Wheels for Power Pod
- Thread starter darryn
- Start date
Always trying to keep they as light as possible (i.e. dont use rc cars wheels) I guess you can use any like these ones from Hobbyking
Different is how to attach them .. still looking for some stiff wire that doesnt bend on every landing
Edit: a couple bags of the yellow ones are on their way home, I'll upload a few pics when they arrive
Different is how to attach them .. still looking for some stiff wire that doesnt bend on every landing
Edit: a couple bags of the yellow ones are on their way home, I'll upload a few pics when they arrive
Maingear
Flugzeug Liebhaber
I use that yellow style wheel as well. Can the yellow be painted over? These are usually stocked at your local hobby shop.
http://shop.dubro.com/p/1-23-micro-sport-wheels/aircraft_tires-wheels?pp=12
http://shop.dubro.com/p/1-23-micro-sport-wheels/aircraft_tires-wheels?pp=12
These work great for me
I found that a nice cheep alternative was to use 'Pinewood Derby" wheels from the BSA. They were like $3 for a set of four from my local hobby store. I've been using wire from "Home Depot" that is used for hanging suspended ceiling tracks. It's the perfect weight and can be easily readjusted. Buy one bundle and you're set for a very long time. I attach the wheels to the landing gear using servo clips. They work like a champ!
I found that a nice cheep alternative was to use 'Pinewood Derby" wheels from the BSA. They were like $3 for a set of four from my local hobby store. I've been using wire from "Home Depot" that is used for hanging suspended ceiling tracks. It's the perfect weight and can be easily readjusted. Buy one bundle and you're set for a very long time. I attach the wheels to the landing gear using servo clips. They work like a champ!
Always trying to keep they as light as possible (i.e. dont use rc cars wheels) I guess you can use any like these ones from Hobbyking
Different is how to attach them .. still looking for some stiff wire that doesnt bend on every landing
Edit: a couple bags of the yellow ones are on their way home, I'll upload a few pics when they arrive
Crash_Expert
Aerial Photographer
mikemacwillie
Senior Member
I'm using some of the hobbyking wheels as well. There are some yellow ones that only have a shipping weight of 4g, which must be a mistake... But may as well take advantage of it while you can. They also have some pre-bent wire landing gear which are perfect for the smaller blue-wonder sized swappables where the gear is attached to the bottom of the pod.
https://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=9886
https://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=9886
ViperTech
Member
If you have access to it, pool noodles make great wheels, with plastic bottle caps for the rims!
I use 3/32" piano wire for the gear, it does bend on hard landing but you just bend it right back!
I found #4 nuts just fit the wire snuggly and with some C/A they stay put!
View attachment 30660 View attachment 30659
I use 3/32" piano wire for the gear, it does bend on hard landing but you just bend it right back!
I found #4 nuts just fit the wire snuggly and with some C/A they stay put!
View attachment 30660 View attachment 30659
MyDigitalParadise
New member
Just ordered 40 wheels from hobby king. The yellow ones for light weight use (https://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=65720) and Some somewhat thicker wheels when the weight isn't an issue. My Flying Venues are limited to a rough ballfield or a dry lakebed so my landing surfaces are far from smooth. That said the 40mm is about as small as I want to go and I hope to pick up a few larger diameter wheels in the future. At less then 2$ for 10 you cannot beat the price.
As for the wire bending there are solutions available depending on the effort you wish to invest. Simple solution is to wind a line up the wire for about an inch, CA it into place then stretch over to an equivalent location on the other side. I usually do this about 1/3 of the way down from the fuselage mounting. This leaves some bend still in the wire for rough landings but keeps it from becoming severe. What another friend did though was to wrap the line on each leg and tie it to a light weight but stiff spring at about the half way mark of the landing gear wire. This worked great for him. All that said I find it much better to need to straighten the wire than for a rough landing to take it's force out on the aircraft.
While I am new here I have been flying for 10 years now and so far I've found nothing more forgiving than the wired landing gear. Stiffer flat bar gear like that found on balsa ARF's tend to have more serious damage than the planes with a wire that occasionally bends on me.
As for the wire bending there are solutions available depending on the effort you wish to invest. Simple solution is to wind a line up the wire for about an inch, CA it into place then stretch over to an equivalent location on the other side. I usually do this about 1/3 of the way down from the fuselage mounting. This leaves some bend still in the wire for rough landings but keeps it from becoming severe. What another friend did though was to wrap the line on each leg and tie it to a light weight but stiff spring at about the half way mark of the landing gear wire. This worked great for him. All that said I find it much better to need to straighten the wire than for a rough landing to take it's force out on the aircraft.
While I am new here I have been flying for 10 years now and so far I've found nothing more forgiving than the wired landing gear. Stiffer flat bar gear like that found on balsa ARF's tend to have more serious damage than the planes with a wire that occasionally bends on me.
