heavy duty gear

MikeW · Post by **MikeW** » Sat Jun 07, 2008 2:31 pm

There was a post a while back on Bushwheels coming out with some extended maule gear. I have only seen the heavy duty gear, has anyone heard anything about extended gear.

Also, if the main weakness of maule gear is the oleo springs I'm curious how effective the new gear is assuming it still uses that same oleo set up. Anyone out there purchased the new gear, if so how do you like it?

Mikew

iceman · Post by **iceman** » Sat Jun 07, 2008 4:55 pm

John the gun trader has the new gear although I don't think he has it on yet as his plane is down for repairs. He could tell you if they are extended though as I suppose so could Wup since he makes them. Something is wrong with backcountry pilots site at the moment. Can't seem to get it to come up but if you PM John he'll get back to you. I'd like to know myself if they are extended. Seems wider on my M4 would be an improvement.

MikeW · Post by **MikeW** » Sat Jun 07, 2008 5:06 pm

I went to the Alaska airmen's show and the gear they had there was heavy duty but not extended, so that much I know. Their booth was very busy so I didn't get to ask them much regarding the heavy duty gear, or if they had thought about making an extended gear. I have an M4 also and would be very interested in a 3 or 4 inch extended gear.

Mike

xwildcat · Post by **xwildcat** » Wed Jun 11, 2008 6:41 pm

I've got the HD gear and love the design. I chased a left-wing-low problem for quite awhile. Eventually it was evident the original gear was bent. When I put Bushwheels on, I didn't want to wear them out with taxiing and the best way to avoid that is to make sure the toe in is perfectly set and it stays that way. The HD gear will protect the Bushwheels as well as the airframe.

After about 200 landings in all kinds of places, I'm very glad I went with the new HD gear.

Greg Miller told me to do this a year before I bought my Maule. It's based on his design and he was 100% right.

If you can afford it, get the HD gear. If you cannot afford it, then definitely get it because the alternative could be much more expensive... two cents deposited.

MikeW · Post by **MikeW** » Wed Jun 11, 2008 7:01 pm

Hmmm...if I can't afford it then buy it anyway. That's a very creative solution to personal finance. I'll run that one by the wife.

It sounds like you are liking the new gear, that's good. I was curious if after a while the oleo springs would weaken just like the regular gear, but I'm sure it has the NAS hardware to strengthen it which would help.

Mikew

a64pilot · Post by **a64pilot** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 12:15 pm

The gear and the OLEO are of course two entirely different things. Same place, but different. The OLEO strut broke on mine, so the gear wouldn't have helped. I'm told that is very rare though. Because of the strut breaking, I want safety cables. I'm told it is the gear that usually gives up.
The most logical argument against the HD gear that I have heard is the you are merely moving the weak point up into the fuselage, but in any chain there will be a weak link. If I needed gear anyway, I would purchase the HD gear. I don't think I would if I didn't need gear. My 2 cents.

Hottshot · Post by **Hottshot** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 8:30 am

Hey guys!

We are working on the HD Extended gear but there are a few projects that we are finishing up first, the safty cables are in the works as well.

Now as the Oleo Struts go there has not been a major issue with them other than the earlyer "lighter" springs that will over time sag with the wieght of the airplane and the HD springs will suffer the same fate over time.. should be a long time.

YELLOWMAULE · Post by **YELLOWMAULE** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 9:46 am

If anybody cares, I'll throw my "wish" list out here. If I had to choose, I would want the safety cables before I had any want for the extended gear legs. Greg won't allow me in any of his videos, too ugly I guess, so I don't care about clearance. But the places I go, there's no tool box other than what I carry. That little bit of insurance would be really cool.

Hottshot · Post by **Hottshot** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 1:20 pm

Bill and I were talking about this the other night , so don't worry we are working on it!

mauleace · Post by **mauleace** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 5:55 pm

I have just completed a major upgrade my the landing gear. I installed new struts from Maule, the AKB HD gear, double puck brakes and new 8.50s.

I had done the struts a month or so ago and that made a noticeable difference in the handling of the plane. Adding the AKB gear has made a bigger difference in the stiffness of the gear.

There must have been a lot of flexing with the old gear.

I did not really think the cost for the AKB gear was justified, but it has made very big difference in the way the plane handles. If you have any doubts about your gear, take a look at this option. It is an easy installation.

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 9:13 am

I had wing droop syndrome and replaced gear with new H D gear from AK bushwheel, at the same time I rebuilt the struts with H D springs from Maule. This cured wing droop and everything is straight and level. I would recommend doing both at the same time because getting the weight off the gear can be a challenge unless you have lift rings. Fix it all at once! I also installed double puck brakes and 10'' wheels with 11x28 tires Its awsome!! I land in a farmers field in the Adirondacks and they work great. When I removed the old gear I was easy to see that it was bent.
Good Luck
Mike
Wup and Bill at AK Bushwheel can help you with everything

Out

aero101 · Post by **aero101** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 10:31 am

Just another opinion, but if the gear is not bent or otherwise worn out, I would replace the oleo springs and bolts which will allow for use of full travel of suspension and make a big difference in handling and stress on gear that no longer is bottoming out due to sagging springs!!! (which is generally what bends / breaks gear) Then if you're buying the bushwheel tires, that in itself takes another good deal of stress off the gear as the tires absorb a good deal more shock load? Personally I see no need for the HD gear unless you're doing a lot of really rough field landing work at high gross weights, not to downplay ABI's gear, as it is a nice gear and is stronger by considerable amount. Just think that the original gear is quite adequate if maintained properly and will take a good deal of abuse??

mauleace · Post by **mauleace** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 10:52 am

I don't beleive there was anything wrong with my orignal Maule gear. My plane does not show signs of past abuse. No bent bolts, etc.

If anyone is interested, I have the used landing gear and the oleo struts I removed. The struts have been disasembled becuase I was going to rebuild them, but decided instead to buy new ones. All of the parts came off an airworthy airplane and should be good for reuse.

If interested, make me an offer.

Russnrenea · Post by **Russnrenea** » Sat Nov 20, 2010 4:07 am

Any news on the extended gear. I recently bought an M5-180C. I'm always getting the tailwheel first on landing with lots of flying left in the wing. I seem to be suffering from the wing droop while parked, I'll be looking into any issues with the stock gear that is on it. Guess i could go to larger tires to add some inches to the main gear height, but the wife doesn't want to loose any cruise speed.

Russ
N141AR

NZMaule · Post by **NZMaule** » Mon Nov 29, 2010 11:45 pm

I agree Russ, and am waiting on extended gear - though may have to consider bushwheels as an alternative to increase clearance and AoA. I'm guessing there's a lot more involved to getting STC's for extended gear rather than the current AKB's heavy duty standard length gear.

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