Xair shock absorbers

[BrendAn]

21 minutes ago, FlyBoy1960 said:

I have an Enfield and they are different, not even close unless it is something from the 60s ?    

 

The ones on the motorbike holding 200 to 300 kg are not going to suit an aircraft which is 500 kg. They would be bottomed out as soon as they were loaded with the aircraft weight.

i read that they were enfield shocks in an old article about xairs. the writer must have been wrong.

[BrendAn]

X Marks the Spot

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Flight review, Bob Grimstead, Karen Grimstead, X-Air, X�Air, John Chotia, Weedhopper, Raj Hamsa Ultralights, X-Air 502T, 50-hp Rotax 502, Rotax 503, X-Air 602T, 602T, 58-hp Rotax 582, Rotax 582, X-Air...

 

[facthunter]

You can substitute heavier springs on most of those units but they are NOT Light in weight. A "damped" undercarriage is far better than a spring  leaf one though.  Nev

[robinsm]

They are the shock off the royal enfield motor cycle.

 

[facthunter]

They are Made in INDIA and don't cost much for Parts.  It's the Spring AND the damping part. No reason why a HAGON one wouldn't be better or build your own similar to a front suspension strut using air or Nitrogen assist. Lighter and more travel (Like a McPherson strut).  Nev

[FlyBoy1960]

Having owned and X-Air I know a fair bit about this, and I have seen more than a few of our airfield. The shock absorbers are made by Armstrong in India. The importer a long time ago tried to bypass the factory and buy them direct and if memory serves me correctly they were around US$60 each but you have to buy a minimum quantity of 1000 !  

 

Fornalies (spelling) is a French specialty manufacturer which had nitrogen filled shock absorbers to suit the X-Air but they only lasted about 2 years before all of the coating came off the shaft and if any of the nitrogen leaked it was almost impossible to get refilled. One of the owners told me he had to pay $600 to get refilled by Dickey Johnson of touring car fame who had everything needed to do the job because of the shock absorbers used by touring cars. They were eventually given away as a bad idea purely because they didn't last and leaked.

 

I don't only aircraft any more but I did buy a set and I think they were around $260 each or a pair I can't remember because this was back in about 2010.

[facthunter]

The Cessna Nosewheel is Gas filled.  No springs. Nev

[Blueadventures]

 

Nice paint.

[FlyBoy1960]

WOOOOOWWWW

 

 

But the front forks are mounted backwards?

Edited April 20 by FlyBoy1960

[facthunter]

Called "Leading Link" Nev

[robinsm]

On 20/04/2024 at 1:34 PM, FlyBoy1960 said:

WOOOOOWWWW

 

 

But the front forks are mounted backwards?

The instuctions for assembly show the front forks the other way.

 

[skippydiesel]

Speculation:

If the wheel axle, is ahead of the steering (it appears to be so) the steering may be overly twitchy, pay be prone to oversteer.

A trailing axle (behind the steering) tends to be easier to control and self centering (castering)

[facthunter]

The caster you want can be designed into either Leading or trailing links . Earles forks are used a Lot on Motorcycle outfits and they are very much Leading link.. The mass is towards the rear of the steering axis.   Nev. 

[BrendAn]

i have had 2 xairs counting the one i have now and both nosewheel ass are opposite to that one. never seen one turned like that before.