Brodhead Pietenpol Association

Looking for recommendations for spacing between main wheels on landing gear?

My plane has 172" fuselage, mechanical disc brakes, split axle gear with coil spring shock, 19" dia rim - spoked wheels.

Thanks,
Mike Stineman

Mike; about all I can offer are a couple of data points. (1) in the 1932 Flying & Glider Manual, outside to outside of the axles on the early model is shown as 61-1/2" and it's shown with a solid axle and 26x4" tires, so the track on it (centerline of tire to centerline of tire) might be something like 57". It shows a 161" long fuselage. (2) The "improved" plans show 56" track, split gear with bungees, and a 163" long fuselage. (3) My airplane has a track of 56-3/4", split gear with die springs, and a 162" long fuselage. Are you seeing a pattern here? It's looking like something in the range of 4'-8" track is about average, regardless of fuselage length, but this is by no means an exhaustive survey. I think one of the typical ones with your setup is Ken Bickers's Air Camper, so maybe he'll chime in here.

Oscar Zuniga
Medford, OR
Air Camper NX41CC, A75 power

That's enough info to let me purchase the rest of the tubing I need.

Thanks Oscar.

Mike, I have the split axle as drawn on the plans. Measured center line to center line, the spacing between the tires is 58.5". Cheers, Ken

Thanks Ken - I’m finally getting back to this project.

Mike S

Here's some info on the gear in general:

http://www.westcoastpiet.com/wood_gear_ ... alysis.htm

John C