HD Gear Fairings

Andy Young · Post by **Andy Young** » Tue Apr 24, 2012 8:47 pm

Honestly, once the fairings are back on, it takes a pretty sharp eye to notice that it's not the stock gear anyway. So probably never get any trouble from the FAA on it. As far as the insurance company goes, if the gear fails and causes an accident, you might have a problem. But if you have an accident NOT related to gear trouble, then they likely would not try to deny you, even if they noticed that you had modified it. This is based on long, frank conversations with the insurance guys.

Andy

NZMaule · Post by **NZMaule** » Sat Jul 07, 2012 2:24 am

NZMaule wrote:So back on topic...... has anyone else put fairings on the extended HD gear similar to what TimB posted a while back - which looked good. Any reports on what the new AK Bushwheels extended gear may lose in terms of speed compared with the faired standard legs??
While my Maule is not a speed machine every little bit helps

So to answer my own question by going to the HD extended gear (and adding VG's) I've lost about 4kts in the cruise (Mx7180b). However the new gear feels great and the Maule stands with a great angle of attack like it deserves

Sam Rutherford · Post by **Sam Rutherford** » Wed Nov 21, 2012 10:28 pm

I'm afraid I'm with JMTGT, my experiences with Erik Van Veenan have been considerably less than positive.

Fly safe, Sam.

iceman · Post by **iceman** » Thu Nov 22, 2012 7:02 am

soooo we're back on topic here after a long hiatus... NZmaule how much did the exten ded gear raise your prop from the ground... and are those 29's.. putting the 29's on raised my prop clearance 6 and a half inches. and I was wondering how much more you get with the extended gear. saving my pennies for heavy duty gear.. but havent decided to go the extended or just the stock length heavy duty gear... ABW of course...Happy thanksgiving to all by the way...

NZMaule · Post by **NZMaule** » Thu Nov 22, 2012 9:22 pm

Hey iceman, I didn't measure my prop clearance as that was a bit of a bonus rather than the main reason for the HD extended gear. I'm on 31's so the prop clearance now is fantastic, hard to imagine ever picking up anything with that - most prop chips I think are coming from stones flicked forward off the tyres.
The gear feels really good on the Maule and certainly makes a difference to AoA and ground clearance. Only down side is the drag (more than I expected) and it is now quite difficult for less dextrous people to get into the aircraft. I have to carry around a small fold out step/stool for punters.

iceman · Post by **iceman** » Thu Nov 22, 2012 10:16 pm

I can immagine... I'm still not used to having to jump down to the ground after a flight with the 29's on. and as big tires go 29's are not radical, although everyone at my airport shakes their heads in amazement at seeing them on the Maule..but then none of them go to the places I go...

truthinbeer · Post by **truthinbeer** » Fri Nov 23, 2012 12:39 am

NZMaule wrote:Hey iceman, I didn't measure my prop clearance as that was a bit of a bonus rather than the main reason for the HD extended gear. I'm on 31's so the prop clearance now is fantastic, hard to imagine ever picking up anything with that - most prop chips I think are coming from stones flicked forward off the tyres.
The gear feels really good on the Maule and certainly makes a difference to AoA and ground clearance. Only down side is the drag (more than I expected) and it is now quite difficult for less dextrous people to get into the aircraft. I have to carry around a small fold out step/stool for punters.

Haahahahaa. We'll be calling you Capt. Fruitbox

NZMaule · Post by **NZMaule** » Fri Nov 23, 2012 10:01 am

gbarrier · Post by **gbarrier** » Thu Sep 18, 2014 1:09 pm

Someone said that it was a good idea to remove gear fairings at annual and check the gear legs with a straight edge. Since I had never been there thought I would take a look. Glad to say that after nearly 30 years they looked brand new.

The fairings on the other hand are a little dog eared. Now, I can shear and brake up a new set or just go naked. Or...... has anyone just wrapped the legs in fabric. Works on the Champ. You could check the legs for straightness without removing it since the fabric echoes the shape of the tube. Couldn't spot a crack but bet I would show up pretty quickly as a bow.

Thoughts?

crbnunit · Post by **crbnunit** » Thu Sep 18, 2014 3:47 pm

Hmmm. Fabric! I never thought of that.

aero101 · Post by **aero101** » Thu Sep 18, 2014 4:43 pm

Fabric would work well, no problem, but I even remove fabric from most recover jobs up here just so you can keep a good eye on everything gear related. Don't think speed sacrifice would be more then 5MPH anyway, maybe someone has documented that loss here on site?

gbarrier · Post by **gbarrier** » Thu Sep 18, 2014 6:44 pm

Thanks. I painted them today so i'll try it bare for a while. Then perhaps I'll wrap a little rag, squirt on a coat or two of color and expect to rip it off in a year or two. It's certainly not structural.

Other option may be a two piece fairing which can be unscrewed at the back easily. Or perhaps a cover out of the colored nylon like the ultra lite boys use that can be velcroed on. I need to stop trying to reinvent the wheel.

chazdevil · Post by **chazdevil** » Thu Sep 18, 2014 8:55 pm

My only experience with rag gear fairings were on a Pitts. The prop wash was always knocking the #%^^ out of them. We finally went aluminum and never looked back.
FWIW.

MauleMechanic · Post by **MauleMechanic** » Thu Sep 18, 2014 11:45 pm

NZMaule wrote:....the Maule stands with a great angle of attack like it deserves

MauleMechanic · Post by **MauleMechanic** » Thu Sep 18, 2014 11:54 pm

http://www.homebuiltairplanes.com/forum ... ear-2.html

HD Gear Fairings

Fairing material

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