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Thread: New to the forum / landing gear?

  1. #11
    Stephen's Avatar
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    Default Re: New to the forum / landing gear?

    I am starting the process of changing my stretched Pacer to the Trimmer PA 18 gear. The $750 for the STC and plans is only the start. Maule Oleo's will run between $1000 and $2000, Cabane Vee, attachment fitting and tubing another $1000, landing gear, $1200 to $2000. Add in tailwheel, and brake parts. Then the work starts. Removing the right wing and replacing the forward door frame tubing, replacing cross tubing and adding new support tubing and welding on attachment brackets. This is a big job. Then you have to change the rudder pedals, add a new brake system and a tailwheel. Whew! As Steve says the regular Pacer gear work fine. I've been flying back country and landing on sandbars for years. Why am I switching to PA 18 gear. Good question. Maybe because I like projects.
    "You can only tie the record for flying low."

  2. #12
    Gilbert Pierce's Avatar
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    Default Re: New to the forum / landing gear?

    Better for your mental and physical health than reclining in front the TV watching old videos and chowing down on snack food.

  3. #13
    Administrator Steve Pierce's Avatar
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    Default Re: New to the forum / landing gear?

    And you want a slower cruise speed.

  4. #14
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    Default Re: New to the forum / landing gear?

    I've done the trimmer gear to my plane. You can do it without stripping the entire fuselage but you might as well. You double up the cross tube where the front gear attach fittings mount. The vertical tube from the front left gear fitting to the left front wing attach gets replaced with a heavier wall tube. The rear gear attach fittings land out in the middle of nowhere. They require a cross tube and diagonal bracing that didnt exist before. Plus all the gingerbread on the belly gets stripped off and replaced with one single 1/2" u bent in an arch mounted between the front attach fittings.
    If you go for it you might as well do seaplane doors, Eddie's fuel STC, and Brian's (Steve's Aircraft) skylight while your at it.

    Here's a side shot to get a good look at how the super cub gear attaches compared to the stock Tri-Pacer. The stock Pacer gear mounts at the front fittings g where the super cub gear is and the fitting directly under the lift strut attach fittings.

    Dog for size reference.20200521_152308.jpeg

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  5. #15
    dhillier's Avatar
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    Default Re: New to the forum / landing gear?

    Quote Originally Posted by Stephen View Post
    I am starting the process of changing my stretched Pacer to the Trimmer PA 18 gear. The $750 for the STC and plans is only the start. Maule Oleo's will run between $1000 and $2000, Cabane Vee, attachment fitting and tubing another $1000, landing gear, $1200 to $2000. Add in tailwheel, and brake parts. Then the work starts. Removing the right wing and replacing the forward door frame tubing, replacing cross tubing and adding new support tubing and welding on attachment brackets. This is a big job. Then you have to change the rudder pedals, add a new brake system and a tailwheel. Whew! As Steve says the regular Pacer gear work fine. I've been flying back country and landing on sandbars for years. Why am I switching to PA 18 gear. Good question. Maybe because I like projects.

    Can you explain the details of the modification to the rudder pedal and brake system? Is the modification necessary due to the restructuring or an additional upgrade included in the STC?

  6. #16
    JPerkins's Avatar
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    Default Re: New to the forum / landing gear?

    If your converting a Tri-Pacer to tailwheel, you need toe brakes. The Tri-Pacer has a Johnson Bar that you pull to actuate both brakes at the same time. With a taildragger you need differential braking.
    You modify the rudder pedal assembly to accept toe brakes. It too is a healthy amount of work, but not unrealistic. If you look at stock Tri-Pacer rudder pedals, then the pictures on Eddie's website at trimmeraviation.com you can see the differences.

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

  7. #17
    Stephen's Avatar
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    Default Re: New to the forum / landing gear?

    Quote Originally Posted by JPerkins View Post
    I've done the trimmer gear to my plane. You can do it without stripping the entire fuselage but you might as well. You double up the cross tube where the front gear attach fittings mount. The vertical tube from the front left gear fitting to the left front wing attach gets replaced with a heavier wall tube. The rear gear attach fittings land out in the middle of nowhere. They require a cross tube and diagonal bracing that didnt exist before. Plus all the gingerbread on the belly gets stripped off and replaced with one single 1/2" u bent in an arch mounted between the front attach fittings.
    If you go for it you might as well do seaplane doors, Eddie's fuel STC, and Brian's (Steve's Aircraft) skylight while your at it.

    Here's a side shot to get a good look at how the super cub gear attaches compared to the stock Tri-Pacer. The stock Pacer gear mounts at the front fittings g where the super cub gear is and the fitting directly under the lift strut attach fittings.

    Dog for size reference.20200521_152308.jpeg

    Sent from my SM-G930V using ShortWingPipers.Org mobile app
    I like the dog.

    Luckily, I have a left door that already required replacing the left forward post with a 1 inch tube. And, I already have toe brakes and tail wheel. A few years ago I did the Superpacer/Bushmaster mod and didn't remove all the fuselage fabric. This time I'll open the boot cowl and remove the bottom and some side fabric just past the new gear attachment point. I like to do things the hard way. Thanks for the side view. I was wondering where the axel center on the Trimmer gear end up compared to Pacer gear. It looks like they are the same. This means my tail weight will be the same.

    A lower cruise is a question mark. The Maule oleo should be better than exposed bungees. I can always make next winters project converting it back to Pacer gear. That'll keep me off the beer, cookies and TV.
    "You can only tie the record for flying low."

  8. #18
    Stephen's Avatar
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    Default Re: New to the forum / landing gear?

    Quote Originally Posted by dhillier View Post
    Can you explain the details of the modification to the rudder pedal and brake system? Is the modification necessary due to the restructuring or an additional upgrade included in the STC?
    But, not necessary if your plane already has toe brakes.
    "You can only tie the record for flying low."

  9. #19

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    Default Re: New to the forum / landing gear?

    JPerkins that is one really nice looking Pacer!

    I’ve seen a Pacer for sale that was converted from a Tri-pacer with the Univair conversion. It looks to me like the gear is wider than a stock pacer, can anyone confirm that? Also wondering would either 29 or 31 Bush wheels work ok on this gear setup? Steve would you still recommend the ski tube reinforcements you mentioned previously?

    For those of you who fly the off airport strips more often, are there any STC’s for a beefier tail spring / tail wheel?

    thanks

  10. #20
    JPerkins's Avatar
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    Default Re: New to the forum / landing gear?

    Yes the univair gear is wider than the original paced gear. You definitely want the skin tube reinforcement if your going to run oversize tires, look how much more of an arm they are compared to stock size. That means the same load imposed at the tread is multiplied at the axle with a taller tire.
    I used an Airframes Alaska heavy duty super cub spring, seems to be holding up well after 4 years 250 hours and a thousand landings.

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