Beringer Alaskan Landing Gear System

[John Whitish]

Surprised CubCrafters has not offered this as an option...

We certainly appreciate the innovation. The Beringer gear, and others, are being considered. However, a full complement of analysis and tests are required before we can endorse or offer them for CubCrafters aircraft. It's on our list!

[turbopilot]

We certainly appreciate the innovation. The Beringer gear, and others, are being considered. However, a full complement of analysis and tests are required before we can endorse or offer them for CubCrafters aircraft. It's on our list!

Great. Glad you are looking. Still trying to come up with net weight savings (using Beringer wheels, brakes, landing gear and master cylinders) over a standard CC with AOSS. Has your analysis got to that number yet? If not please post when you figure it out.

Here are some more images of the system from Beringer. Looks like they have come up with a nice carbon fiber fairing for the system. How appropriate.

[John Whitish]

Has your analysis got to that number yet?

No, not yet. We'll have to build a table with all of the possible gear options (LSA and HD, 3" and 3x3), and as mentioned previously, wheels and brakes, all with corresponding weight deltas.

[turbopilot]

Well, thought I would wake up this thread with some new information. I just installed the Beringer ALG Alaskan Landing Gear System on my 2014 Carbon Cub. Actually got the system last Summer but just got around to installing it.













This is a well designed system and the workmanship is absolutely beautiful. Everything fits and the kit is very complete. The hardest job was getting the old landing gear off. My old right gear was definitely "sprung" in the mounts. Gear has never been off so there was obviously a lot of "persuasion" to get it on during assembly in Yakima. Aft mounting bolt showed significant evidence of the "persuasion" but the good news is the Beringer gear fit perfectly in the existing mounting locations on the fuselage.

As installed the new Beringer ALG is about 6" wider than the original landing gear and the CC sits about 3" higher than it did before the conversion. Weight savings was far less than suggested by Beringer. The ALG system is only 4 lbs lighter than the original gear with the AOS system option.

I have only made a few flights so more to come about how the gear handles rough terrain. In taxi operations on pavement I immediately noticed the higher deck angle. Moving around was much smoother with the shock struts smoothing the ride. One interesting effect in taxi is that you can "roll" the wings right and left with the ailerons above 10 mph as the shock struts compress side to side. So in high winds you can taxi with the up wind wing low.

Just made a couple of landings so far. Smooth landings really take place in two phases. The Beringer ALG hangs down after takeoff as the shock struts extend. When landing you first feel the tires make contact, then the gear spreads out to its normal width, then the shock strut takes up the remaining energy. Much, much smoother than stock gear.

The Beringer ALG is much more than just changing the landing gear. The ALG kit also comes with new brakes, master cylinders and a very interesting new device they call ALIR: In-Line Balanced Anti-Lock Regulator. For some reason Beringer does not talk much about this device in their advertising for the ALG system but it is included in the kit. I have not finished the calibration testing for the ALIR yet. Right now based on their instructions I am running it a lowest setting of 20 bars until the brake pads are broken it.

So far the brake system is much more effective the Grove brakes I removed. More on this later.

The hydraulic system supporting the master cylinders, parking brake and ALIR all fit in the area where the fire extinguisher was mounted. Have to find a new home for the fire extinguisher. Here is how the braking system looks. These images are taken looking aft at the base of the seat.





More information as my testing continues.

[Cubdriver2]

Please post some video of it eating up football sized rocks so we can see it working.

Glenn

[turbopilot]

Please post some video of it eating up football sized rocks so we can see it working.

Glenn

Got to work my way up to that. Right now the instructions say I have to exercise the shock struts for 20 or 30 landings then recalibrate the strut pressures. You can only pressurize the struts with the struts under no load meaning you have to lift the whole airplane up. I hope this will not be a regular activity.

[c130jake]

Got to work my way up to that. Right now the instructions say I have to exercise the shock struts for 20 or 30 landings then recalibrate the strut pressures. You can only pressurize the struts with the struts under no load meaning you have to lift the whole airplane up. I hope this will not be a regular activity.

Any where to put a step? Can you put a long step on them? Can you put a hubcap on to keep mud and snow out the wheel?

Looks fancy.

Jake


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[turbopilot]

Any where to put a step? Can you put a long step on them? Can you put a hubcap on to keep mud and snow out the wheel?

They have a real nice step for $500! It is really a nice CNC machined part and matches the workmanship of the gear system but for now I just use the tire. Not a big deal.

I would hate to put a hubcap on those pretty wheels.

[David H]

Thanks for the great pics Bob! It is a beautiful system with fine craftsmanship.

I very thoroughly evaluated this system and spent a lot of time with the Beringer folks at Airventure. I decided to go with Acme Aero shocks and the CC EX2 brake and wheel system with stainless steel brake lines. My primary factors were price and the landing gear droop of the Beringer system when in flight. To me it did not look right (aka - not the traditional/old school gear look when airborne).

Look forward to more pireps as you get more time with your new set up. Will you calibrate the ALIR for different surfaces? I liked this piece a lot. I am wondering how useful it will be in practice. If it is worthwhile, I am sure some of us will adopt it.

David

[turbopilot]

Look forward to more pireps as you get more time with your new set up. Will you calibrate the ALIR for different surfaces? I liked this piece a lot. I am wondering how useful it will be in practice. If it is worthwhile, I am sure some of us will adopt it.

No experience with ALIR so far. They said to set it to 20 BARS for initial testing. Braking so far is great. Here is the only documentation from the Beringer catalog.