In this episode of MasterClass Season 3, the hosts continue building the Ryan PT-22 and focus on one of the most critical parts of any aircraft: the landing gear. After a brief hiccup with earlier stream issues, Brian and Joshua welcome viewers back, enjoy some lighthearted Thanksgiving reflections, and get straight into hands-on RC building. For DU-BRO RC fans, this episode is packed with practical installation tips, wheel upgrades, hardware recommendations, and safety steps that every builder should follow.
Highlighting DU-BRO RC Deals and Hardware Essentials
Before diving into the PT-22’s landing gear, Brian reminds viewers about DU-BRO’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. Discounts included hardware kits, ball links, filling stations, wheel collars, prop balancers, treaded wheels, QuickSand hand sanders, and snow skis. These seasonal promotions spotlight just how broad DU-BRO’s lineup is for RC modelers looking to upgrade or overhaul their aircraft.
Tail Wheel Upgrade: Replacing Stock Components with DU-BRO Quality
Joshua begins the main build segment by working on the tail wheel assembly. The stock hard plastic wheel is removed and replaced with a more durable DU-BRO 1 ½-inch aluminum hub wheel (Catalog #150TW). This modification increases both scale realism and ground-handling performance.
The process includes:
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Disassembling the factory tail gear
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Shimming with small washers for a perfect fit
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Applying blue Loctite to prevent loosening
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Lubricating the wheel for smooth rotation
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Ensuring the pivot point operates freely
These details help extend the lifespan of the tail wheel and improve taxiing stability, especially on paved or uneven runways.
Main Wheel Install: DU-BRO 4 ½-Inch Treaded Wheels
The episode then moves to the main landing gear. Joshua installs DU-BRO 4 ½-inch treaded main wheels (Catalog #450TV)—a popular choice for vintage-style and scale models. He slightly drills out the axle openings for perfect alignment and swaps out the stock grub screws for DU-BRO screws and collets, which provide better grip and easier future servicing.
He also corrects a common builder mistake: the valve stem orientation. Ensuring correct placement prevents aesthetic issues and avoids obstructing other landing gear components.
Critical Safety Step: Loctite and Flat Spots
One of the most important lessons Joshua reinforces is the necessity of:
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Using blue Loctite on all wheel-related screws
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Grinding flat spots onto the axle for screws to bite into
This prevents wheels from slipping off during flight—a failure that can ruin a model and endanger people around the runway. Joshua stresses that skipping this step is never worth the risk.
Inflation Tips for Inflatable Tires
For inflatable DU-BRO wheels, Joshua advises inflating them to the correct physical diameter, not a fixed PSI. Overinflation can deform the tire shape and compromise scale appearance. The correct diameter ensures proper load distribution and rolling smoothness.
Giveaway and Viewer Engagement
To close the episode, the hosts offer a giveaway of a DU-BRO 3mm Metric Hardware Kit (Catalog #AK111) through a trivia challenge. This further highlights the importance of having a reliable hardware assortment on hand for any build.
