I have searched and read all of the forums I could find, but;

For you folks that have had both, what are the pros and cons of the different Airframes Alaska gear. I currently have the Maule factory gear with 31" Bushwheels with the Baby Bushwheel and feel that I should upgrade at some time in the future.

I do understand the height difference which helps with AOA, but as a pilot, what factors do I need to address to make the decision for my plane.

1989 Long Wing M7-235

Thanks

Having had both, the only advantages I can see to the stock length heavy duty gear over the extended gear are price and view over the nose.

A bit more drag with extended gear and one needs to make new fairings to save 5-6mph.
Extended gear has a better aOA if running on 8.50s so better takeoff and landings.

Another thing to remember is that extended gear comes with new extended oleo strut tubes. We have all seen what the original bolt holes look like when the oleo's are taken apart. I have seen a couple that were starting to oval...
heavy gear you re-use the originals

I went to extended gear when I found cracks in the bearings for the lower attach point of the oleo tubes. The holes in the gear where the bearings go were starting to oval also. Turned into an expensive piece of mind I guess.

The reduced visibility over the nose doesn't bother me. I do like the added clearance to the spinning thing on the front though.... does make you step that much higher to get in to the plane also....

Depends on how much you want to spend. Extended gear with longer oleos is the optimum solution, especially if you have a larger prop. I have the standard ABI HD gear since they hadn't come out with the extended gear when I bought them. I'm short and it's a pretty big step up to the foot peg with the 31" bushwheels. I don't know how hard it would be with the extended gear. I think it raises the foot peg a few more inches. I have to use a tapered 3" seat cushion to see over the nose during taxi now and I still have to make S turns to get a clear view ahead. I'd probably need a second seat cushion with the extended gear.

I'm already on the 31", so is there still an AOA benefit with the extended gear. I understand how this sounds, but is there a point to where the higher you raise the nose, the wing is not going to benefit at low speeds for takeoff and landing?
If using the extended gear has a drastic advantage with 8.50, at what point with bigger tires does the Maule gain the same AOA benefit?

I had expected to replace the Oleos when I upgraded the gear, so the pricing is close for both options.
I seem to remember an old post where Jeremy or someone used the factory fairing on the HD gear also, so the speed loss was not as much.

I am also running the 3 Blade MT, so I'm not overly concerned with prop clearance, besides the stray Texas whitetail deer.

If there is such a point of diminishing returns, it is somewhere north of 31s and extended gear. My M-6-235 performs better with extended gear and 31s than it did on standard gear and 31s, which did better than standard gear and 8.50s. I have a friend who is running extended gear and 35s, and I believe he has an advantage over my extended gear and 31s.

To address your other comment, it may be that standard gear and 31s gets you about the same AOA as extended gear and 8.50s. I’d have to measure tire height differences to calculate that, but it might be close.

As far as fairings go, when I had standard-length heavy-duty gear, I was able to modify my stock fairings to fit. When I went to extended gear, I made new custom fairings for that gear. In both cases, there was a significant speed advantage. I did write-ups on this forum on both fairing projects.

Thanks for all the help, I do appreciate it.

Andy Young wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 21, 2020 8:12 pm

To address your other comment, it may be that standard gear and 31s gets you about the same AOA as extended gear and 8.50s. I’d have to measure tire height differences to calculate that, but it might be close.

you are right. when i was swapping to extended gear i had a standard gear leg with a 31" on one side, and on the other i had the extended gear with an 8.50-6 on it. it sat perfectly level. i have a pic, but don't know how to post them anymore.

My 31s are brand new, so I'm guessing that it's not necessary to go with the 35s on the Extended gear. It just seems that I always see 35s on the Maules with Extended gear.

wtxdragger wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 24, 2020 6:31 pm

My 31s are brand new, so I'm guessing that it's not necessary to go with the 35s on the Extended gear. It just seems that I always see 35s on the Maules with Extended gear.

Interesting. I would say that up here (Alaska) the most common combination is probably either stock gear with 31s or extended gear with 31s. The numbers of each are probably pretty close.

Hi UP-M5, there is a new way to post pictures now on this new forum site.
I'd be interested to see that odd tyre size picture.

maules.com wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 24, 2020 10:51 pm

Hi UP-M5, there is a new way to post pictures now on this new forum site.
I'd be interested to see that odd tyre size picture.

Yes please, +1.

an 8.50-6 on 4" gear vs. a 31" bushwheel on stock gear