Light Aircraft Association

Hi,
Can anyone help?
I`m rebuilding a moth minor and like many types it has compression rubbers in the sliding tube legs.
Where do Jodel, condor owners etc get replacement compression rubbers made.
I have the drawing (although the spec of rubber is from 1938!) and original samples.
Prepared to get a mould made but need firm with some experience of similar work.
Many thanks,
John

I might be teaching grandmother to suck eggs but have you tried the Moth club for information - under 'Service register' - then 'Rubber mouldings and extrusions'?

coxargus wrote:have you tried the Moth club for information - under 'Service register'

Unfortunately it doesn`t seem to be that simple.
Some compression rubbers have been made (for moths) that are not of the required hardness.

Just thought it was worth asking guys who operate types with similar u/c and a/c weight.
John

I've had some polyurethane rubber rods made with 55 Shore hardness (as spec) for my Menestrel project. 40mm dia x 300mm long then sliced up on a bandsaw into blocks and through drilled 8mm for the locating pins. We're a while away from trying them out though!

Tony Razzell

When we refurbished the undercarriage of our Jodel D9 what came out looked very, very much like rubber doorstops!

We replaced them with natural rubber bobbins, from here:

http://www.wdsltd.co.uk/product/4068/fe ... p-wds-714/

We were advised by a Jodel expert that 60 shore was the right grade, and we compressed the stack about 20% in situ.

Hi John. I guess most Jodel owners bought their undercarriage rubbers from Pete Smoothy at Airworld UK. Although he's closing the business you can still get contact phone numbers by googling Airworld UK.
I don't know whether Pete bought the rubbers in from France already made, or whether he had them manufactured, it would be worth asking him though, he's a helpful sort of chap.

I paid about £32+VAT per 300mm length from Direct Plastics so pretty good value I thought. I did consider making them myself ( they are cast from a two part liquid polyurethane) but the bandsaw technique seemed to work well enough. You can buy Durometers pretty cheaply which would allow you to test a sample.

Tony Razzell

Thanks for the input chaps.

A few good ideas to follow up.
It`s very easy to beaver away for years in the "shed" inventing lots of wheels as you go.
Best
J.J.

Bradford Rubber have made some for me in the past. Give them a simple drawing and the required shore hardness. Turnaround about 10 to 15 days

Gavin

Thanks Gavin,
May I ask what shore hardness you went for.
Some old rubber discs I have are about shore 70 but are not original manufacturers spec.
KR
John

I believe it was 60 Shore, whatever the standard Jodel spec states.

Gavin