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Landing Gear Install

cderk

Well Known Member
My finish kit arrives on Monday, and I?m excited to continue moving forward. I have a bit of a problem...

My garage door height is NOT conducive to getting the plane up on its landing gears... at least not with wheels and all. Was wondering if anyone else has had this issue. I am interested in seeing if anyone has mounted the gear, left the wheels of and instead installed some kind of low profile casters. I think if I do this, I should be able to get it in and out of the garage.

I have 77? from the floor to the opening on top.

Anyone else having this issue and devise some kind of temporary wheels?

Thanks
Charlie
 
I have a similar issue but it is the width related. I spoke to Van's, my current plan is to leave the fuselage "gear-less" until after I hang the engine. I hear the added gear height makes it more difficult to work on.
 
Ive contemplated that, but it seems like it will be difficult to put it up on gear after the engine is installed. For me, the engine may even help... I?m sure the gears flex a bit - just not sure how much. I called vans at one point and they told me that perhaps i could put a bunch of ballast in the plane and let the air out of the tires to give me enough clearance.

I guess I have to wait for the gears to get here to take a look and see if I can come up with something...
 
My finish kit arrives on Monday, and I’m excited to continue moving forward. I have a bit of a problem...

My garage door height is NOT conducive to getting the plane up on its landing gears... at least not with wheels and all. Was wondering if anyone else has had this issue. I am interested in seeing if anyone has mounted the gear, left the wheels of and instead installed some kind of low profile casters. I think if I do this, I should be able to get it in and out of the garage.

I have 77” from the floor to the opening on top.

Anyone else having this issue and devise some kind of temporary wheels?

Thanks
Charlie

I can't find any pictures but I have seen temporary wheels on axles.

IIRC they were discs of 3/4 plywood laminated to the same thickness as a wheel hub.

Wheel dollys may also work.
 
Thanks Gil
That?s kinda what I was thinking. I was hoping someone may have done it so I don?t have to reinvent the wheel - literally!
 
I machined Alum. pipe to fit into the gear leg socket to lower the fuselage height for working purposes. It was well worth the trouble for a short guy like me. I also made a wooden platform with stairs on both ends to fit over one wing right next to the fuselage door opening. Very easy to get in and out, had a power plug mounted in it and somewhere to lay tools near by the place you are working.
 
I must be missing something...

Wouldn?t it be easier to just not attach the rudder and V-stab until at the hangar?
 
Correct... VS is not an issue because it?s not attached. Height to top of fuse is the issue.
 
My fuselage (engine mounted, air in the tires) sits about 78" high. I would think letting a little air out of the tires and the appropriate amount of cussing would get it through a 77" high opening.

I think I'd rather mount the gear now and deal with extracting the airplane later than try to mount the gear after the 400 lb engine is attached. Heavy expensive things scare me a bit.
 
Anybody know the max width at the wheels/tires, without the pants on? I think I'll be okay with head height, but I've got skinny garage doors..:(
 
Anybody know the max width at the wheels/tires, without the pants on? I think I'll be okay with head height, but I've got skinny garage doors..:(


Mike, mine measures right at 95" from the outside of one tire to the outside of the other. Because of camber issues, the max dimension (again 95") is near the top.
 
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You might take a second look at your garage door. Sometimes the opener stops the door from opening the full height of the actual opening. Measure the opening and see if it will clear. Then all you need to do is pull the safety latch on the garage door and push it up more than the opener would allow. Ask me how I know this, lol.
 
Wait a second...

Ok, I just assumed we?d already thought about deflating the tires. But maybe I?m missing something here.

Knowing the tires are 15? tall with a 6? wheel. That leaves a little over 4? of sidewall height to be deflated. If the top of the cabin is 80? and the garage door is 77?, just flatten the tires, drag it out the door clear of the cabin, and reinflate the tires.
 
Mike, mine measures right at 95" from the outside of one tire to the outside of the other. Because of camber issues, the max dimension (again 95") is near the top.

I measured the width of my RV10 and I got 95.25" wide from wheel to wheel, not including the axel extension.

I also measured the height. The engine is hung and my tires are very low on air and I got 76.75 inches, I have 4.5 inches from the ground to the bottom of the main gear axel.

It will be a very tight fit but it will fit. It will be so close that you won't know your exact dimensions until after you have the engine on your build. For mine a little more air out of the tires and I would have an 1" clear. A dolly for the axels would lower it 2" or so.
 
Mike, mine measures right at 95" from the outside of one tire to the outside of the other. Because of camber issues, the max dimension (again 95") is near the top.

Mine were about the same. You need to get a flatbed that is 8' wide. Most trailers aren't that wide, but I've seen some folks customize them. The only other option is a flatbed tow truck. My experience was that some of them got anxious when they heard it was an airplane. I fortunate to find a tool rental place that used the flatbed to deliver their equipment. I was able to pay a flat fee for use after hours and he just tossed us the keys.
 
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