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Lift Strut Fairlings

12 posts in this topic

Posted

Anyone know a good source for lift strut fairings?  This is for a Kitfox Model III (will need to verify the tube dia).  Preferably plastic vice wood.

Also, anyone done some good comparisons in speed between faired vs unfaired?  I think I heard mention of 5-10 MPH somewhere

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Posted (edited)

Kitfox sells them but the shipping is killer because of the length. Try Rans and Quad City Challenger too. 

I dont have personal numbers but I have heard consistent big numbers over the years for gains as well. 10-12 is the highest I've heard. I'd say it definitely worth the effort. 

Edited by C5Engineer

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Posted

Not sure where you are located but U- Fly it has them too. Just out curious  how come you don't want the wood ones they seem the easiest.

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Posted (edited)

Cheapest non-wood is to find someone with a 8-foot box-brake and have him make a bend in some aluminum for the front, and a 160-170 degree bend on one side at the rear, then you can finish crimping it over the other side with pliers or vicegrips after the epoxy is applied to the struts.

EDMO

Edited by EDMO

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Posted (edited)

Cheapest non-wood is to find someone with a 8-foot box-brake and have him make a bend in some aluminum for the front, and a 160-170 degree bend on one side at the rear, then you can finish crimping it over the other side with pliers or vicegrips after the epoxy is applied to the struts.

EDMO

I cant edit this any more - so adding:  Might be best to make just a short (6"?) pattern that fits the way you want it, and take that to the guy with the brake and give him the length needed, along with the angles at the bottom of the front fairing - You may not be able to crimp that part - just rivet?

EDMO

Edited by EDMO

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Posted (edited)

Cheapest non-wood is to find someone with a 8-foot box-brake and have him make a bend in some aluminum for the front, and a 160-170 degree bend on one side at the rear, then you can finish crimping it over the other side with pliers or vicegrips after the epoxy is applied to the struts.

EDMO

I cant edit this any more - so adding:  Might be best to make just a short (6"?) pattern that fits the way you want it, and take that to the guy with the brake and give him the length needed, along with the angles at the bottom of the front fairing - You may not be able to crimp that part - just rivet?

EDMO

OOPS, Maybe I should have said, angle of rear fairing....I has to clear fuselage when folding wings.

And, remember to have him bend 2 pieces in the opposite direction, so you put the crimped edge on the bottom of each strut...

EDMO

Edited by EDMO
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Posted (edited)

Cheapest non-wood is to find someone with a 8-foot box-brake and have him make a bend in some aluminum for the front, and a 160-170 degree bend on one side at the rear, then you can finish crimping it over the other side with pliers or vicegrips after the epoxy is applied to the struts.

EDMO

I cant edit this any more - so adding:  Might be best to make just a short (6"?) pattern that fits the way you want it, and take that to the guy with the brake and give him the length needed, along with the angles at the bottom of the front fairing - You may not be able to crimp that part - just rivet?

EDMO

OOPS, Maybe I should have said, angle of rear fairing....I has to clear fuselage when folding wings.

And, remember to have him bend 2 pieces in the opposite direction, so you put the crimped edge on the bottom of each strut...

EDMO

I was trying to say, make a right and  left side fairings...make sure the hole for the jury struts is on the top side. 

Edited by EDMO

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Posted

Not sure where you are located but U- Fly it has them too. Just out curious  how come you don't want the wood ones they seem the easiest.

Checked with the U-Fly it folks and looks like they have some options there.  One snag is that I have 7/8" OD struts (small for what Kitfox sells).

Shying from wood do to the labor involved (real or perceived).  From what I can tell, you need to shape them, then glue on, cover, and go through the painting process, which would most likely require pulling the struts off the bird (which I don't want to do right now).  Goal would be to fit, remove, paint and install.  Hopefully there is something out there like that.

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Posted

Avid requires you use the wood fairings, part of the structure of the lift struts. Not sure about Kitfox though.

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Posted (edited)

Avid requires you use the wood fairings, part of the structure of the lift struts. Not sure about Kitfox though.

I think that the wood stiffeners may have been required on the early Kifoxes, but don't know about later ones with larger diameter struts - guessing the plastic is OK on them, since Kitfox sells it.

EDMO

Edited by EDMO

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Posted

Good point.  I checked my model III build manual and they show fairings as optional.  The model III has 7/8". 

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Posted (edited)

My struts are 1", so I may try the aluminum fairings someday, but I have 2 sets of the wood fairings from models 2 & 3.

My Kitfox 1 never had them installed on the 3/4" struts.

EDMO

Edited by EDMO

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