Hello and have read through a bunch of stuff here. Has there been any latest improvements by Vans that has significantly reduced the risk of gear collapse, on the 6A? I'll keep reading, but just wanted to ask, for I have found a 6A (for sale) that the owner had decided "not" to do anything with it's original gear, which is from pre 2000 kit. I'm just really not sure if I need to worry about this or not. I live on a paved 35 X 2100 which can get some good crosswinds, but ****, not gonna let that stop me. Just looking to see if there is something I have overlooked. If there was something that was "alot" better that the original, I would most likely do the repair. Thx, DM
Van's Air Force
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6A nose gear mod
- Thread starter drmax
- Start date
Mine is the same
My RV-6A has an unmodified pre 2000 nose gear and it is fine. Over 600 hours flight time. I take it very easy, try to land perfectly on the mains all the time with recognition that it can be broken if I slam it on like a new pilot. The only disturbing experience I have had is when the nut on the strut is not tight enough to require a 23 lb breakout force to caster - the vibration was enough to cause me to believe that I had blown the tire.
Bob Axsom
My RV-6A has an unmodified pre 2000 nose gear and it is fine. Over 600 hours flight time. I take it very easy, try to land perfectly on the mains all the time with recognition that it can be broken if I slam it on like a new pilot. The only disturbing experience I have had is when the nut on the strut is not tight enough to require a 23 lb breakout force to caster - the vibration was enough to cause me to believe that I had blown the tire.
Bob Axsom
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Hi Bob...you ever considered doing the mod'd gear leg like others have done? A friend of mine took his old gear off, sent it out with new leg to get match drilled and whatever else and installed. He said it basically gave him a little more sense of security...but other that than, he said after all the research he has accomplished after his mod, he would not have done it. You know, I'd like to be able to think I could take this on grass strips, but I'm too much of a worry wart. I'm also eyeballing a -6, but my runway is most likely to have gusty crosswinds and don't see having any fun fearing my landings (gnd looping) all the time. Take it easy.
No
I am perfectly happy with the nose gear on our RV-6A - no worries at all. I have landed it at a couple of grass strips with no difficulty. The absolute worst experience I have had with our plane was parking in the grass at Fond Du Lac (MUCH worse than at Wittman field) for Oshkosh. It was so rough and required extreme power to keep it moving (brute force) a long distance, through ruts, up slopes, around airplanes and up onto the paved taxi way that I was doubtful we would come through it with no damage. The most I got were some minor paint scratches on the bottom of the landing gear fairings.
Bob Axsom
I am perfectly happy with the nose gear on our RV-6A - no worries at all. I have landed it at a couple of grass strips with no difficulty. The absolute worst experience I have had with our plane was parking in the grass at Fond Du Lac (MUCH worse than at Wittman field) for Oshkosh. It was so rough and required extreme power to keep it moving (brute force) a long distance, through ruts, up slopes, around airplanes and up onto the paved taxi way that I was doubtful we would come through it with no damage. The most I got were some minor paint scratches on the bottom of the landing gear fairings.
Bob Axsom
Sounds like you've put 'er to the test. This is reassuing. Thx for the reply.
(oh, and guess you work nights too?
pierre smith
Well Known Member
We modded ours.
I often fly to grass strips and that's where most of the flipovers occurred...potholes and gopher holes caught the nut and lower fork.
Van came out with a simple mod and a new, 1" higher fork and you either rethreaded an added 1" to the nosegear leg, or sent it off. After threading, an inch is cut off and you now have an additional 1" of ground clearance if the tire is also properly inflated.
It's incredibly difficult to re-thread yourself, like we did, but I'd send it off next time.
Best,
I often fly to grass strips and that's where most of the flipovers occurred...potholes and gopher holes caught the nut and lower fork.
Van came out with a simple mod and a new, 1" higher fork and you either rethreaded an added 1" to the nosegear leg, or sent it off. After threading, an inch is cut off and you now have an additional 1" of ground clearance if the tire is also properly inflated.
It's incredibly difficult to re-thread yourself, like we did, but I'd send it off next time.
Best,
L.Adamson
Well Known Member
I know of several RV6A's around here, that haven't done the mod........and are still fine, after 1000+ hours. The nose gear legs were upgraded around 1998 though. These new legs could take a lot more flexing abuse.
But.................doing the mod, and raising the nut 1", and possibly adding the anti-splat mod is a good idea. It can save the prop and an engine tear down, if you happen to somehow play "bad" pilot for just one landing. Even on nice paved runways. The RV isn't as forgiving as a Piper trainer.
But.................doing the mod, and raising the nut 1", and possibly adding the anti-splat mod is a good idea. It can save the prop and an engine tear down, if you happen to somehow play "bad" pilot for just one landing. Even on nice paved runways. The RV isn't as forgiving as a Piper trainer.
