Bending CF rod for landing gear

[Dennis Toth]

Guys,
In an effort to keep weight down I have been looking into using 5/64" solid carbon fiber rod material for landing gear. The ship is a 25 size and will weigh in at around 34 oz. It will be tricycle gear and I am working hard to save weight were I can and the gear has a good shot. I have the CF rod and thought I could heat it and shape it but when I tried heating with a regular heat gun it laughed at it.

Has anyone tried this? How much heat and from what source?

Best,        DennisT

[Avaiojet]

Guys,
In an effort to keep weight down I have been looking into using 5/64" solid carbon fiber rod material for landing gear. The ship is a 25 size and will weigh in at around 34 oz. It will be tricycle gear and I am working hard to save weight were I can and the gear has a good shot. I have the CF rod and thought I could heat it and shape it but when I tried heating with a regular heat gun it laughed at it.

Has anyone tried this? How much heat and from what source?

Best,        DennisT

Dennis,

You can save weight by eliminating that third wheel. 

[Lauri Malila]

Sorry, that is not possible. The fibers will delaminate as you bend the rod. It will first fail on compression side.
You can only very slightly heat & twist the pultruded rods, like re-pitching props but even then you must be very carefull. L

[Randy Powell]

Laurie is right. You can get it to move a bit (as when carbon props are re-pitched) but not the kind of bend you are talking about. It will just delaminate and fracture. I've made carbon gear, but you have to lay it up that way.