skid supports!

[rjflyer]

I have the intrepid gas, and the back- plastic skid strut is bending from the weight of the heli. More on one side than the other. Can I get a heavy duty strut or some way to beef it up? I fly off grass and the higher the better! Any thoughts or ideas?

[Whirly-Girl]

I use 2 heavy duty zip ties and make a loop. When my gear was new, I slipped the loop over the rear skids and tightened the loop just enough to keep the skids from spreading when I set the bird back down.

Hope that helps.

Jeanette

[MarkWebber]

I do the same as Jeanette suggested.

[PaulH]

A couple heavy rubber bands work well too. They'll have a little more give and allow your copter to bounce more than the zip ties, but are still strong enough to provide better support.

[MarkWebber]

Oh...I only use the zip ties for storage, not for flight.

[Whirly-Girl]

Yeah, ditto...not on flight...just storage.

[Gary Travis]

Don't leave the zip ties on when you fly, or you will without doubt learn what ground resonance is!! I use velcro strips on mine just makes it alot easier.
Gary

[Gyan]

I hope Chris pipes in here & says a heavier duty set of gear struts on being looked into. Why would the best heli on the market need rubber bands, zip ties, or felcro to support the gear so it doesn't spead! A carbon fiber set would be awesome, what do ya say Chris???

[MarkWebber]

The gear is supposed to flex to absorb shock on landing. Especially the harder kinds of landings. But being flexible, the rear strut tends to flex more than the front while in storage with the blades folded. Zip ties or Velcro as Gary suggested keep that from happening.

[Whirly-Girl]

You'll also notice (atleast I have) that other guys with big gas helis tend to take their blades off while traveling down the road...because they don't want to put any stress on the head. That is not a concern with the Bergen and so I just leave my blades on. But, those big 810's are heavier than those other helis sitting back there on that long boom. I'm happy with the beefiness of the landing gear and would NEVER put CF on...too stiff.

Jeanette

[rkeith2]

I used to use ties - now I hang it when not in use :happyd

[Gyan]

Well I guess I just like stiff gear. If it doesn't break during a no noooo then the likelyhood of it thrashing itself to pieces is minimized, ... don't ask!! :arggg:

[WillJames]

I use a piece of XL Aerotrend tubing on my helis when I am not flying them, then take it off before flying then replace it after flying and it keeps the gear in very good shape.

[ShawnK]

I just did the zip-tie trick on my EB. I figured that it's only sitting on the gear when it's in storage... when I'm flying, what does it matter if the gear's spread or not?

I think the reason it spreads like it does is because the weight bias is so far to the rear of the skids (look at where the rear leg of the landing gear is related to the mainshaft.) No big deal, though... it's a 14 lb. machine, so something's gotta give. :mrgreen:

[rjflyer]

Thanks for the good ideas. I have a LARGE zip tie I will use, It does make sense. I did this before where I took the skid support off and placed it in very hot water, when it was soft I over bent the curve and ran under cold water to cool. Fixed it right up. With the zip tie it should stay a little longer.

[Crjbenny]

When I transport and store mine, I put a plastic a plastic container I bought at the dollar store under the fuel tank/rear boom supports to hold the rear of the skids off the ground about a half an inch. Along with bungees front and back to hold them together.

[rbort]

A better idea. When you store the heli, take the blade holder off and spread the blades out. I learned this years ago. Spreading the blades evens out the load on the skid struts and the rear strut will not sag open any more. Storing you bird with the blades folded back on the boom puts more weight on the rear strut and causes it to stretch more than the front.

I only use the blade holder to carry the heli around and during transport. As soon as I get to the field I spread the blades as the first thing to do even though I may not be ready to fly.

There is also one other idea that works but not as estatically pleasing. You can always store the heli inverted on the head and blade holder. It sits fine that way too, just looks odd so I prefer the ready for flight look.

I store my helis like that on the floor in the basement and no strut issues!

-=>Raja.