Grove no weld kit

toms · Post by **toms** » Wed May 28, 2014 19:46

Some time ago I thought I read of a no weld installation Grove was developing for the Champ. Anyone know if it went anywhere?

Tom Seevers
Delaware OH

kyleb · Post by **kyleb** » Wed May 28, 2014 21:26

I've talked to Grove several times about this, most recently at their booth at Oshkosh last year (2013). Their answer is like a broken record: "We're currently working on some other projects. It'll probably be a year or so before we get serious about retrofitting Champ brakes."

bob turner · Post by **bob turner** » Sun Jan 18, 2015 13:39

We take delivery of our kit next week. It will be installed under a field approval. The problem with the STC, as I understand it, is the man-hours it takes to get everything approved and the two-year delay to fill in all the blanks with back-and-forth correspondence. We have an AOG and no source of uncracked wheels.

kyleb · Post by **kyleb** » Sun Jan 18, 2015 21:23

bob turner wrote:We take delivery of our kit next week. It will be installed under a field approval.

Take some good pictures and give us a rundown when you're finished. There are a lot of people one crack removed from where you are.

clipperfixer · Post by **clipperfixer** » Mon Jan 19, 2015 14:51

I have no idea what wheels you are looking for, but when you mention uncracked I assume you need, or have DMB wheels. This is a set of DHB wheels, rated at 1500 lbs each with drums off a tri pacer and as long as you are using the tripacer drum they fit exactly the same as the original. I signed mine off as a substitute part...
Ebay 231452175079

toms · Post by **toms** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 10:49

Great news on the Grove kit Bob. Please do keep us up on the installation. Maybe, an article for the newsletter? What was the cost of the kit?

bob turner · Post by **bob turner** » Sat Jan 24, 2015 13:46

Of course. We are getting a significant price break. - but I should be able to get you a list price. I think they were pretty sure I would not get approval, and now have to make about half the parts. It took five weeks to get the FAA approval, and another two to fabricate the parts, I hope.

A couple of builders have used complicated feedthrough arrangements to get the flex hoses out below the fabric – I shall use the simple J-3 idea of bringing the hose through an inspection opening with grommets protecting the hose. I am expecting the rest of the installation to be more or less trivial.

I have a lot of experience with Grove parts - both my Cubs have complete Grove systems, including field-approved master cylinders.

A number of years ago I converted a UPF-7 to Cessna 310 brakes under a field approval - converted it from an aircraft one landing away from a nose-over to an airplane that landed like a J-3 Cub. Disc brakes are the answer for taildraggers on pavement.

toms · Post by **toms** » Thu Mar 05, 2015 19:26

Bob,
Saw your report on the Grove installation in the Champ area. I'm drooling to get a set. When do you think Grove will make them available?

kyleb · Post by **kyleb** » Thu Mar 05, 2015 20:23

toms wrote:Bob,
Saw your report on the Grove installation in the Champ area. I'm drooling to get a set. When do you think Grove will make them available?

Per Robbie at Osh last year - words to the effect of: "We will sell them to you now. The problem is you need a field approval, which can be problematic. If you wait for the STC, it'll be longer and cost more."

bob turner · Post by **bob turner** » Fri Mar 06, 2015 03:06

Yeah. He made the parts special for me, and I hope he made a few more sets. As of right now you need a field approval to do this legally. Except for the clamp, which is simply bulletproof, all the parts are PMA, and are used on the ACA Citabrias.

Your PMI may be reluctant. He or she is required by Order 8300.16 to give you a written refusal, explaining why the application is refused. Once you have that in hand, contact me and maybe - maybe - I can help.

Once the inspector realizes he has to give you a reason in writing why such proven, PMA parts cannot be used to replace the crummy, unsafe original stuff, he or she may just grab the stamp and approve your application. I believe that is part of the reason I got an approval.

I will report back after the test flight.

bob turner · Post by **bob turner** » Tue May 02, 2023 14:20

Just thought I would take a look around here - activity is sparse.

It is May 2023, almost a decade after my first Aeronca conversion to Grove. I know I posted elsewhere, but the owners were completely delighted with the conversion. I did another (it is approved data for me, of course) and that one, too, is wildly successful. We (the small older taildragger operators) need to press to make this type of conversion easier - VARMA is not yet helpful, since wheels and brakes can have a major effect on landing, but I think almost everyone would agree that uncracked wheels, disc hydraulic brakes, and decent reservoir masters are simply a major positive effect, not only on operation, but also for safety!

Right now, it is difficult to purchase the parts for this conversion, because of current local interpretation of 14 cfr 21.9. I think it is probably time to get a re-interpretation that says a field approval is in fact a part approval by a representative of the administrator.

Anyway, glad the site administrator is keeping this forum semi-alive. I will check back now and then -

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Grove no weld kit

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