X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Sender: To: lml@lancaironline.net Date: Sun, 28 Jul 2013 07:34:20 -0400 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from [202.154.122.98] (HELO extmail-03.people.net.au) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 6.0.5) with SMTP id 6393721 for lml@lancaironline.net; Sun, 28 Jul 2013 00:52:28 -0400 Received-SPF: pass receiver=logan.com; client-ip=202.154.122.98; envelope-from=stevens5@swiftdsl.com.au Received: (qmail 23590 invoked from network); 28 Jul 2013 04:51:52 -0000 Received: from unknown (HELO StevensPC) (218.215.213.214) by extmail-03.people.net.au with SMTP; 28 Jul 2013 04:51:52 -0000 From: "Stevens Family" X-Original-To: "'Lancair Mailing List'" References: In-Reply-To: Subject: RE: [LML] Re: L360 Over centre springs X-Original-Date: Sun, 28 Jul 2013 12:51:52 +0800 X-Original-Message-ID: <000801ce8b4e$2d6ea920$884bfb60$@swiftdsl.com.au> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0009_01CE8B91.3B945A20" X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook 14.0 Thread-Index: AQI83qfTijxTMIO9oHFQD9DolsFgKZic3fWQ Content-Language: en-au This is a multipart message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0009_01CE8B91.3B945A20 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Chris, =20 Thanks for the encouragement. I am afraid my confidence in those rat = trap springs has been rather battered. At the very least I will be = measuring those springs at each annual inspection. I would like to = incorporate both types of springs if I could ascertain what coil = extension springs I need, but I don=E2=80=99t know how to specify them.=20 =20 I am still some way off flying yet, so I have time to research it. =20 Thanks again for your input. =20 Rob. =20 =20 From: Lancair Mailing List [mailto:lml@lancaironline.net] On Behalf Of = Chris Zavatston Sent: Sunday, 28 July 2013 1:35 AM To: lml@lancaironline.net Subject: [LML] Re: L360 Over centre springs =20 Rob, Let Lancair know about the replacement springs going soft. I am still using my original rat-trap springs after 15 years (1,400 hrs) = of flying. They work great. Springs are not rocket science, but it = sounds like you've rein into an inventory or manufacturing issue. =20 The rat trap spring was a great design improvement. Once you get your hands on a good set, you'll be set for life. =20 Chris Zavatson N91CZ 360std www.N91CZ.net Sent from my spiffy iPhone On Jul 27, 2013, at 9:12 AM, "Stevens Family" = wrote: Another query for those who have, or have built the L320 or 360, =20 I purchase a partly built L360 kit some years ago, which I am still in = the process of building. It came with the original undercarriage. I = decided to upgrade to the outback gear early in my build process, and = installed it some years ago. After a couple of years, I discovered that = the Rat Trap springs were not maintaining their tension when the gear = was in the retracted position, and on occasions, when I extended the = gear (which I do by hand as the aircraft is upside down in the jig) the = hook would disengage from the over centre link. Upon enquiry with = Lancair, I was advised that they had had a bad batch of springs, so they = subsequently replaced them, free of charge. The replacements are shown = on the order as being =E2=80=9C Item 1441=E2=80=9D and =E2=80=9CSEQ = U10B=E2=80=9D. That was in early 2009. With the new springs, all seemed = in order. =20 Today I was again working in the wheel well, and discovered that once = again these springs had lost tension and were not remaining engaged when = the gear was in the retracted position. I have scanned the LML archives = and notice a number of others have had similar problems. One poster had = only been saved because he had installed both the Rat Trap springs, and = the =E2=80=9Cscreen door=E2=80=9D springs. Others had had Rat Trap = springs break. All of this has severely shaken my faith in them, as = there is no back up if they mal function. =20 My options from here appear to be to either try another pair of Rat Trap = springs, or install the original screen door springs, or perhaps install = both. However the screen door springs which came with the original kit = are too long for the outback undercarriage, as the distance between the = hinge bolt of the over centre link, where they attach at one end, and = the undercarriage pivot bolt where they attach at the other end, is = about 60mm (2 3/8=E2=80=9D) shorter on the outback gear. =20 Has anyone else had problems with later Rat Trap springs in recent years = since the original problem ones? Has anyone out there used screen door springs with the outback gear? If = so, what specifications are the springs? =20 Thanks in anticipation. =20 Rob Stevens, Perth, Western Australia. =20 ------=_NextPart_000_0009_01CE8B91.3B945A20 Content-Type: text/html; charset="utf-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Chris,

 

Thanks for the = encouragement. I am afraid my confidence in those rat trap springs has = been rather battered. At the very least I will be measuring those = springs at each annual inspection. I would like to incorporate both = types of springs if I could ascertain what coil extension springs I = need, but I don=E2=80=99t know how to specify them. =

 

I am still some way off = flying yet, so I have time to research it.

 

Thanks again for your = input.

 

Rob.

 

 

From: Lancair Mailing List [mailto:lml@lancaironline.net] = On Behalf Of Chris Zavatston
Sent: Sunday, 28 July 2013 = 1:35 AM
To: lml@lancaironline.net
Subject: [LML] Re: = L360 Over centre springs

 

Rob,

Let = Lancair know about the replacement springs going = soft.

I am still using my = original rat-trap springs after 15 years (1,400 hrs) of flying. =  They work great.  Springs are not rocket science, but it = sounds like you've rein into an inventory or manufacturing issue. =  

The rat trap spring = was a great design improvement.

Once you get your hands on a good set, you'll be set = for life.

 

Chris Zavatson

N91CZ

360std

www.N91CZ.net

Sent from my = spiffy iPhone


On Jul 27, 2013, at 9:12 AM, = "Stevens Family" <stevens5@swiftdsl.com.au>= wrote:

Another query for those who have, or have built the = L320 or 360,

 

I purchase a partly built L360 kit some years ago, = which I am still in the process of building. It came with the original = undercarriage. I decided to upgrade to the outback gear early in my = build process, and installed it some years ago. After a couple of years, = I discovered that the Rat Trap springs were not maintaining their = tension when the gear was in the retracted position, and on occasions, = when I extended the gear (which I do by hand as the aircraft is upside = down in the jig) the hook would disengage from the over centre link. = Upon enquiry with Lancair, I was advised that they had had a bad batch = of springs, so they subsequently replaced them, free of charge. The = replacements are shown on the order as being =E2=80=9C Item = 1441=E2=80=9D and =E2=80=9CSEQ U10B=E2=80=9D. That was in early 2009. = With the new springs, all seemed in order.

 

Today I was = again working in the wheel well, and discovered that once again these = springs had lost tension and were not remaining engaged when the gear = was in the retracted position. I have scanned the LML archives and = notice a number of others have had similar problems. One poster had only = been saved because he had installed both the Rat Trap springs, and the = =E2=80=9Cscreen door=E2=80=9D springs. Others had had Rat Trap springs = break. All of this has severely shaken my faith in them, as there is no = back up if they mal function.

 

My options = from here appear to be to either try another pair of Rat Trap springs, = or install the original screen door springs, or perhaps install both. = However the screen door springs which came with the original kit are too = long for the outback undercarriage, as the distance between the hinge = bolt of the over centre link, where they attach at one end,  and = the undercarriage pivot bolt where they attach at the other end, is = about 60mm (2 3/8=E2=80=9D) shorter on the outback = gear.

 

Has anyone else had problems with later Rat Trap = springs in recent years since the original problem = ones?

Has anyone out there used = screen door springs with the outback gear? If so, what specifications = are the springs?

 

Thanks in = anticipation.

 

Rob Stevens,

Perth, = Western Australia.

 

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