Has anyone made mud-guards for the Bearhawk?

[Battson]

I want to fabricate some mud-guards, to keep the mud, dirt, and cow-pats off the underside of the wing and flap. Has anyone made a set or seen a set which fits the Bearhawk axle arrangement?

I was thinking of something like this:

[David Weber]

I learned in a T craft in farmers field....cow patty removal was on pre and post flight check list....not fun, so I understand your need!

[Zzz]

Looks like an easy enough thing to fab, the biggest question being the attachment. Does it attach to the gear leg or a torque plate? Also, with proper bushwheels that deform a fair amount, it might experience some rubbing. Seems better suited to firmer tires.

[Battson]

Looks like the picture shows them being used with Airstreaks? From the look of things, they've welded a couple of long tubular bushes onto the main tube, and used longer bolts through the torque-plate. I'd have to check my install to see if that would work. I guess the only other option is a clamp onto the gear leg itself, which would be kinda ugly.

[Mark Goldberg]

I don't think I would add the weight and drag of a mud guard. I would spend a few minutes cleaning up after getting some mud on the wing bottom skin. Mark

[alaskabearhawk]

FWIW, here's a common sight in Alaska: http://www.aerotwin.com/products/mai...eflectors.html

[Battson]

Hi Mark, I guess it depends for everyone's mission, I'd have guessed someone's done it before? Certainly in springtime you'd be cleaning your plane A LOT around here, we get a lot of rain. Maybe a bit different to Texas? I'm not sure whether they'd be very helpful there.
I would think that (with the two designs pictured) there would be almost no measurable drag penalty? A wheel is such an aerodynamically poor shape, that anything sitting in it's wake turbulence could hardly make the situation much worse!

[marcusofcotton]

I'm inclined toward a Maule "pantie" style half pant behind the tire to serve this purpose as well as minor aerodynamic improvement.

Mark J

[Battson]

Mark J, I've not seen that design before - can you post a photo or a link?

[marcusofcotton]

Mark J, I've not seen that design before - can you post a photo or a link?

and


Hard to come up with but these may get the creative juices flowing.
Mark J

[Dave Roberts]

The problem I see with the mud flap is in certain conditions it will become a scraper. This could lead to bigger problems. I have had the tail wheel quit turning on account of mud. I don't like to have anything that can freeze or stick and turn into a brake. Dave