78'' Extra

[dth7]

Had a (not so hard I thought) hard landing and "popped" the EF CF landing gear. No visible damage but one side is a bit softer. Must have popped a laminate or two. Has anyone successfully repaired CF gear? Thin CA soaked in? Thinned epoxy? Any ideas? I just ordered a Graph Tech Hvy duty gear but would like to salvage this as a backup. It is usable now but torsionally a little soft. Thanks.

 

[bryanb]

Had a (not so hard I thought) hard landing and "popped" the EF CF landing gear. No visible damage but one side is a bit softer. Must have popped a laminate or two. Has anyone successfully repaired CF gear? Thin CA soaked in? Thinned epoxy? Any ideas? I just ordered a Graph Tech Hvy duty gear but would like to salvage this as a backup. It is usable now but torsionally a little soft. Thanks.

I had the same thing happen on a 72" Slick. I did the thin CA but also laminated some CF on both sides after scuffing the CF as much as I could, and then clamped that section in a vice overnight. Once done I wrapped the gear in black kite type I had (for appearance) and it held for about 10 flights.. until it started sagging. It got-me-by until I could get my replacement in.

 

[dth7]

I had the same thing happen on a 72" Slick. I did the thin CA but also laminated some CF on both sides after scuffing the CF as much as I could, and then clamped that section in a vice overnight. Once done I wrapped the gear in black kite type I had (for appearance) and it held for about 10 flights.. until it started sagging. It got-me-by until I could get my replacement in.

Thanks. Thanks been my experience. Temp at best. Thought someone would have the "miracle fix"!

 

[3dNater]

Wow its really taking ppl 45 minutes to prime that motor by hand? Might be a good idea to put some fuel in the carb and work it in a little before even mounting the thing on a plane.

 

[GoldCraft]

Thanks. Thanks been my experience. Temp at best. Thought someone would have the "miracle fix"!

Ive had some luck with smaller planes by CAing the laminate them wrapping it with spyder wire fishing line and then soaking that with more CA. It would probably work for a larger plane for a while at least.

 

[gyro]

I fixed my 87" SHP gear when it mildly delaminated by putting some thin CA into the spot, then wrapping with CF tape, and adding more CA. Plenty of flights since, with no issues.

 

[Enterprise]

Patrick fixed my 89 landing gear with acraglas epoxy. I have not used it yet, but it appears very solid. I too tried CA in the past with only short term results. I have the stock aluminum gear if you need it to get by.

 

[3dNater]

Epoxy is the only way I have had decent success fixing carbon gear. CA is just too brittle.

 

[bryanb]

So some of you guys (@Enterprise, @hone1er, anyone...) that have gotten the tach off the RCEXL / Hall Effect sensor from the VVRC 40, were you using the Y-harness "trick". Did you y-harness off the ignition like this

Or did you use the actual RPM lead off the RCEXL? The sounds like there may be a sensor I can buy for my TM1000 but is that the optical version where you use the colored dots? I want one that actually reads off the Hall Effect sensor if possible and if there is a sensor I can buy, I can, or I will try the y-harness "trick".

Are there non-telemetry-sending sensors I can buy for the RCEXL that will just give me a digital read-out of the head speed from the dedicated lead?

 

[dth7]

Patrick fixed my 89 landing gear with acraglas epoxy. I have not used it yet, but it appears very solid. I too tried CA in the past with only short term results. I have the stock aluminum gear if you need it to get by.

I have that also but ordered that graph tech hvy layup gear you had. I liked the look of that. When I get the damaged off I'll give it a coat or two of thinned epoxy. Where did Pat get acraglas?