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Post by mackattack on Jun 9, 2017 22:08:03 GMT
Hey, y'all! Just got the Beringer wheel/brake upgrade... they look great. Much better and more precise braking action plus tubeless tires ... definitely a winner. Thanks to Mark Gregor and the guys at Wells Aviation (68Y) - which, by the way, has the widest and most-nicely-mowed grass runway I have ever used ... that thing is SO wide you could literally line up at one corner and take off or land towards the far corner and solve maybe 20 degrees of cross wind!!! I had a pretty stout cross wind when I landed there but the width was really helpful.
Cheers!
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Post by cole505 on Jun 17, 2017 20:14:15 GMT
Congratulations! It's like a whole new airplane! I am sure. So glad to hear you got the Beringer's ✈️🐾😎😊👍🏻🇺🇸
Ray & Lucy
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Post by mackattack on Jul 2, 2017 23:37:20 GMT
I had my main wheel pants on my Astore get damaged after the Beringer upgrade (after a grand total of six landings); not quite sure why - either the wheels were too big or there was something in the installation, not quite sure ... but has anyone else had that issue? I just removed the pants and the plane flies fine (nose gear and pant unaffected) without the main pants. Just a couple knots slower ...
Thanks!
Joel
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Post by Glenn on Jul 3, 2017 19:59:59 GMT
I had my main wheel pants on my Astore get damaged after the Beringer upgrade (after a grand total of six landings); not quite sure why - either the wheels were too big or there was something in the installation, not quite sure ... but has anyone else had that issue? I just removed the pants and the plane flies fine (nose gear and pant unaffected) without the main pants. Just a couple knots slower ... Thanks! Joel Wow, only 6 landings? That's awful. Well, it's not easy to measure the diameter accurately but if an Astore owner with factory wheels and tires will tell you their circumference, you can then measure yours and know the answer. My guess is yours are a little bigger. Let us know if you figure it out. Glenn |
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Post by mackattack on Jul 4, 2017 22:00:36 GMT
Yes they are just a wee bit bigger but there seemed to be plenty of room in the pants. I don't quite know the reason yet but I've sent a bunch of pics to the shop that installed them and asking my local mechanic to take a look. At least this is not an AOG problem ... scared me for a minute tho and one of the mounting brackets basically broke in half. And on the other side, the mounting spacer essentially explosively ejected outboard of the pant and took a chunk of pant with it! Kinda crazy! Wheels and brakes are great however ...
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Post by Glenn on Jul 4, 2017 22:24:09 GMT
I assume changing wheels and brakes required an LOA. So Tecnam didn't see that there might be a problem?
Glenn
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Post by Flocker on Jul 5, 2017 14:18:29 GMT
I assume changing wheels and brakes required an LOA. So Tecnam didn't see that there might be a problem? Glenn Good question. I'd also like to know the cost of a new wheel pant. |
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Post by cole505 on Jul 8, 2017 18:27:52 GMT
Hi Matt,
Yes, I did have to modifiy my wheel pants front to back (For the Beringer's ) was not a big deal to take off a small amount of material fore an aft to accommodate the larger tire. I used my modeling Demel tool worked Perfect! Make sure to use a small amount of lock-tight I mean very tiny amount on the screws for the wheel bracket. Hope you can repair the wheel pants I hear there prettty darn expensive! Normal for an airplane everything means $$$$$
Ray 🐾😊✈️😎👍🏻🇺🇸
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Post by geobuff on Jul 9, 2017 21:35:13 GMT
MacAttack:
I did not have any problems with my wheel pant mains after installing Beringer. The comment by Cole505 is important however. You may need to shave of a 1/4 inch of the pants lip to keep the tire from hitting the wheel, since any bounce will likely drive the wheel a tiny bit into the wheel pants. You do not want anything closer that 1/2 inch to the tire.
I had problems with my front pant and used a Dremel with a sander bit to carve off a 1/4 inch on my front pants. It only takes a few seconds to grind it off with a Dremel. Do NOT try and clipping it off with a snip as it is fiberglass and it will crack the fiberglass deep into the pant (the voice of experience talking here).
If you damaged the back wheel pants, they can be fiberglassed. Go to ACE hardware and purchase a "Bondo Fiberglass Repair Kit" for $25. You do not want to purchase new pants from Tecnam at several hundred dollars per pant. Also the pants you purchase do not have the holes drilled and are unpainted. You will likely spend well over $1000 (parts, labor, painting) getting new wheel pants purchased and installed.
Roger
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Post by mackattack on Jul 14, 2017 16:54:10 GMT
Thanks for the tip, Roger ... I've heard the same from others. I am not particularly handy with this sort of thing but will talk to my mechanic about it... In the meantime, I don't know how much airspeed I am losing by flying without pants (wheel pants that is!!  but it doesn't feel like more than a couple knots. Cheers! |
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Post by geobuff on Jul 15, 2017 11:20:25 GMT
Yea, a couple knots. When I took my front wheel pant off, it was not that bad. Barely noticed it, but both rear pants will be a lot more drag. If you remember, I created a flight chart where I tested all different engine power an nearly all altitudes, so I know exactly what TAS/fuel burn I should get under all conditions. It has proven very accurate, and I can tell if I lose a kt or 2, or 3.....
Yea, I hear you about the BONDO stuff. The first time I cracked the front pants (just learning to land the Astore correctly), I had a "shop" re-bondo it and they charged my $800 FOR JUST THE ONE FRONT PANT. I freaked. From then on when I did a new boo-boo, I did my own BONDO for just a few bucks. I also used 'automotive spray paint' to repaint, which is just $10 a can. It may not look totally professional when I do it, but tolerable, especially considering the cost.
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Post by Flocker on Apr 2, 2018 20:32:43 GMT
My Beringer LOA was approved today. They should be here any day now!
Joel, did you ever find out what the cause of the wheel pant damage was?
Does anyone know what the required clearance between the tire and the pant should be?
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Post by stroudj on Apr 2, 2018 22:44:11 GMT
As long has you can get you fingers between the tire and the wheel pants you will be in good shape. I changed to Berlinger’s last year. The biggest difference I saw was the lack of noise during taxing. The braking was about the same. I changed be cause of severe vibration during hard braking. I also have a strong dislike of tubeless tires. You will like the change.
Jim
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Post by stroudj on Apr 3, 2018 1:37:40 GMT
I misspoke, I should have said I have a strong dislike for tube tires. Thanks for pointing that out.
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Post by Cluemeister on Apr 3, 2018 1:41:01 GMT
Thanks for the clarification Jim. I was wondering what it was about tube tires you liked so much!  |
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but it doesn't feel like more than a couple knots. 
