Jim@Merit wrote:First of all, we apologize on behalf of JSI for the bad experiences and the breakage problems. All points were reported back to JSI and we had been sending out replacement parts for defectives by taking them from our inventory while we wait for JSI to send us the replacement parts, which are arriving in batches.
The breakage problem is mostly due from JSI desire to have a better "scale" effect. They will exercising more care and attention for all future projects.
Over the years, we have learned that landing gears will give if display on smooth services such as wood shelves and glasses. The weight of the model often pushes the landing gears outwards, bending them and occasionally break them. We usually tape or glue small pieces of sand paper with rough service facing up in spots where the landing wheels should be. This will prevent the landing gears to slide and keep them in their upright position where they are strongest. This trick works great for us and should work for you too. Please give it a try and hopefully this will prevent more breakage.
Let me first say welcome Jim from Merit to the club. I must say after all the gear disappointment I was very pleased with Merit's recent response to my request for some new gear after both mine failed. It only took them 10 days from my email request to getting parts in hand.
I haven't installed these "new" gear and actually now that you mention they are probably taken out of your stock and not true replacement parts, I'm a little concerned.
As I mentioned before numerous times on this forum and in my email to Merit, the gear on mine were defective in that one of the main struts had not metal rod in it like the other main strut had. Guess which one broke causing undue strain on the other with bent out and then broke at the wheel connection to the strut where the metal rod ends inside the strut. This is a QC issue as the metal rod should have been in both struts. The one missing the metal rod was hollowed out just didn't have the metal rod. Even after inserting a metal rod myself and gluing everything back, the gear were in such bad shape that there was no hope.
Since what Merit sent me may have the same problem (no metal rod in strut) I'm now hesitant to put any effort into installing these. Your suggestion about the sandpaper is good only if the gear are not defective. If one or more is missing a metal rod it is a matter of time. Even with the rod, these gear are very susceptible to breakage right where the wheel meets the strut (that part of the strut is where the rod ends and it is just plastic at the "L" connection.
So, guess I'll wait for Skyworks to get their replacement gear out and get those - a shame to spend even more money after having to repaint the ugly spots and all.
Cudos to Merit though for their effort to make things right.