I currently own 3 1957 C-182's. We used to have a '56 in the family for years and I've always loved how the tall gear on '56's makes them sit higher. Recently a friend offered me a great deal on a pair of 1956 gear legs. We are doing an extensive annual on one of my 182's the the mechanic suggested installing the 1956 gear legs. Other than a few extra $$$ is labor, does anyone see any advantages or more importantly disadvantages to installing the 1956 gear legs? The aircraft we would be putting them on has the 310 nose fork and 6x6 tire so that's not an issue..... The only advantage I see is the fact that I think it looks cooler.

save your tail from dragging maybe, or a better angle of attack?

patrol guy wrote:save your tail from dragging maybe, or a better angle of attack?

I've dragged my tail a few times in my 58. I would live to have the taller gear so I stop banging my head on the trailing edge of the flaps!

Only performance advantage is a shorter takeoff roll, because you can raise the nose to a higher "deck angle" than with the short gear. Possibly shorter or slower landing for the same reason.

Downside will be a slight increase in "trim drag", because the drag from the tires is further underneath the airplane. Minimal but it does exist. Slight increase in weight, maybe an extra couple of pounds because of the longer legs.

Other positives are improved prop clearance, less chance of gravel, FOD, rocks, mud, etc in the prop. Similarly, less gravel kicked up by propwash behind the prop, and the airplane's belly and tail is further above that gravel.

If you have the gear legs and nosewheel parts, seems like more positives then negatives to me.,

FWIW, I actually went the othe direction by installing '57 gear legs on my '56 182. I had the Landis nose fork w/an 8.00 tire and 8.50's on the mains. With the tall '56 gear legs the airplane sat a little nose down, which reduced prop clearance by a few inches. In addition, I found that the size and weight of the 8.50's and double puck brakes on the mains made the taller, thinner '56 gear legs flutter a bit in flight. Adding the shorter, thicker and wider '57 gear legs solved the flutter problem, gave me a more stable stance and added a few inches of prop clearance. The Seattle FSDO gave me a field approval on the basis that the '57 gear legs were thicker, shorter and wider and, therefore, we're a safety improvement as intended by Cessna. Not sure they would approve a change going the other direction.

skydivemd wrote:I currently own 3 1957 C-182's. We used to have a '56 in the family for years and I've always loved how the tall gear on '56's makes them sit higher. Recently a friend offered me a great deal on a pair of 1956 gear legs. We are doing an extensive annual on one of my 182's the the mechanic suggested installing the 1956 gear legs. Other than a few extra $$$ is labor, does anyone see any advantages or more importantly disadvantages to installing the 1956 gear legs? The aircraft we would be putting them on has the 310 nose fork and 6x6 tire so that's not an issue..... The only advantage I see is the fact that I think it looks cooler.

1956 main gear is taller by 4 inches than 57 .Thickness of main gear on 57 is 1/16 inch thicker and heavier rear spar on horizontal stab -i.e. 100 lbs increase in gross weight. The 1956 gross is 2550the 1957 182 is 2650 -although they added about 35 lbs to empty weight.