Eflite 60-120 85 degree retract issue

[406PIlot]

I wanted to see if anyone had similar issues & or possible fixes for my problem. Details just below.

I have a set of the Eflite 60-120 85 degree retracts in a saito FG-21 powered Hangar 9 P-47. I have over 40 flights on the bird with zero issues. 2 weeks ago took it up retracts closed and wouldn't come down. Ended up having to belly land it. Pick up the plane from belly landing and retracts come down with no problems. Get the plane on the stand cycle the retracts 50 times or so. Zero issues, no binding no stall nothing. They work perfectly. So thinking maybe got something in them dirt etc.... clean everything out (air compressor low psi). Retracts still cycling 100%. Have a friend assist me with additional testing. Start the plane to make sure not getting interference from the ignition / engine. Start up the plan on a stand run the engine at thru the RPM range cycling the gear.... ZERO problems. So it's not ignition interference.... Possibly gear door issue. Pull the gear doors and test on the ground. Zero problems. Time to put the bird back in the air. First flight gear go up wont come back down. Flew for 20-25min trying to cycle the gear shaking the plane going inverted slowing down to almost a stal and couldn't get them to come down..... Just about to belly land it again and on my last attempt of a cycle before brining the plane down the gear dropped. Landed put the plane back on the stand and get no issues with the retracts.......

It seems as these retracts are having issues only when the plane is in the air. It's not engine interference it's not gear doors causing issues as the last flight they were off. I can't find any binding with the wheel in the wheel wells nothing..... I'm at a complete loss!

I have reached out to horizon and am pending a response from their advanced tech support. I'd love to know if anyone has had similar issues or problems or any ideas as to what might be going on.

[406PIlot]

Horizon Support advised me to set my travel for the gear channel to 120 instead of 100. It was one thing I hadn't tried. I'm skeptical about this being a fix, but i'll be trying it later this morning.

I would still love to hear other peoples thoughts on this issue.

[Twowingtj]

HH support may be right. If the retract isn't going far enough to trip the internal travel switch, it won't understand the signal to extend.

[406PIlot]

Well got out this morning to test. I set my travels to 120 for the gear channel. Tested the gear on the ground / stand. Tested with the engine off and running. All ground test worked perfectly. Took off for my flight and gear wouldn't come up as soon as I was in the air. Tried to cycle them at least a dozen times and they stayed down made zero movement. Tried inverted, slow, fast, tried to get them up in a loop, in a bank both left and right, but nope they just stayed down. Landed the plane walked out to the runway picked up the plane with the engine running and the gear cycled perfectly.

I am at a complete and total loss. This is the strangest issue!

[xviper]

I had a similar thing with my CZ T-28 retract. The problem seemed intermittent and not always the exact same. On the bench, the offending retract would work flawlessly, but in the air, it wouldn't retract and sometimes it would retract but wouldn't come down for landing. I sold the plane with the warning that one retract was "temperamental". The new owner had the same thing happen so he took the retract out and discovered that the microswitches for the end limits were contaminated with debris (dirt and grit from all the rolling on the ground). After he cleaned the switches, problem never happened again on that retract. Then it happened on the other retract. Same thing, same solution. Eventually, one retract just died and had to be replaced.
I've never had this sort of failure in other brands of retracts, just the Eflite versions. I think the internals are simply too exposed to the outside environment.

[406PIlot]

After a lot.of back n forth with horizon they asked that I send them in to be looked at. Hopefully will hear something next week. Fingers crossed they find something rather than say no problems...

[406PIlot]

Well Horizon just updated me on this issue. After sending in the retracts for service horizon found motor problems in each retract. This issue was apparently unfixable and they have replaced them under product warranty and are shipping me a new pair.

This was not what I was expecting, It's better!!! I was expecting to get a service / repair bill. I am really thankful they have such good customer service / warranty department. Fingers crossed the new pair doesn't have issues after another 30-40 flights!

[406PIlot]

Well new / replacement retracts came in on Saturday. Installed them into the plane and flew it today... Had the exact same issue. Zero binding or issues on the ground & as soon as the plane was in the air the retracts would not come back down once they went up!

Does anyone have a recommendation for a good pair of retracts for a 10-15lb plane? I just want something reliable that works.

[xviper]

I've always wanted to give these a try but none of my planes have the hole spacing where they would work. If yours have the same spacing, give them a look.

https://www.motionrc.com/collections/electronic-retracts/products/xwave-rm400-90-electronic-retract-multi-pack-2-retracts-xwa6015-004

[406PIlot]

I've always wanted to give these a try but none of my planes have the hole spacing where they would work. If yours have the same spacing, give them a look.

https://www.motionrc.com/collections...ts-xwa6015-004

Thanks.