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Thread: Trimmer gear speed penalty?

  1. #1
    Marc Davis's Avatar
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    Default Trimmer gear speed penalty?

    For those that have done the trimmer gear mod. Any feeling for how much cruise speed it cost?
    Anyone ever done the mod without recovering the whole fuselage? I'm about 1/2 way doing the Steve's skylight mod and it got me to thinking.

    Thanks
    Marc

  2. #2
    JPerkins's Avatar
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    Default Re: Trimmer gear speed penalty?

    It can be done without recovering, but you do cut all the gingerbread off the bottom. By the Tim you do that, and peel the fabric back on the sides to add the reinforcement tubing you've all but done a recover.

    As for speed penalty, not sure. Wasn't looking for speed when I did the mod. Cruise was the same, but I think it did shave a little off top end. Not sure how much though. If you threw some rag on the gear legs that might help.

    Sent from my SM-G930V using ShortWingPipers.Org mobile app

  3. #3
    Stephen's Avatar
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    Default Re: Trimmer gear speed penalty?

    I've also been thinking about this mod and the effects on cruise speed. It seems the cruise speed may be less effected if shocks are used instead of bungees. I was also curious about the weight difference.
    Last edited by Stephen; 05-11-2018 at 05:05 AM.
    "You can only tie the record for flying low."

  4. #4
    mmoyle's Avatar
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    Default Re: Trimmer gear speed penalty?

    I may.....make aluminum gear covers with some NACA foil shape...prolly out of .016” or .020” and blend the parts Kent White has partially formed to fare the wheel/brake calipers.


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

  5. #5
    Stephen's Avatar
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    Default Re: Trimmer gear speed penalty?

    Beautiful work.

    Because of the relative low cruising speeds of our shortwingers it takes a lot of faring modifications to notice increases in airspeed. Years ago I took off my wing strut farings and I could not see a difference in cruising speeds, then when I removed the fabric on my landing gear the difference in cruising speed was only slight. And, each time I increased my tire size the AS change was very little. But collectively, drag does add up. A cleaner plane not only has a higher cruise more importantly it has a better glide.
    Last edited by Stephen; 05-11-2018 at 08:18 PM.
    "You can only tie the record for flying low."

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