Scott Essex or Trez if you see this could use input

[Joe Pires]

Did both of you use the same replacement for the Shocks on the Domi?
Would you recommend doing it?
Can you give me the products that you used please. Links if they are available would be great too.

thanks.

[jcarleto]

Gary and Trell just replaced the air shocks on Trell's Dominator UltraWhite with spring-type shocks. It seems to be better, but the springs seem a bit weak with the springs that come with the recommended shock. I'd recommend a stronger spring.

The goal was to get a bit more give on rough terrain (or landings) than provided by the air shocks.

[Mike Hook]

Joe I am also interested in changing out my air shocks. I have one leaking down.


Mike

[NetPilot]

I have been real interested in this topic too because Scott says that these shocks help alleviate "duck-walk" potential in the Dominator. So, until he chimes in, here is a thread where Scott details the basic shocks that he used. See post #11:

http://www.rotaryforum.com/forum/sho...ghlight=shocks

And, here is the URL he gives for the shocks themselves:

http://www.chircoestore.com/catalog/...oducts_id=2490

Like Jon said above, and Scott also mentions in the attached thread, the springs are generally a bit weak on these shocks in stock configuration, for use on a Dominator. But, at Bensen Days, Scott told me that he replaced the springs on his but I believe he told me that he is still trying to remember where he found the correct weight (stiffer) springs! LOL! Did I get that right Scott?

Anyway, nice price on the dune buggy shocks compared to the air shocks!

-Mark

[Joe Pires]

Originally Posted by Mike Hook

Joe I am also interested in changing out my air shocks. I have one leaking down.
Mike

Mike, just last week, I put some green slime in my air shocks. Too soon to tell but they have not leaked this week, and they still seem to be working normally. However I am looking for better rough field handling.

[Penguin]

@Joe - I did 2 things to make my air shocks more liveable.
1) I moved the upper shock mount further DOWN the mast. This gives a little higher ride height which adds rock back and also gives a little more travel albeit at the cost of a (very) slightly narrower track.
2) I put less air in my shocks to make them softer. I run about 120psi which, not coincidentally, is about all our hangar air will give me. This is about 1/2 what some guys are running.
The air shocks are now more liveable. I'd still like to replace them with a compression/rebound adjustable coilover. And one of my air shocks leaks down over a couple of nights.

[GyroRon]

Just run less air in the tires.... Most of the bumps felt on a rough field as transmitted through the nose gear anyways.

Look at all the pivot points on a dominators main gear, it is not going to last if there is alot of motion allowed in the suspension. I keep mine nearly rigid by keeping the air shocks firmly pumped up.

[Penguin]

Originally Posted by GyroRon

Just run less air in the tires.... Most of the bumps felt on a rough field as transmitted through the nose gear anyways.

Look at all the pivot points on a dominators main gear, it is not going to last if there is alot of motion allowed in the suspension. I keep mine nearly rigid by keeping the air shocks firmly pumped up.

I also run relatively low tire pressure, about 14 psi all around.

But why would you pay extra for a gyro with a suspension system, pay the weight penalty of hauling it around in the air, and then defeat it by making it as rigid as possible so it will last?

Nearing 200 hours on mine and no discernible wear, thank you.

[Joe Pires]

Originally Posted by GyroRon

Just run less air in the tires.... Most of the bumps felt on a rough field as transmitted through the nose gear anyways.

Look at all the pivot points on a dominators main gear, it is not going to last if there is alot of motion allowed in the suspension. I keep mine nearly rigid by keeping the air shocks firmly pumped up.

I was of the opinion that lower tire pressure on rough grass fields would lengthen my take off roll, defeating the purpose of being able to better handle unimproved landing and take offs.

[GyroRon]

Take apart your suspension and inspect all the bolts...... everything pivots on bolts, with no bearings or bushings.

I also prefer a stiffer set up, it allows me more control when taking off from pavement and also semi smooth grass. Only on the real bad " cow pasture " type operations would a softer set up be a advantage.


And I do have suspension. I am not running it rigid. I just don't run it so soft it is like a 1974 caddy......

btw, if you want to properly air up the airshocks, a cheap volt portable aircompressor will achieve the pressure needed. They will go to nearly 200psi or beyond.

I fill mine up till the airshock is fully extended....... Then while filling it, I grab the mast ( while standing on the side of the gyro ) and pull it towards me. I fill the shock firm enough to where when I pull on the mast I can see a half a inch to one inch of travel on the shock itself. Then I do the otherside the same way. That doesn't seem like much, but thats just me pulling on the mast, thats not the weight of the gyro and fuel and payload going over bumps or a not too great landing, in those cases I am sure the shocks give much more, allowing several inches of travel out at the wheels.


I have flown my gyro with the shocks low on air, and flown other gyros with coil over spring suspensions that had a " soft " ride. I didn't like the marshmellow feeling during takeoff and landings. I didn't like how the whole gyro would lean to the side if you had to use side stick to counter for a crosswind.

But hey, I don't know jack squat. so YMMV.....

[Joe Pires]

I called Trez today and he gave me a lead on the springs. So I have ordered the parts and going to take a look at making the modification. Here are the springs he thinks he used. http://www.dtproduct.com/motorcyclesaccerssories.html

The shocks were 73.04 delivered with the "newmember" discount code.
The springs were 26.95 delivered.

So for a $100 bill, new suspension.

I will let you know how it turns out.

[Mike Hook]

Great Joe take pic's.


Mike

[automan1223]

For fear of picking on the dominator gods here. You guys spend more time dicking with the b.s setup than any other component. It needs to be retired and put in a museum already. Its like a V.1.0 design from 1970.

Why would you keep feeding this maintenance hog ?

Still cutting grapefruits in half ?

Sportcopter and Air Command have a pretty stout shock / landing gear setup. Very little to baby sit. Never had a situ where they let me down. Never heard of one where kept aircraft on the ground over leakage. We have bounced em, trounced em and pogo sticked em. They are stronger, and probably weigh the same or less by the time you add it all up.

No special air compressor to haul around to every fly in.

Spend the extra few hundred bucks buy / retro a reliable design and get on with it.

So much other stuff to pay attention to.

J

[Trez]

Originally Posted by automan1223

For fear of picking on the dominator gods here. You guys spend more time dicking with the b.s setup than any other component. It needs to be retired and put in a museum already. Its like a V.1.0 design from 1970.

Why would you keep feeding this maintenance hog ?

Still cutting grapefruits in half ?

Sportcopter and Air Command have a pretty stout shock / landing gear setup. Very little to baby sit. Never had a situ where they let me down. Never heard of one where kept aircraft on the ground over leakage. We have bounced em, trounced em and pogo sticked em. They are stronger, and probably weigh the same or less by the time you add it all up.

No special air compressor to haul around to every fly in.

Spend the extra few hundred bucks buy / retro a reliable design and get on with it.

So much other stuff to pay attention to.

J

***********

Lord, you really are tiresome................

[NetPilot]

So Joe, did you go with the 7 inch or the 8 inch springs from that website?

-M