuilt the engine and mounted the longer gear. I'll never have another prop strike.