Thorp Air Command - T18.net

I just upgraded to new main landing gear from Cube's http://www.thorpcentral.com/
These are shipped in a plywood triangle box with the lower gear legs set in the box across the bottom. Cubes says this keeps shipping costs down. Shipping was just under $250 to the Seattle area, so it must be killer expensive to ship as a full assembly.
These lower legs are held in place by 3 bolts/nuts each. Assembled, they are longer than my original gear.
With the wheels & tires on the gear and the engine on the fuselage, the gear seems more limber than the original gear. Perhaps they will soften the landing a bit.
Some hand work was required to install: The top clevis had to be filed open a bit to fit the aluminum bar at the top of the fuselage, then ground back to clear the top motor mount clevis, also a small amount of grinding for the lower right motor mount weldament and the gear tube so the bolt could go in with clearance between the motor mount & gear frame tube.
The lower tabs on the gear were perfect, the engine mount lower legs fit in with just a tap if the hammer. I just needed to kiss the assembly with a drill bit to get the bolts to press into place.
Over-all, I think that having the gear clevis a bit too tight, or slightly oversize is preferable to 'too loose or short' as a minor bit of hand work gives the perfect fit.
Kudos to Cubes
Next install the cowl to see if the propeller extension still passes thru the center....Nothing is usually this easy.

_________________
Scott Emery
EAA Chapter 326
T-18 N18TE

Thanks for the post Scott. I'll address these issues with the welder.
Cubes

By the way, before splitting the gear, I got an estimate to ship a whole one to Chicago (my old home) and it was $1800. That's why I split the gear..
Cubes

Wow. $1,800 shipping!

I think I could buy a one way ticket to Vegas, buy you dinner, and rent a car and drive it back to the Chicago area for less than that!

Someones smoking something toxic, I can ship a car from Kentucky to Florida for a 1/3 of that.

Someone could get a new wife from Hong Kong !

RB
BaBaLu

The trick is to not identify it as an aircraft part.

_________________
Bob Highley
N711SH
SN 835
KLAL

Bob is right . I would call it a highly classified email server . BOOM !

RB
BaBaLu

I guess I should also add that an oven to heat treat a full size gear is rather rare. Splitting it up saves costs there as well.
I'm in the process of establishing a relationship with DHL. I'm hoping to save money using them.
For those who don't know, as long as I am employed by my primary employer, I get a 70% discount thru fedex. I pass all of that savings on to you guys and gals. There are times I don't use it. That's only when I'm gone on a trip and you need the part. Hence, my bride does the shipping and cannot get the discount.
Cubes