MyDigitalParadise
New member
Just ordered 40 wheels from hobby king. The yellow ones for light weight use (https://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=65720) and Some somewhat thicker wheels when the weight isn't an issue (https://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=65719). My Flying Venues are limited to a rough ballfield or a dry lakebed so my landing surfaces are far from smooth. That said the 40mm is about as small as I want to go and I hope to pick up a few larger diameter wheels in the future. At less then 2$ for 10 you cannot beat the price.
As for the wire bending there are solutions available depending on the effort you wish to invest. Simple solution is to wind a line up the wire for about an inch, CA it into place then stretch over to an equivalent location on the other side. I usually do this about 1/3 of the way down from the fuselage mounting. This leaves some bend still in the wire for rough landings but keeps it from becoming severe. What another friend did though was to wrap the line on each leg and tie it to a light weight but stiff spring at about the half way mark of the landing gear wire. This worked great for him. All that said I find it much better to need to straighten the wire than for a rough landing to take it's force out on the aircraft.
While I am new here I have been flying for 10 years now and so far I've found nothing more forgiving than the wired landing gear. Stiffer flat bar gear like that found on balsa ARF's tend to have more serious damage than the planes with a wire that occasionally bends on me.
As for the wire bending there are solutions available depending on the effort you wish to invest. Simple solution is to wind a line up the wire for about an inch, CA it into place then stretch over to an equivalent location on the other side. I usually do this about 1/3 of the way down from the fuselage mounting. This leaves some bend still in the wire for rough landings but keeps it from becoming severe. What another friend did though was to wrap the line on each leg and tie it to a light weight but stiff spring at about the half way mark of the landing gear wire. This worked great for him. All that said I find it much better to need to straighten the wire than for a rough landing to take it's force out on the aircraft.
While I am new here I have been flying for 10 years now and so far I've found nothing more forgiving than the wired landing gear. Stiffer flat bar gear like that found on balsa ARF's tend to have more serious damage than the planes with a wire that occasionally bends on me.
bgfireguy92
Senior Member
Good evening everyone. Was getting ready to post an almost identical thread when I saw this. So to expand on the original post I just finished my first scratch built plane and went with the flyer. I bought .055 wire to use for the landining gear and it just doesnt seem siff enough. I see the wires flex and Im REALLY worried about the wheels getting into the arc of the prop and breaking it. So any recommendations for that? And also when I have it on the road or parking lot to taxi and especially when taking off the landing gear seems to lean and cause the plane to almost spin out on the ground. VERY FRUSTRATING!!!!! Any ideas on just making a much better setup?
And MyDigitalParadise would you mind post some pics on your fixes so I can see if that would work for me?
Thanks everyone and darryn I apologize not trying to steal your thread
And MyDigitalParadise would you mind post some pics on your fixes so I can see if that would work for me?
Thanks everyone and darryn I apologize not trying to steal your thread
Winglet
Well-known member
My landing gear mod that works
I've got you covered. Here is a photo of my solution. I use it on all of my power pods and it is rock solid. Instead of making the V bend in the middle of the gear, make it more square so that it straddles each side of the pod and rest on the bbq skewers. (I removed one rubber band for clarity) The pencil points to the gear resting on the skewer.
I purchase my wire at ACE Hardware Stores. It is K&S Brand. .078 order number 505. I think you can also buy it from K&S online?
Happy landings!
Mike
I've got you covered. Here is a photo of my solution. I use it on all of my power pods and it is rock solid. Instead of making the V bend in the middle of the gear, make it more square so that it straddles each side of the pod and rest on the bbq skewers. (I removed one rubber band for clarity) The pencil points to the gear resting on the skewer.
I purchase my wire at ACE Hardware Stores. It is K&S Brand. .078 order number 505. I think you can also buy it from K&S online?
Happy landings!
Mike
sailorJohn
Banned
landing gear
HK 70 mm wheels work well and K&S number 506 what we used to call music wire at slightly bigger than 2mm works well but will require a small vice to bend. wire is on line or at lhs. I find that 505 is a bit too weak and gives the impression that the plane is walking over the very shortest grass.
HK 70 mm wheels work well and K&S number 506 what we used to call music wire at slightly bigger than 2mm works well but will require a small vice to bend. wire is on line or at lhs. I find that 505 is a bit too weak and gives the impression that the plane is walking over the very shortest grass.
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MyDigitalParadise
New member
I'll see if I can find any pictures. My current hanger is set for grass fields so most are configured as belly landers but I know I have some pictures somewhere.
sailorJohn
Banned
Thanks for the picture of your landing gear design ,looks easy and clean. Even adaptable to old builds.
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