Retracts

[A6M5ROYAL]

hi, I am building and my retracts are Rom-Air from like forever ago. So how are they set up? The fill valve is there but it does nothing to hold the pressure into the canister or system. Can someone further educate me how these work. Also, since r-12 freon is no longer a feasible compressed gas, what compressed gas should I use to operate them. Thanks, AC

[A6M5ROYAL]

SO I looked around and went to robart website and orderd a fill valve and chuck. That should solve the fill valve deal. What compressed gas should I use in my system. It calls for r-12 but we know that is no longer an option. What other compressed gas will be sufficent. Thanks for the replies. AC

[Gerryy]

Most if not all retractable landing gear pheumatic systems today use good old fashioned air, supplied with a small automotive roadside compressor. Pump the system up to about 80 to 100 psi and you are good to go! Be sure to place a check valve up stream from the filler valve.
GY

[A6M5ROYAL]

thanks for the info. the rom-air can is shorter and about 1/2 the diameter of robart cans...looks like 80-100psi compressed air might explode it. Maybe I can use nitrogen or rig up co2 cartridges or something. Maybe I should buy the rest of the robart stuff except the gears. thanks, ac

[A6M5ROYAL]

Thanks for the good advice. Using the robart fill valve and a bike pump with a guage, I pumped 80psi into the small Rom-Air pressurized canister. It held.The retracts work great. The old Rom-air can holds the PSI. I will try and post some pics of this scale zero build. Thanks, AC

[A6M5ROYAL]

attached should be pics of this Zero build.

[A6M5ROYAL]

4 stroke

[A6M5ROYAL]

had to enlarge motor area.

[A6M5ROYAL]

build is coming along

[tailskid]

It is beginning to look like a Zero!

[USMC2007]

Hello, i am Sergeant Goodson, currently rStationed in San Diego California and recently back from IRAQ (3rd time). I have the ROM AIR retract system on a calypso 60 airplane purchased off ebay, i hae no clue how to get the retracts to work, all the tubing or shot and i need to replace it, and the freon 12 is no longer avail. I read that you used just ait from a bike pum[, is that all that i need to do. that you in advance for any info that you cvan provide me.

[A6M5ROYAL]

Hello there. The Rom-Air system works with air pressure in place of r-12. The Rom-Air valve and canister are of a lesser design than the Robart. My system had leak down so I went ahead and bought the Robart air kit. It came with a better designed valve, and was complete with lines, fittings, PSI indicator and air canister. aprox 50 bucks. I am in the process of adapting the Rom-Air retracts with the Robart canister and valve. I'll post if there are problems with this combination.

[USMC2007]

HELLO AGAIN,

WHAT SIZE ROBART CANISTER IS EQUAL TO THE ROM-AIR CANISTER, THE ROBART LOOKS A LITTLE BIGGER, ALSO, WOIULD I HAVE TO CHANGE THE CONTROL VALVE, and the retracts, THAT CAME WITH THE ROM AIR SYSTEM, OR CAN I JUST CHANGE THE TANK AND THE FILL VALVE ??

Thanks again for any info that you can provide me.

[A6M5ROYAL]

perhaps just change the fill valve and air up your system. Then cycle the gears and see what happens. worked for me. After that, I decided to replace the lesser design rom-air control valve with the robart control valve. I decided to use the robart can because it is bigger and looks like it holds more air. So I am using robart control valve and canister with my rom-air retracts. If there are problems with this combination I will post. Be well, AC

[USMC2007]

Another question for you if i may. I purchased the plane with the Retracts already installed, and the retract tubing is really bad and needs to be replaced, so i pulled the old tubing out finally got it out and for the life of me i cannot figure out how to get the new tubing through the wing into the holes that i need them to get into, is there any pointers that y7ou can give to me, the wing is already built of course so its that my difficult. Thank you once again for any info that you can provide to me. SEMPER Fi

[A6M5ROYAL]

there are two tubes attached to the retract. One goes in the top of the pneumatic cylinder onto a nipple and the other goes near the base of the retract. let me see if I can get a diagram posted. Depending on installation, you may be able to remove the retract and get the tubing onto the nipples. they are held with 4 screws each.

[USMC2007]

Thank you, i did pull the retracts out, but the problem is that i can't figure out how to get the tubing to go back through the wing from the Valve back to the retracts on the wing, the tubing has to be ran through the wing and thats the hard part, i did pull the retracts off and when i try to tread the tubing through the wing back to the Valve it curves and of course the tubing bends and collapses without making it completly through, UUuuggggg ! ! There has to be a way. :) Thank you ! !

" SEMPER Fi "

[A6M5ROYAL]

maybe cut a coat hanger to get a straight wire and insert it into the tubing. Then maneuver the tubing into place and remove the wire. Happy flying.

[USMC2007]

AWEsome, got the Tubing through, I wanted to ask you have you ever or do you presently use Air-Line Retainer Nuts and how are they. I guess they are something new so that you can easily connect and disconnect the pressure tubing.

[A6M5ROYAL]

for me the fit seems sufficient without the retainer nuts.

[A6M5ROYAL]

SOME pics of the Rom-Air valve and canister and pics of the pushrods with clevisis solderd.