rotor head rebuild

[Gyro jeff]

Have took apart to main bearing no numbers on bearing feels tite but not like no id on bearing any help ?

 

[Sv.grainne]

what model rotorhead?

 

[Vance]

Have took apart to main bearing no numbers on bearing feels tite but not like no id on bearing any help ?

Carefully remove the bearing(s) and take it (them) to a bearing supply store.

They will be able to identify and supply replacement bearings.

I recommend purchasing good quality bearings.

 

[MikeBoyette]

Bensen standard was a 5206

 

[gyroplanes]

The most popular bearing appears to be the MRC5206MZZ. I called an engineer there and pretended I was building a windmill with 25 foot blades. The engineer said that the bearing should last forever, and the gyrocopter guys have been flying them for years! What a surprise. I confessed to him that my "windmill" was man carrying. He said he would replace the bearing if there was any blade strike. My Sycamore had a blade strike (intensity unknown) so I'm going through it all. My Sycamore has a Sport Copter rotorhead. I contacted Jim and he was no help, he insisted I send it to him.

 

[MikeBoyette]

I don't blame Jim. There is a liability if he instructs you how to rebuild it and you make a mistake. If that mistake causes you to loose your life or costs the life of a innocent passenger he could be sued. If you send it to him he rebuilds it and knows it's done correctly then he has piece of mind and you get basically a brand new rotorohead.

 

[gyroplanes]

Hi Mike, I totally understand liability issues, I owned SnoBird remember. I wasn't looking for "rebuild instructions" I ran a helicopter maintenance shop for a Part 135 operator and flight school. I was looking to see if his "troubles" were over and he could provide some blades, as that is what was on the Sycamore I own.
The Sport Copter head basically a Jim Butler designed head as used later on RAF.

Give us a report on Ernie and Connie every now and then.

 

[MikeBoyette]

Hi Mike, I totally understand liability issues, I owned SnoBird remember. I wasn't looking for "rebuild instructions" I ran a helicopter maintenance shop for a Part 135 operator and flight school. I was looking to see if his "troubles" were over and he could provide some blades, as that is what was on the Sycamore I own.
The Sport Copter head basically a Jim Butler designed head as used later on RAF.

Give us a report on Ernie and Connie every now and then.

Cool. They moved to a small town West of Ocala called Morristown. It's a very rural community with only two stores and one restaurant. They have miles and miles of dirt roads and a state forest to do their horsing around. Their property butts up to the state forest and dad put a gate in so they can just drive their Mule drawn carts in and out without transporting them. They love retired life. Dad doesn't miss the gyro business at all.

 

[gyroplanes]

I thought they were moving out West, by Carl Schnider.??

 

[MikeBoyette]

I thought they were moving out West, by Carl Schnider.??

Ended up selling that property. It was just too far from civilization..Dad is in the portion of his life where being close to a hospital is important.

Their new place is the best of everything they want. They absolutely love the fact they have unlimited access to the state park to drive their mules without any trailering or travel.

The area is very rural and people friendly. Dad jokes he loves that people wave with their whole hand instead of one finger. The whole area is like going back in time. Very old school Florida before the latest invasion of people escaping the cold, over taxed, liberal mostly northern cities. I'm afraid eventually Florida will end up a concrete jungle too..

I hope life is good Tom..sure do miss the old days....Gyro life just isn't what it used to be.

 

[Mayfield]

I may be an old man with poor attitude, but I think your crotchety old father is a first-rate man and Connie is a gorgeous woman that should probably be canonized for putting up with her husband.

Jim

 

[MikeBoyette]

I may be an old man with poor attitude, but I think your crotchety old man of a father is a first-rate man and Connie is a gorgeous woman that should probably be canonized for putting up with her husband.

Jim

Well you know the saying birds of a feather. Lol. He is misunderstood by many but loved by more than a few. He has the coothe of sailor..many have distain for him and his lack of candy coating things he knows. His passion for saving people from killing themselves in his machines comes out as rude.

I truly believe if he and I could have set aside our stubbornness when I got out of the Army we could have made his business even better than it was. I didn't inherit his mechanical aptitude or natural engineering ability. I am however very talented at communication, connecting with people. This has served me well in my career dealing directly with customers for 25 years. I am able to patiently solve their concerns and any problems most of the time with awesome results. I think if I would have dealt with the sales and customers I would have been great at it. He could have built and designed new stuff. I think we would have both been multimillionaires now and Dominator would be known as well at AutoGyro is now.