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Cracked 582 C-Gearbox Housing


9 posts in this topic

Posted (edited)

On my way home from the Kitfox Fly-in I started to accumulate a fine mist of oil on my windshield and cowling.  It became apparent it was gear oil and I assumed it was a bad front propeller shaft seal on the C-Gearbox.  I decreased my leg lengths, cleaned up at each stop and added gear oil as necessary.  Made it home to Chicago and pulled the front half of the gearbox to replace the seal.  I realized I didn't have the proper gear puller, wrench and jig to do it myself so I took it into Leading Edge Airfoils for them to do it.  I was surprised this past Monday when they informed me the housing was cracked almost in half.  To their credit, L.E.A.F. didn't charge me even though they disassembled and degreased all the parts.

IMG_9868.thumb.jpg.96f14d670e6709d0cae61IMG_9869.thumb.jpg.5fe9ed0970ea0df5c7e65Anybody else experience this type of failure?

 

Edited by Av8r_Sed

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Posted (edited)

 Wow, never heard of such a thing before.  That would have sure ruined your trip if it let go completely while flying.   Wow, just looked at the new price for the cover.  OUCH!   To bad it's not a B box, I have a good case for one of those.   JImChuk

Edited by 1avidflyer

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Posted

For the record, I got a reply back from RotaxRick today saying he's never seen one crack this way either. 

He also says C Box gearboxes and parts are starting to dry up with Rotax going out of production on these and with all the Apex and RX-1 conversions going on now. 

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Posted

For the record, I got a reply back from RotaxRick today saying he's never seen one crack this way either. 

He also says C Box gearboxes and parts are starting to dry up with Rotax going out of production on these and with all the Apex and RX-1 conversions going on now. 

From one who knows little about these - Does that mean that Rotax is only going to make the E-box?  Can the E-box be used without the starter, since the RX & Apex evidently have their own starter?  Does someone now need to make an adapter for the 912 gearbox, or will it work?  Just questions I would imagine that someone doing the conversion might ask.  EDMO

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Posted

The 912 gearbox only has the front half with the rear part cast into the engine block so that will not be very useful.

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Posted

The 912 gearbox only has the front half with the rear part cast into the engine block so that will not be very useful.

I wonder if the adapter could be made to replace the rear part of it too?  Guess that is a question for the adapter makers?  If the E-drive can be used without the starter attached - maybe with a cover plate over that opening - then there should be a supply of current production gearboxes - although maybe a little higher priced?  EDMO

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Posted

Did the simmonini? Use a c box or a copy.There may be a few of these lying around.

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Posted

They're continuing to manufacture the B and E. Not sure if you can blank off the starter area on the E, but I would guess you can. 

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Posted

Can you put the RK400 clutch in an E box?

 

Using the front half of a 912 box will be very difficult.  The drive gear (smaller) is mounted to the crankshaft of the engine and the driven gear (larger) is mounted to the output shaft in the opposite half of the gearbox.  This means that the drive gear placement must be very precise  in relation to the fron half of the gearbox and the back (engine side) of the new gearbox must be very robust.   

This will probably make this new gearbox much heavier than others in the market. 

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