Multiplex Acromaster Langing gear

[DanWard]

Some day soon I'll have all my own experience but until I do I read post on the internet. Thought I'd share and maybe by writing this I'll work it through in my own mind. And ya never know, someone may respond with there slant on the subject (yes, I have read many, many, post on this subject...be patient)

When I decided to build a multiplex acromaster I began searching the web which is how I found this group. I found post after post all over the net about the stock landing gear being...well...I came away with the idea I'd be disapointed if I went with stock gear.

So even though any build is easier if you build as designed I ordered some carbon fiber landing gear. Of all the post I read and all the various solutions for issues with stock landing gear the post with the carbon fiber gear spoke to me. I planned to do as done in the post, channel a slot in the foam to accept a peice of plywood with blind nuts in it that would allow me to bolt the carbon fiber gear through the foam to the embedded plate. I had a plan with plently of post to support the plan. To compliment this decision I had very few (maybe one or two) post about negative results of choosing this route to address landing gear issues.

So I search the web, spent the bucks, and carbon fiber gear is in he mail.

In reading all the post about acromasters I saw some nice wheel pants. Additional research indicated they were sourced from 3D hobby. I was poking around on 3D's web site end ended up calling them. I spoke to what seemed to be a great guy. Don't you wish you could go into Home Depot and find someone in the department that knew anything about what they were selling? This guy at 3D hobby spoke with authority. He sounded like an engineer. I mean everything he spoke of from a technical perspective, well it all made good sense. And the darndest thing about it is the more he talked the less likely I was to buy anything.

He went on in great detail about testing they performed, characteristics of the foam, how the stock gear are designed that way to do their work which spares asking the foam to do what it can't do which is absorb shock well. He explained that if stiffer carbon fiber gear is used the longitudal support that would have to be added to the fuselage to keep said support from being ripped out or tearing the foam...well it all made sense.

Then he went on to describe that 1% of an acromaster's life should be on its landing gear. Long and short of it, while it wasn't a post on the internet, it sure has me all upside down and crossway trying to figure the best avenue to go.

I have many, many rubber meets the pavement documented experiences concerning the negative side of the stock gear. I have several well documented solutions to resolve the negatives found with stock gear and each has very good support and very little negative side effects. And now I have what seems to be a very valid case for going with the stock gear.

Oh good grief...role the dice I guess

[Bob]

So, the question I have right now since I am looking at buying an Acromaster with said gear. What do you think of it at this time with the carbon fiber?
I guess this may be after the fact of me becoming a/the owner of such a bird.

[DanWard]

Love them. glad I did not go with stock!