I'm rebuilding a ground-looped S7 project with a 912 I picked up this winter. I'm covering the wings right now that I rebuilt and in the next few weeks will start working on the fuselage. It is an older (1995 kit) short-tail with the faired round tube gear legs. One was bent when the PO ground-looped it and bent the axle too. I spent some time with a press and got the gear leg straight again but it also looks like the other one has a bit of a bend too (I think the PO had some rough landings occasionally). I can straighten that one too as it's not bad but then that got me to thinking... I know there are the Roberts bush gear and the TK1 gear available and maybe others for the S7 in the market.
Anyone here have the Roberts bush gear or TK1 and can give me pros/cons of either or both? Anything you would do differently now that you have time on it? Anyone use anything else? Being in WY I will do off airport landings in pastures, etc. I'm not looking to put a ton of money into the project (I don't need the latest oleos, etc) and I don't care for a bunch of drag nor weight added but I can see the OEM gear I have will be a weak point if I do much more than the gravel strip where I fly.
I have the original 5/8" Matco axles so I know a new gear will need new wheels and brakes too because it looks like the newer aftermarket gear come with the 1 1/4" axles which would be much more robust than the original. Any suggestions for wheels/brakes since I'll need to buy those too? Again, not looking to go "top of the line" but looking for bang for the buck.
Any advice is much appreciated. If you don't feel comfortable saying anything in this thread then please private message me your thoughts.
Thanks,
Jay
Anyone here have the Roberts bush gear or TK1 and can give me pros/cons of either or both? Anything you would do differently now that you have time on it? Anyone use anything else? Being in WY I will do off airport landings in pastures, etc. I'm not looking to put a ton of money into the project (I don't need the latest oleos, etc) and I don't care for a bunch of drag nor weight added but I can see the OEM gear I have will be a weak point if I do much more than the gravel strip where I fly.
I have the original 5/8" Matco axles so I know a new gear will need new wheels and brakes too because it looks like the newer aftermarket gear come with the 1 1/4" axles which would be much more robust than the original. Any suggestions for wheels/brakes since I'll need to buy those too? Again, not looking to go "top of the line" but looking for bang for the buck.
Any advice is much appreciated. If you don't feel comfortable saying anything in this thread then please private message me your thoughts.
Thanks,
Jay
