FT Explorer Landing Gear

[Beetlebeetle]

Thought you'd like to see the landing gear I made for my Explorer. It's difficult to launch it when it is very heavy with 2 batteries, camera etc. I also made a set for my Racer. I bought a metre of aluminium stock from the hardware store ($4) and bent it to shape then used some screws to attach the two bottom braces. I cut a slot into the foam for the cross-bar, added a lot of hot glue to the slot then 2 beads to where the braces would lay then pressed the whole thing into the foam. It is very strong and light!




I just need to add a tail-wheel.

 

[Jugsy]

This looks awesome, planning to do this myself soon - I've been trying to land it flat to minimize stress on the tail boom but I'd really like to get it off the ground altogether.

Have you seen anyone try a tricycle setup?

 

[Beetlebeetle]

Thanks!

I didn't do a tricycle setup because the fields I fly from are grass and small nose wheels can take a beating. The large wheels are able to cope.

 

[Garret234]

This is very cool! I have a old aluminum landing gear from a trainer 20 that would probably work pretty good! Thanks for the inspiration !

 

[slandon]

Hello Beetlebeetle, nice job on the landing gear. I too put gear under my Explorer. I used plywood for a hard point to mount the gear and screwed it to another piece of ply on the inside to keep it all together. I also put a tail wheel on for good measure. Again, nice job.

 

[Jugsy]

Slandon, your landing gear looks better than some of the Manufactured models I've seen haha. Well done! Thanks for the inspiration all!

 

[mrwis@yahoo.com]

I like the wing supports. I built mine with a straight wing with a metal spar. I've yet to madien it. I may build the dihedral wing and do the supports if it's a bit difficult for me with the straight wing.

 

[M2oseMarshall]

Nice Job on the Landing Gear

Really like both "Landing Gears" and the Tail Wheel! What size Aluminium stock did you use Beetlebeetle? Also, Slandon where did you get the tail wheel? I really like both!!!

 

[slandon]

Thanks for the kind words everyone. The tail wheel is the Dubro .40 size unit I picked up at my LHS. The white arms are servo arms with wheel collars stuck in them. (I had to cut a notch is the servo arm hub for the set screws to fit) I added a piece of lite ply for the wires to pass through for added strength. I did a similar set up on my Bushwacker. Again thanks.

 

[smaragos]

How is the ground handling?

 

[slandon]

The ground handling is very good. It tracks straight down the runway with very little rudder needed. Taxiing is great, and no tendency to ground loop at all.

 

[rickgode]

Here is my FT Explorer with landing gear



I used a carbon rod to reinforce the wing and it is flat. The flight controller I'm using is a Cyclops Tornado.

I also added a landing gear. (I got the idea from the DIY Landing Gear Article) Instead of using popsicyle sticks to anchor the zip ties on the inside, I used another piece of light ply the width of the tail boom inside. IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT/FRUSTRATING to get the zip ties to loop around inside after everything was installed and built, but I am very pleased with the results.

If I would have known I was going to add gear, I would have put another rod in the rudder servo that went down to a steerable tail wheel. Right now, the tail wheel just castors. It works fine and the larger wheels handle grass fields well.




Below is some video footage.

Ricky

 

[magic_marty]

Hello all..I put landing gear on my explorer much like to first picture in the thread only i used 2 BBQ skewers and use rubber bands to hold the gear on it works very well and can pop off in a crash or ruff landing but it's weird when i take off the plane wants to push the nose to the ground is this normal for pushers with gear ? I have them pretty far forward like the pics posted..i have to hold hard up elevator to keep it from nosing completely over, i added more pitch to the thrust angle cause it was pushing down hard in flight and it helped but still wants to nose over when taking off..

 

[Hai-Lee]

Hello all..I put landing gear on my explorer much like to first picture in the thread only i used 2 BBQ skewers and use rubber bands to hold the gear on it works very well and can pop off in a crash or ruff landing but it's weird when i take off the plane wants to push the nose to the ground is this normal for pushers with gear ? I have them pretty far forward like the pics posted..i have to hold hard up elevator to keep it from nosing completely over, i added more pitch to the thrust angle cause it was pushing down hard in flight and it helped but still wants to nose over when taking off..

If you fit the landing gear too close to the CG then nose over on taxiing and take off will always be a problem. If possible move the main wheels forward and you will notice a reduced tendency to nose over.