Landing Gear question

[914pete]

Hi.  Still working on my gear.  Seems to be taking longer then the whole fuselage did lol.  Should the ends of the shock struts be closed with sheet metal?  Nothing mentioned in the plans.  First time builder.  It seems odd to have open tubes.

Also, should a sheet metal strap be welded over the tops of the six 3/8" dia. x 7/8" long connect tubes at the top of each gear leg and Vee strut?  I know one must always consider extra weight.

[scottiniowa]

Hi.  Still working on my gear.  Seems to be taking longer then the whole fuselage did lol.  Should the ends of the shock struts be closed with sheet metal?  Nothing mentioned in the plans.  First time builder.  It seems odd to have open tubes.

Also, should a sheet metal strap be welded over the tops of the six 3/8" dia. x 7/8" long connect tubes at the top of each gear leg and Vee strut?  I know one must always consider extra weight.

I am just doing a quick on the fly answer to basic open or welded shut tubes-

Only if material can fall through, do I leave both ends open. (on any aircraft or structure)
and if the material can hold water, I sure work hard to prevent.

you shouldn’t need a strap, to close an end, a simple plug can do it. (lighter to)  easy to make with hole saw.

cheers
Scott

[scottiniowa]

I should explain just a bit on plugs,  if that is all they are- then we cut 7/8’s for 3/4” tube and the like this allows you to set the “cap or plug” without worry of it falling in. The slight extras edge often can be your “fill” for the weld if your careful   depending on your skill this cap can be very thin, if not used as a structural piece
 
Also, I am sure you all know, but when you have a cross bolt through a tube, you should always have a cross tube for this bolt to go into, it will greatly strengthen this bolt area.

and lastly, when I mean by dirt to easily fall through, I mean just that. IF there are things for the dirt to hang up on, it will!  So only a clear open tube (painted on the inside) would I trust to never rust. 

Very few of these exist on airplanes

cheers

[Tom XL-7]

On the gear legs,
pg 22 shows what appears to be a strap, yet
pg23 shows just a tube welded to the top. 
It would be good to hear what others have done as I have not heard of a gear failure at the welds. 
It has always been a tube bending.
I don't see 4 finger straps weighing a whole lot. the question is do they add anything of value or do they hide the condition of the underlying weld?
Yeah, I know a question isn't the best answer unless it's in some "teaching" environment.
But I guess I will size it up when I get there.
As for water traps, pg 25 has a beauty. The tail post has an angle welded to the bottom.
not sure if a drain hole is shown anywhere in the drawings but would seem mandatory.
a cap on top the inner shock tube may hold dirt.
I don't see the need there.
Tom XL-7

[914pete]

I should explain just a bit on plugs,  if that is all they are- then we cut 7/8’s for 3/4” tube and the like this allows you to set the “cap or plug” without worry of it falling in. The slight extras edge often can be your “fill” for the weld if your careful   depending on your skill this cap can be very thin, if not used as a structural piece
 
Also, I am sure you all know, but when you have a cross bolt through a tube, you should always have a cross tube for this bolt to go into, it will greatly strengthen this bolt area.

(One of us didn't know this LOL)  Thanks for mentioning it. 

and lastly, when I mean by dirt to easily fall through, I mean just that. IF there are things for the dirt to hang up on, it will!  So only a clear open tube (painted on the inside) would I trust to never rust.

Very few of these exist on airplanes

cheers

[914pete]

What metal thickness is used for the tabs used to attach the shock struts to the axle tubes?  I currently have tacked in place .032 4130 as noted for the V-strut bracket used to attach the top of the shock strut.  I want to make sure this is correct before finish welding.  Thanks

[Poorman2]

I would call Leonard and ask him since he designed it. Better to do it right the first time, no do overs.

[joecnc2006]

I used 0.03 also but i think I'm going to reinforce it. would be interesting what Leonard says.

[914pete]

I'm assuming since the top bracket is .032 then the bottom bracket can be the same.  Does anyone know if Leonard has/responds to email?  Hate to bother him with a phone call.

[Dan_]

My personal impression is he'd rather talk than type.   You could do both.  Then you can say "I sent an email but dint know if you had rather take a phone call..."

Let us know what he says.

Happy Independence day. 

[Tom XL-7]

I am confused.
What page are you seeing a reference to 0.032.
so what I see is the mount at the crotch of the V that accepts the tops of the shock tubes. Page 22 XL drawings
My drawings are early (no 7) and things may have changed. My drawings show that as 0.090 steel.
Tom XL-7

[914pete]

.090...big difference.  Page 22

[Tom XL-7]

Thanks 
printed and will insert in plans
Drawing is otherwise the same
Where yours reads ".032 STEEL"
mine "STEEL .090"
Tom XL-7

[914pete]

I left a VM as well as sent an email to Leonard.

[scottiniowa]

.090...big difference.  Page 22

Pete,  yes, a big difference, but where on page 22 is anyone seeing a call out for these brackets as .032”?  
    I don’t such a call out anywhere,  not even on your included reference photo.

Now page 26. it clearly shows it closer up with the call out of .090”   With the print actually called “ gear-wing fittings”  I would tend to go with this sheet.

While these plans are a bit jumpy (going from one part to another) generally it is called out  at least once or this forum knows the answer. (as might be the case in the part) 

Best of success all.
Scott