Clarification -
The nose gear leg introduced in 1998 as a replacement was to correct a fatigue life issue that was discovered. It was not to make the leg stronger and able to take more abuse.
Fatigue life is for the most part based on flexing cycles (how many times it flexes up and down, not how hard the flex is. Than is why it was fully acceptable to continue using the original gear leg as long as recurring inspections were done.
The original service bulletin can be found HERE
My Work days ended on September 30, 2004
I have worked many nights but I just wake up at night now.
Bob Axsom
I have worked many nights but I just wake up at night now.
Bob Axsom
Thx Pierre
Had a nice, informative conversation with Mr. Pierre Smith. You know, to be able to hear what is wrote in these forums, is way better than guessing the emotions that are put behind the words. My concerns have been settled.
Good bunch of folks here. Happy holidays to you all....DM, IND
Had a nice, informative conversation with Mr. Pierre Smith. You know, to be able to hear what is wrote in these forums, is way better than guessing the emotions that are put behind the words. My concerns have been settled.
Good bunch of folks here. Happy holidays to you all....DM, IND
Ok, you state fatigue life. They didn't change the material of steel, or anything like that, right? Please clerify your meaning. Thx, DM
Material is the same, manufacturing and finishing processes, and overall design are different.
In simple terms, Static strength is related to a load that can be exerted before a component fails. Fatigue strength is related to the number of times (or cycles) that a component can have a load (something less than what would exceed the static load limit) applied before it fails from fatigue.
A simple example of fatigue failure would be when you bend a paper clip back and forth a bunch of times until it fractures. Each time you bent it, you did not fail the material because it is rather soft (weak in static strength), but it will eventually fail from fatigue (when the material fractures). Fatigue failure is typically progressive. As in a very small crack forms, and then continues to grow until it is detected by inspection, or it fails under load since the existence of the crack is reducing the static strength.
That's the best I can do in a few words... maybe someone else will have a better explanation.
Thank you and I completely understand. Thx for taking your time to explain.
Regards, DM
Barry
Well Known Member
6A Nose Gear
My 6A has been flying since 1999 so has the upgraded leg but the original nose wheel fork. I have nearly 1000 hours on the plane and have made many landings on grass strips. Not all the grass strips were particularly smooth or flat. So far I have not had a problem and think much is down to landing technique. As most have said make sure you land on the main wheels and stay off the brakes. However there is one modification I would make and that is to replace the Matco wheel bearing and axle. I replace mine with the Grove wheel system and it is a great improvement as you can tighten up the wheel nut correctly but will still have the wheel rotating freely. Since the Grove wheel and axle came out Beringer in France have brought out an even improved system with a tubless tire. This sytem is slightly more expensive than the Grove one but if I were gong to do it again I would go with the Beringer who advertise on this site.
Barry RV6A F-PRVM
My 6A has been flying since 1999 so has the upgraded leg but the original nose wheel fork. I have nearly 1000 hours on the plane and have made many landings on grass strips. Not all the grass strips were particularly smooth or flat. So far I have not had a problem and think much is down to landing technique. As most have said make sure you land on the main wheels and stay off the brakes. However there is one modification I would make and that is to replace the Matco wheel bearing and axle. I replace mine with the Grove wheel system and it is a great improvement as you can tighten up the wheel nut correctly but will still have the wheel rotating freely. Since the Grove wheel and axle came out Beringer in France have brought out an even improved system with a tubless tire. This sytem is slightly more expensive than the Grove one but if I were gong to do it again I would go with the Beringer who advertise on this site.
Barry RV6A F-PRVM
Thx and info noted...
wow
I like to compression test video as well. ****, seems this is the easiest way to remedy this entire issue. I giggled when the guy said " you can work around that and never make a mistake". Yep, that's just the problem and this part looks like a good safety measure. Thank you for relaying this to me. DM
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I bought the anti-splat mod. I have already done Van's SB mod.
I have also installed a new front fork allowing me to use a mainwheel on the nose - bigger size. With that, I put larger tires on the stock main rims.
I fly primarily from grass - great safety factor for me.....
I have also installed a new front fork allowing me to use a mainwheel on the nose - bigger size. With that, I put larger tires on the stock main rims.
I fly primarily from grass - great safety factor for me.....
what did the tire changing do to your weight and performance?
Could you fill us/me in on your sb mod,, and which fork replacement did you install, I hope to purchase a 6A first of the year and my home airport is a private grass strip, so like you I want to take all the precautions.
The original SB mod was done per Vans documentation concerning the gear-leg - Harmon Lang did the work.
