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Grove landing ger????or something else??

12 posts in this topic

Posted

I have standard Main Gear Legs on this 1999 Kitfox Classic IV with8" douglas wheels and  matco single piston brakes and King Fox tires.. I am pretty sure the axles  are 3/4" diameter.

I am trying to decide if I should order up a Grove landing gear to replace what I currently have. Should I ask for 2" taller gear???? mainly I am looking for stability improvement on ground handling during takeoff and landings and I have read that lots of people say the wider gear legs improve the ground handling.. IF I order the Grove gear legs and install their 3/4" heat treated axles, I have seen a couple of them that have failed, probably due to overload however it looks to be the  weak link  in the gear .Still they were ground loops.....not normal loads....

It would be nice to have a set of 8:00x6 tires and wheels for general flying and a set of 20" soft tundra tires for other stuff rougher places... 

Just looking for ideas of how to proceed..... Is this the Grove gear I want or should I order something else????

Kitfox Model 3 & 4
Wheels
Axles
Hardware

Installation Instructions
Kitfox Model 3 & 4 Landing Gear

 

Gross Weight: 1200 lbs.
Weight:  24.3 lbs.
Material: 7075-T6 Aluminum
Axle Bolt Hole Pattern: Type 1
Includes Gundrilled Brake Line
P/N 1021-3   Price: $1,995

Thanks, Mark Smith in Davenport

 

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Posted (edited)

That is the standard Grove gear and it works great.

I had that on my previous Kitfox IV-1050.  I used the Grove 6 x 6" wheels and double puck brakes because I HATED the Matco brakes on the bungee gear.  I didn't like the look of the wide Nanco/Nanking/King Fox ATV tires and wanted to go to a more durable aircraft tire.  I settled on 21 x 800-6 Aero Classic tires from Desser.  They were affordable, durable and plenty big for my needs.  To do this conversion, I already had the parts from my project plane so I cannibalized them as a learning experience to see if I would do the same on the new plane I was building.  It worked out very well.  

I chose to do the slightly longer spring on the Mangy for more ground clearance and a better 3-point angle of attack after talking with Robbie Grove.  Since I was building the plane at the time I reinforced the side longeron truss to strengthen this area in anticipation of the longer gear legs and possible future Bushwheel tires.

The investment to do the complete Grove system is substantial.  Wheels, brakes, gear and tires will set you back $3500 or more.  From my experience, this was money well spent in the performance gains I experienced.  Some may not agree with this, but I have been very happy and do not regret spending the money.

Edited by Av8r3400

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Posted (edited)

I would get a quote from Grove to make this gear 8" wider, like the KF5-7, and 2" taller if you wish.  The Grove gear for Avid 4 is 66" wide.  You could use it because I think the mount fittings will interchange.  I think I told you I have complete set of 6" wheels, brakes, external disks (NOT like the internal disks used on 8" wheels), tires and 1.25"? axles for $400 + shipping, but you have to specify the axle bolt spacing before you order gear from Grove.   I can copy the Avid picture and dimensions if you want it.  You will have to get the attachment fittings which are about $500 now?  The prices for the Avid gear are old - so add about $1000.   Grove gear is now 7075 Aluminum and is lighter than the old 2024 models.  EDMO 

 

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Edited by EDMO

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Posted

The larger gear for the 5-7ss won't work on a 4.  Neither will an Avid Spring.  They are 5" wide, where the Kitfox IV is 4".

What I had them do for me is the largest possible, still fitting the properly engineered mounts for that airframe.  Been there, done that.

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Posted (edited)

The larger gear for the 5-7ss won't work on a 4.  Neither will an Avid Spring.  They are 5" wide, where the Kitfox IV is 4".

What I had them do for me is the largest possible, still fitting the properly engineered mounts for that airframe.  Been there, done that.

