I am worried about the weight and cost. With 5 mm cast walls it will
be heavy.
I'll know more when I do a 3D.

There is another alternative and this is to disassemble Tracy's drive
and
install the major parts in a new cast case that fits the stock RX8 die
cast bell
housing. Here is a picture of Tracy's shaft, ring gear, planet carrier
and front bearing assemble. The stock die cast bell housing where the
600 ft pound prop gyro torque is applied is much stiffer due to its
cone
like shape.

IMHO with all due respect to Tracy the warrantee issue is not that
big a deal. Anybody that can build an airplane should be able to
overhaul
the gear box. Unlike the Ross, Tracy's box is easy to disassemble.

Here are pictures of Don's housings for comparison purposes.

I don't want to discourage you guys but we need to explore all the
possibility
as casting a bell housing and machining it is a lot more expensive
than
casting a gear case and machining it. Most of the later work can be
done on
a lathe and not on an NC mill. There is also a possibly of using some
of
Tracy castings and housings with the stock bell housing.

Paul Lamar

*************************************************************************

Paul;

I'm not discouraged, it's too late for that, I'm finished with the Bellhousing...As you know I've already sent you and George all the drawings for the Bellhousing. As far as I know George must be cracking his knuckles and getting ready to make the Pattern, and knowing George he'll probably be pouring in a few days ;)

But one thing that I am for sure, is very confused. So let's start from the original premise....A need for a Housing that would fill the requirement in transitioning the most common and widely used PSRU (Tracy's ReDrive) together with its components to the 13B, and also serve as the main Motor mount, be as light as possible and represent professionalism and elegance....As you know George picked up the Gauntlet and with our collective help, it has filled those requirements, plus.

So now, the way I'm getting this is......You're proposing that we purchase an RX-8 Bellhousing, gut-out Tracy's ReDrive, stuff all or some of this into part of his castings, make a transition piece to the RX-8 Bellhousing and add motor mounts and all this will be professional, elegant, lighter and cheaper???......
Well if this turns out to be the case then we have the makings of the NEXT step up for the Rotary's quest for fame in the air.....For me there's a lot to be said about adapting the Bird in Hand syndrome.

Paul, please stop publishing that ugly disgusting 3D labelled butch2. I had nothing to do with that abortion, plus I have a reputation to uphold :)

Butch

Sorry Butch. OK I'll rename it :) ROFL

Paul Lamar
 
The AirCraft Rotary Engine NewsLetter.  Powered by Linux.
ACRE NL web site. http://home.earthlink.net/~rotaryeng/            
Copyright 1998-2003 All world wide rights reserved.