I used a fork built specifically to accept a nose wheel. It was built by Bill Knott in the UK - great craftsmanship. There's a guy here in the states that modified a RV10 nose fork to fit the 6A leg (Bob Trumpfeller IIRC - his website details the steps involved).
I think I probably added a few pouinds to the overall weight. I have never flown it in the original configuration so I don't have a reference point for a performance penalty. My 6A does so well as it is that I am not concerned.
I originally used a set of SamJames RV10 wheelpants to cover the 380x15x5 tires on the stock rims - but my landing flare caused me to land on the back of the mainwheel pants before the tires and I was breaking the attach brackets. I am working on fitting a set of SamJames RV6 mainwheel pants instead. So far it involves mounting the pant about 3/4" above the original location - and a little more of the tire will stick out the bottom.
I used a fork built specifically to accept a nose wheel. It was built by Bill Knott in the UK - great craftsmanship. There's a guy here in the states that modified a RV10 nose fork to fit the 6A leg (Bob Trumpfeller IIRC - his website details the steps involved).
I think I probably added a few pouinds to the overall weight. I have never flown it in the original configuration so I don't have a reference point for a performance penalty. My 6A does so well as it is that I am not concerned.
I originally used a set of SamJames RV10 wheelpants to cover the 380x15x5 tires on the stock rims - but my landing flare caused me to land on the back of the mainwheel pants before the tires and I was breaking the attach brackets. I am working on fitting a set of SamJames RV6 mainwheel pants instead. So far it involves mounting the pant about 3/4" above the original location - and a little more of the tire will stick out the bottom.
The Antisplat test rig is a compelling demonstration of the forces involved.
There was also a Youtube video of " RV-7A nose gear test v1.3" with an oleo nose gear taxiing around. Looks great, but would be more $$$ and hours of building.
I would like to see more of this, but right now, our RV-9A is probably going to 'get built' with the Antisplat, because it is gaining acceptance and racking up the service hours.
We are on a residential grass strip, and sink holes 'just appear'. Mowing is so much more...always a condition inspection.
There is a RV-6A on the field, I'll talk to the owner, introduce him to these vids and see what he does to prevent damage.
There was also a Youtube video of " RV-7A nose gear test v1.3" with an oleo nose gear taxiing around. Looks great, but would be more $$$ and hours of building.
I would like to see more of this, but right now, our RV-9A is probably going to 'get built' with the Antisplat, because it is gaining acceptance and racking up the service hours.
We are on a residential grass strip, and sink holes 'just appear'. Mowing is so much more...always a condition inspection.
There is a RV-6A on the field, I'll talk to the owner, introduce him to these vids and see what he does to prevent damage.
What fork did you use? And do you have a picture?
Nosewheel
While its true that an experimental design is not required to meet Part 23 design reqmts, they were developed over a long period of time with lots of real life data - and with good reason. Simply stated the standard 6A/7A config does not meet the reqmt. A larger nosewheel gets you much closer and is a cheap way to pick up some good margin. I can only laugh when people say all you have to do is be a perfect pilot...
While its true that an experimental design is not required to meet Part 23 design reqmts, they were developed over a long period of time with lots of real life data - and with good reason. Simply stated the standard 6A/7A config does not meet the reqmt. A larger nosewheel gets you much closer and is a cheap way to pick up some good margin. I can only laugh when people say all you have to do is be a perfect pilot...
NickAir
Well Known Member
nosewheel
Just a thought.
Convert the RV nosewheel to a tailwheel and wha-la.
This is also a lot of extra expense and work, but some have done it and report being happy.
This is not a JAB or disrespect to this Nosewheel thread, rather an option that I have considered on my own Nosewheel RV6A. My RV7a has much more clearance than the -6a did, due to longer gear. It is proven regularly that the nose gear is vulnerable off of the hard surfaces.
The larger nose tire options help, although firewalls still buckle on large front tire airplanes.
Just a thought.
Convert the RV nosewheel to a tailwheel and wha-la.
This is also a lot of extra expense and work, but some have done it and report being happy.
This is not a JAB or disrespect to this Nosewheel thread, rather an option that I have considered on my own Nosewheel RV6A. My RV7a has much more clearance than the -6a did, due to longer gear. It is proven regularly that the nose gear is vulnerable off of the hard surfaces.
The larger nose tire options help, although firewalls still buckle on large front tire airplanes.
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berniematic
Member
In this old post There is mention of aftermarket nose forks that can be put on a 6A to accommodate a larger tire. I can't find any current website info for the names mentioned. Is anyone still doing that.
I am considering buying a 6a. I've read all of what I can find about the failure and modification business. I would feel better having a bigger tire.
I am considering buying a 6a. I've read all of what I can find about the failure and modification business. I would feel better having a bigger tire.
