Dick wrote:
Having almost worn out my Pazmany "Landing Gear Design for Light Aircraft"
while trying to resolve available materials and my fabrication abilities
regarding the main legs, a little help is requested..

Not having access to heat treating and basically being too cheap to purchase
HT'd, solid rod or leaf legs , the main gear leg ended up being a 4130 tube
sliding inside another, compressing an external Die Spring under landing
loads. This has tricycle gear with mains angled slightly aft of main spar
and maybe 30 degrees outboard. Gross is anticipated at 950 lbs.

Now in a fit of "amateur designer remorse "G, my concern is the "slot" cut
lengthwise into the one tube possibly weakening the leg too much considering
the "outboard alignment" ?? Additionally visual inspection of any "slot"
cracking or through bolt wear would be difficult with external spring and
outer tube .

Presently considering eliminating the Die Spring approach since a nearby
Sonex has a solid 1-1/2" Titanium rod leg and a T-18 grossing at 1500 lbs
has concentric heavy wall 4130 legs. To me, both appear to have no shock
absorption except in tire deflection.

Please feel free to muddy my mental waters G.

Thanks, Dick




I got my Delta gear legs heat treated (6150 steel hardened to C41). I
think it was something like $40, plus the shipping to somewhere up
around Pittsburgh, PA.