Engineering Change for Bearhawk 4-Place and Patrol

[alaskabearhawk]

Remember, this is not a failure under tension, but compression. Don''t put a compression load on it (i.e.a severe ground loop) and there is nothing to fret about.

[Glenn Patterson]

I agree that it takes something very serious to damage the gear that is well outside the norm. If I remember correctly Pat Fagans BH was just getting off the ground and came down hard with the airplane heeled over to hit on the outside of the tire. The other caught a stump. Bearhawks have been used as "off road" SUV's without the gear being an issue. There is a good number of Bearhawks now flying with excellent reliability and is not fraught with the usual home builder design issues. The engineering design changes are part of the continual improvement process but is not anything that needs to be acted on if it is already built. The Bearhawk is a very well engineered airplane that is evolving with time unlike a certified aircraft.

[MidGenerationAL]

Thanks for the reply Jared, I suspected same but thought it might be vulnerable at the lower end of the lower end of the cuff below the cylinder as well. I might use a 3/4 x .058 full length, possibly with a few inches of 1/2 x .049 at the top end. Rosebud welds to secure.

New user resurrecting old thread - please LMK if there is a different way I should approach this.

Marcus did you wind up using an internal tube for reinforcement?
This is what I am considering.
I am curious about the size and spacing of the rosebud welds.
Something like 1/4" drill, and 4" between welds "feels" right to me, but I would appreciate knowing what others have tried.

I also read Dan R's thoughts and can't really argue.

[marcusofcotton]

...Marcus did you wind up using an internal tube for reinforcement?
This is what I am considering.
I am curious about the size and spacing of the rosebud welds.
Something like 1/4" drill, and 4" between welds "feels" right to me, but I would appreciate knowing what others have tried.

I also read Dan R's thoughts and can't really argue.

MidgenAL, unfortunately life (good things and some not so good) has hindered progress on my dreadfully slow build so I've not addressed it yet. Disregard my slip in thinking about the 1/2" tube, duh. Like Mark Moyle suggested, I'd just put a few rosettes near each end.

Happy building!