Official Freewing 80mm EDF F-86 Sabre Thread

[SanExup]

Laury415 Which retract unit did you use as a replacement?

[rifleman_btx]

If you want to talk about shady retracts, look at the flex inovations F100. That nose gear is was too small for a 90mm fan unit. Bends way too easily on grass fields.

[Evan D]

Answered in the other forum...

[Laury415]

After fixing the flap servos the jet now flies really well and lands at a decent slow speed, but unfortunately the nose retract is just too small and weak for this size plane. Even though I've had some almost perfect landings the nose retract collapses and the retract case develops cracks that eventually cause the retract to not work. This is the second retract I had and the same thing occurred even though I've been landing pretty good on a paved runway.

I got tired of the front nose retract constantly failing so I changed it. I decided to install a new larger retract. I went with one that is just slightly bigger and seems to be a standard size. It did take quite a bit of work to make it fit but I'm happy with the outcome. I've attached three pictures. One shows the modification I did to open up the pocket, and the other 2 show the retract installed both up and down.

To make this work I had to remove material to accommodate the slightly larger retract housing. There is plenty of material to work with so I wasn't concerned about the structural integrity. I also had to make a new pin shaft, and a new linkage for the front gear door. In addition I was very surprised that the original retracts are configured reverse of every other retract I have. I'm not sure if that was done on purpose to get you to buy Freewing or if it was just carelessness. Because of this I now have the nose retract on its own channel so it works in unison with the main retracts.

Overall I do like this jet a lot but I'm very disappointed in the crap that Freewing puts in (bad flap servos, bad nose retract). Prices keep creeping up and you'd think for the price we're paying we would get good components and not have to replace with something different.

[Pete914]

Thanks guys. Hard to pick which jet to use!?

[rifleman_btx]

That sound spot on, as I make around 4 minutes on 4000 packs.

[Evan D]

With the current inrunner version on a 5200 my timer is 5 minutes. I stick to that when not FPV and usually will go over a half minute or more when flying it FPV.

It cruises great at partial throttle.

[Pete914]

What are the longest flight times (and which packs?) you all are getting with your Sabres? I'm trying to set up an FPV jet platform and I would like at least 6-minutes at moderate throttle. Does this beautiful jet cruise at partial throttle?

[xviper]

If you have a friend with a metal lathe, he could make a couple for you out of hardened steel rods. Other than this, having extra shafts on hand is the only way. Additionally, you now know that if you thump down hard on the nose gear after a landing, that shaft will bend. Therefore, after such a landing, look at the strut and bend it straight before it binds up the next time.

[Carlos G]

HI Xviper,

After carefully studying the nose gear I did pretty much what you suggested. I found the rotating shaft the strut pivots on had bent back. The strut was binding in the "up" position. I was able to get things apart and straighten the shaft. The gear now cycles okay. I will still order a couple of new pivot shafts along with the "e" clips. I also have a T-33 and it seems to suffer from the same issues, just not as bad.

The shaft is 4mm and due to the flats ground into it for set screws, the shaft seems to bend at the flat cut for the steering arm. Is there someone making these with better material?

Thank you for the info.

Carlos G

[xviper]

Nose gear problem

Hi all, I have had my F-86 for a while now and the nose gear is not working now. Motion list two types of retract units for this plane but does not identify which is the nose gear. The parts lists shows a type "C" and a type "D". Has some one figured this issue out? Also how does one remove the nose gear when the doors block access to the retaining screws? Fun times....

Carlos G

If you click on both retracts and read the descriptions, one of them says "rotating shaft pin". We all know that the nose gear needs to rotate, while the main gear is fixed. You want "Type D".

There are some ways you can approach how to get the nose retract out. First, determine if the retract is actually dead of if some other electrical reason is why it's not working. Unplug the nose retract lead from the harness and use a servo tester. If it's not working, then examine pictures of the part itself. The gear doors is a replacement part and you can see a picture of what it looks like on the product page. Also, take a look at all the pictures provided in this thread. There is a "photo" tab at the top of this page. One of those pictures may help you in take the door off.
See the two tabs (hooks) that are at the front lip of the door? You'll need to carefully bend one of the tabs and lift the pin out of the hole. That will get the other side out and you can lift up the door from the front. Now you can peer inside and see how the rest of it is held on and figure out how to remove the whole hinged door.

[Carlos G]

Nose gear problem

Hi all, I have had my F-86 for a while now and the nose gear is not working now. Motion list two types of retract units for this plane but does not identify which is the nose gear. The parts lists shows a type "C" and a type "D". Has some one figured this issue out? Also how does one remove the nose gear when the doors block access to the retaining screws? Fun times....

Carlos G

[Evan D]

I shove mine between the ducting and the outer skin behind the cockpit.. odd but works for me.

[Badfish67]

Where is everyone placing their receiver in the F-86?

[ob1hulk]

i added some wing fences today to aid in a slower stall speed. The ol onterwebs show the older versions f86 use to have them so i figured why not. made them from an old credit card placed as close to a factory setting i could find on google, sanded it to my liking and a little silver paint. looks like they were suppose to be there. ill test it in the morning to see if it makes any difference.
RIFLEMAN, thats actually a good idea, if i tear the gear out, i think ill go that route. i have plenty of ultra light carbon material in my shop that i use to repair a few fiberglass planes.

[rifleman_btx]

Oh heck yeah I might get some CF and start cutting some reinforcement plates, the CF works wonders on the F14

[paulrkytek]

Yeah mine is the same way. I can yank on them as hard as I want but a feather touch landing and YANK! Out they come. Lol

The back box plastic has a lot of fresh air gaps fresh air gaps and therefore little contact area with the epo, i replaced the thin plastic decorative cover with ply glued to the back box and surrounding epo to distribute the load over a wider area, Post 830 pg 42.. Not had a problem since. Ideally traililng link oleos similar to Avanti would also help. Avanti oleos are too long for F86 .but I have not checked sizes of others but 90 to 95mm with appropriate length of peg might work. work.

[rifleman_btx]

my older f86 had to have the battery (admiral 4000 6s) back over the esc to make the sit test work right...my new hp version useing the same batteries sit about a inch in front of the esc... not sure if its a lighter fan and motor or lighter fuse but it flys great after the mains pull out on landing and i gorilla glue them back in...seems they never come loose when i tug on them just when it lands lol

Yeah mine is the same way. I can yank on them as hard as I want but a feather touch landing and YANK! Out they come. Lol

[Ron1950]

my older f86 had to have the battery (admiral 4000 6s) back over the esc to make the sit test work right...my new hp version useing the same batteries sit about a inch in front of the esc... not sure if its a lighter fan and motor or lighter fuse but it flys great after the mains pull out on landing and i gorilla glue them back in...seems they never come loose when i tug on them just when it lands lol

[Ron1950]

ob1 i installed the flightline hp 1920 fan and fly it off grass with no problem its really a powerfull 9b fan