Mike53 wrote:I can speak to side loading the Sonex wheel bearings, having sold bearings for
many years in a previous life. The bearings Sonex uses are same capacity (and
in some cases, the same part number) as those used as outer front wheel bearings
on many cars in the 30's, 40's, 50's, and 60's. Properly adjusted and
lubricated, they are just about bullet proof.
I have a friend at work who rebuilt an old pickup truck in high school. No one ever told him that you are supposed to pack a wheel bearing with grease, so the story that he likes to tell is that he drove that truck for about 10,000 miles with no grease in the bearings and they didn't give him any trouble.
Yea, i agree that wheel bearings are rather tough in comparison to other parts on an airplane. I am looking forward to testing them and ill will be glad to give credit where credit is due if they prove to be reliable. I was going to wait to install hydraulic brakes because i just want to get the darn thing flying, and axle modification for other brake systems didn't support that goal, but now because this is available i think ill try to get them in before first flight. I do plan on installing an independent toe brake system.