Larry,  I didn't say to use the Kitfox 5-7 1550 GW spring gear - just ask Robby to make the KF 4 gear 8" wider to compare with Avid 4 at 66" wide, or the KF5-7 gear which is 68" wide.  The Avid 7075 spring is 4" or 4.5" wide now,  and the thickness has probably changed with the 7075, since it is 8 pounds lighter, same as Kitfox 4, and Avid gear should work on the Kitfox 4 because the fuselage attachments are the same.  He can ask Robby Grove.   I know Avid gear wouldn't fly on TKF, but we are not on that pissy site!   ;<)  EDMO

Scan0468.jpg

Edited by EDMO

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Posted

As I said, when I spoke directly to Robbie, I asked him how large he can make the spring, width and height, to fit a Kitfox Model IV.  This is what I now have.

Avid fuselage attachments are not the same as the Kitfox IV.

 

Avid gear won't fly on a Kitfox, because it won't fit.  Nothing to do with pissy...

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Posted (edited)

As I said, when I spoke directly to Robbie, I asked him how large he can make the spring, width and height, to fit a Kitfox Model IV.  This is what I now have.

Avid fuselage attachments are not the same as the Kitfox IV.

 

Avid gear won't fly on a Kitfox, because it won't fit.  Nothing to do with pissy...

Funny - Kitfox factory gear has been put on Avids - the fuselage fittings are the same.  Some members who I sold them to can verify that.  And Leni or someone talked about shortening the bungee tubes on the gear to strengthen and make it work.   It wont matter if Robby supplies the clamps and attachments to match gear and Kitfox 4.   Robby even has a diagram to custom order anything you want to design.   Best info is a call to him and tell him what you want.  EDMO

Scan0468.jpg

Edited by EDMO

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Posted (edited)

I wonder about this Ed.  I have the grove gear on the Kitfox 4 I'm rebuilding.  I thought about using the gear on the Avid MK IV I just rebuilt while I rebuilt the Kitfox.  I figured out it wouldn't work.  At least not without having the gear mounted on the Avid much further back then it was on the Kitfox.  I have a couple of pics showing the Avid fuselage/gear attachment brackets and the Kitfox 4 showing the same.   The Kitfox has an additional bracket mounted further forward pretty much at the front of the door plus the other brackets in the same place as the Avid does.  On the Kitfox, the grove mounts between the first and second bracket, If I mounted it on the Avid, it would be 6" or so inches back, in effect, between the second and third bracket.  HOpe that made sense.   JImChuk

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Edited by 1avidflyer

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Posted (edited)

You are probably correct Jim - Both Avid and Kitfox Grove gear springs should work, but the brackets to the fuselage would probably be different - just have to use what fits.  I know that older factory gears will fit each one.  I just wanted to let the guy know that he has options on the width and height of the gear when he orders it, and Grove will match the gear and fittings to his model of plane - He needs to talk to Robby Grove about that.   Then TKF misquoted me on using KF 5 gear and mixed in the old widths with new ones, and there we went - nothing new about that.  Not that I really care now.  Thanks,  EDMO

Could you flip sides with the brackets?  Make new ones?   Just a thought.....  ED

Edited by EDMO

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Posted

I just ended up going with the standard MK IV bungee gear.   Not that much of a problem if you stay on grass or snow.  Pavement, a little more of a challenge.  JImChuk

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Posted (edited)

Nick just PM'd a copy of the quote from Grove for spring gear and fittings for his Avid - it totaled $2914 with shipping and without any wheels or any extras - He is looking for a Bush gear now.  According to that, my Grove KF5 gear, wheels, brakes should be up around half of the $9500 I am asking for the whole hanger full of Kitfoxes and parts, and I have a complete set of 6" Matco wheels, axles & brakes too!  ???  EDMO

Edited by EDMO

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Posted

HighWing LLC is still building bush gear here and there. Less than half that cost and everything from the axles out is bolt on. I've posted on here that I'm not a fan of the metal springs but there are gobs of them out there flying that have no issues during "normal" ops. I pushed mine to the limit and found it. Lowell also makes a really nice removable aluminum fairing for his version.

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