Spill your guts .....

niquenaque · 06-05-2008, 07:27 PM

OK Mark,

Spill your guts... what about this gyroo thing??

What's the specs on it?

Nic.

gyroo · 06-05-2008, 08:31 PM

Hi Nic!

OK, my "guts to spill" are: Tractor; 2 seat side-by-side; chrome-moly fuselage frame; Mazda Renesis 13B rotary; belt re-drive; Ivoprop Magnum in-flight adjustable; 30 foot Sport Rotors & Sport Rotors head and hub-bar; road-towable on mainwheels with rotors off and nosewheel folded; been under construction for 4 1/2 years another 2 to go!

A literal money-pit!!

Mark (gyroo, Melbourne)

gyroo · 07-05-2008, 06:22 PM

Here's a pic of the chrome-moly frame as at 30 Nov 2007.

It was supposed to have the mainwheels and nosewheel fitted by Easter 2008 but has been delayed.

The wheels in the picture are little wheelbarrow wheels running on an axle through a couple of welded tabs on the lower frame - they are handy for wheeling the frame around the workshop.

When I say "money pit" I don't say that lightly! The TIG welding of the airframe cost well over $3500, despite me already being a dab hand with the Henrob torch and having completely cut, notched, jigged up and tack-welded the frame before delivery to the welders!

Most of the frame is 3/4 inch diameter of varying wall thicknesses.

Cheers,

Mark (Gyroo, Melbourne)

niquenaque · 13-05-2008, 08:57 PM

$3500 of ouchies there... my sympathies.

Mitch · 29-05-2008, 09:13 AM

Road towable......Gyroo at what speeds do you intend to tow?
What tyre hardware will you use to accomplish towing at normal highway speeds?

Looking forward to seeing you get this gyro in the air.

Cheers,

Mitch.

gyroo · 31-05-2008, 10:04 AM

Hi Mitch,

Road-towable at full highway speeds.

This has meant that the main undercarriage has been designed to conform to Australian Design Rules for road vehicles. Trailing arms and compressions struts are 4130 chrome-moly and 304 stainless, external "over" springs, internal Leyland-Mini shockers, max compression is 4 1/2 inches, axles 4130, wheel hubs machined 20MnV6 high-tensile steel with laser-cut 4130 hub star plates double TIG welded, etc, etc.

I've attached a picture of the uncompleted undercart as at November last year. GYROO was supposed to on its wheels by Easter this year but I got way behind schedule because of helping organise the Nationals. And then, at the Nationals I bought Matt Gleeson's G-0053 which we've been overhauling. So, I'm a little behind schedule. I suppose the target now is the GYROO frame on its wheels by Christmas. Engine in not long after, then external fuselage panels start going on.

Also, to legally tow the GYROO has to be registered in Victoria as a trailer. Also, the horizontal stabilizers need to fold to vertical or near vertical to because they sweep out too wide if towed when horizontal. The nosewheel folds up for towing, the tow bar attaches to the engine mounts, and the GYROO tows with its nose pointed forward. Brake lights, turn indicators and rego plate are pinned to tabs on the rear of the GYROO only when towing.

I've had several discussions with the vehicle registration people in Victoria - VicRoads - about the GYROO and they have been genuinely intrigued and supportive.

Cheers,

Mark Regan (GYROO)

Fencing Wire · 31-05-2008, 08:41 PM

G'day Mark,
I know you will have good reasons, but isn't it a lot of stuffing around? Why not just have a trailer?
Cheers
FRed

gyroo · 01-06-2008, 09:33 AM

Hi Fred,

You make a very valid point. I guess I can explain it like this: - About 10 years ago I started doodling designs on scrap paper for a tractor gyro. Eventually I settled on a chrome-moly frame as against an aluminium keel beam arrangement because a lot of preliminary design showed that a keel beam would have needed so many triangular braces to anchor the various panels, windscreens, etc, that it started to look (on paper) like a truss anyway.

Now, over the years in the gyro movement I've seen a lot of guys "do in" their backs or injure their lower legs struggling with getting gyros on and off trailers.

One day I thought - hmmm, why not do away with the trailer? With the chrome moly frame TIG welded it won't shake apart, and with properly designed suspension it would roll just like a car.

Of course, having decided that, history has shown that it takes 5 to 10 times the amount of time and money you originally "guesstimate" that you'll need to build the various components.

And, yes, it has been an enormous amount of work that I hope will "pay off" in personal satisfaction terms within a couple of years.

Cheers,

Mark Regan (GYROO)

splashdown · 01-06-2008, 12:20 PM

Hey Mark.

I also think a tilt trailer with an electric winch would be the simpler way to go, but full marks to you for trying something new. I have a few questions if you don't mind.

How much additional weight has been manufactured in to this gyro just to get it road legal? (strengthening the undercarriage, trailer linkage points, folding tailplanes, lights etc.)

Is the weight distribution of the gyro suitable for trailering given the wheel placement?

Will direct trailering increase the 'road rash' damage?

Given gyros are usually pretty light, what about crosswinds when trailering? (Thinking of the oncoming box semi-trailers)

Cheers!

gyroo · 01-06-2008, 10:55 PM

Hi Splashdown.

Again, some really excellent questions. GYROO was originally designed to have an empty weight of 660 pounds (the now superseded 300 kg limit). It seems to be holding closely to that limit.

The tow bar detaches from the engine mounts, as do the (yet to be made) rear tail lights and indicators. Also, there need to be mudguards that conform to the Victorian Road Safety (Vehicles) Regulations (which, in turn, contain the relevant ADR's). The mudguards are detachable also.

The downward weight distribution on the tow ball will be too light too conform to most car manufacturers ' towing recommendations, so my plan is to put a 20 litre water container on the forward part of the tow bar to get the downweight into the usual recommended range.

Re: the "road rash", because the undersurface of GYROO is either graphite/kevlar vinylester panel or aluminium sheet and because the lowest point of the undersurface is 16 inches above the road surface, I don't anticipate much "road rash."

Finally, crosswinds when trailering is an interesting and concerning point. Answer is: unknown at this stage, but because GYROO is not particularly slab-sided it shouldn't misbehave while being towed. Of course, if it ultimately does: - that's when I build the trailer!!!!

I guess I'm just building it to be road towable because I want to see if its viable.

I agree that a tilting trailer and electric winch is really all that's needed, but already at my place I don't have any spare space available for any more trailers and I would like to simply park the GYROO on its wheels next to the car in the garage.

Cheers,

Mark Regan (GYROO)