Greetings,
After a couple hundred landings, I can see that my main gear is starting to bend a bit. I've definitely made a few landings that were harder than intended, but they weren't hard enough I'd ever worry about bending anything. Mine isn't bad enough to need replacement right now, but it will eventually get that way. This seems to be an ongoing issue for Onex owners, and there's more info in this older thread-
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=5536As others have done, I asked Sonex about re-bending the gear, and they said it's not recommended. They verified that the gear is still 1/2" thick, so it hasn't been strengthened since my kit was made. They didn't answer the question about the specific alloy or tempering, but in the other thread it was reported to be 2024-T351. The only recommendation from Sonex is to replace the main gear with the identical gear they sell. I'm guessing that would be around $750 with shipping.
From 100 hour of flying the plane, I'd have to say the main gear is the weakest link, though not my least favorite design decision. I really wish they'd offer a 5/8" gear, or maybe one that uses a stronger alloy, because main gear shouldn't really be a routine replacement item.
O'Keefe used to make Onex gear, even custom taller gear using 5/8" aluminum, but they appear to be retired and out of business now. It sounds like Groves isn't offering anything now, and I'd be afraid to ask the price if they did. What other option is there for a stronger, and possibly taller replacement?
Another thought is some sort of reinforcing plate that fits on top of the main gear, and extends maybe a foot or so down the legs to add support for the main bend at the fuselage. I'm not sure how well that would work, but it would be easier to fabricate than making the whole gear. Any other ideas?