Nose Strut O-Ring Was Bad...

So I've seen a lot and retained some. But I've not been
interested in picking up tools.

I like getting dirty, and playing with tools. In my regular life, I
don't get much of a chance (well, other than remodeling the hotel --
but that's a different kind of tools!) to play with cars or
motorcycles anymore, so when I get a chance to do an owner-assisted
annual, I jump at it.

I've learned a LOT along the way. After doing it nine years in a row,
I pretty much know the inspection by heart. It sure makes things
easier.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

motorcycles anymore, so when I get a chance to do an owner-assisted
annual, I jump at it.



I LOVE owner assisted annuals. I just finished one on an Ercoupe. The owner
was crying about how hard it was to get the floor boards out, and how much
his back hurt him.

I simply reminded him that it was "an OWNER assisted annual" and continued
on with my compression check.

Cheers:

Paul
N1431A
(A&P IA)

On Feb 8, 9:32 am, "Jay Honeck" wrote:

Total: $65. Not bad at all, in aviation terms...


We just did our's in our Archer last Friday. After constantly putting
nitrogen in the nose strut, we arranged for our A&P to replace the
seals. We filled it up again and one of my partner and I took off
runway 16 at 1H0 to go over to our A&P at KSUS.

Right after lift off I hear this "bang", not loud, but not something
you want to hear in a airplane. Went around the traffic pattern,
didnt' see that we lost anything on the runway, so we decided to head
over to SUS. Did a low approach for the tower, and they confirmed
that we still had a nose gear. Landed, and it was down to the
stops. Figure'd the bang was either the nose strut fully extending,
or a piece of ice that he must have hit on the runway during the
takeoff roll.

An hour later and everything is great.
-- Brian

"Mike Spera" wrote in message
link.net...

.lots of stuff snipped
There are far better O-rings out there now. I wish someone
like McFarlane would come up with an STC'd oleo kit that used
fluorosilicone or EPDM or some other advanced compound rings. Tougher
and with a better temperature range. There are "quad" O-rings
available, too, that would do a better job. In cross-section they look
like a four-leaf clover, so there's more contact area on two places
and they are more flexible, too. Double the sealing capacity, and
resistant to rolling.

Dan


Cherokee strut seals are quad 0-rings (or at least they are square-ish).
Typically they last 20+ years and start to leak fluid. That can continue
for many years. When I replaced all mine, the nose immediately started
leaking. Took 2-4 days to deflate. After a couple of ounces of Granville,
it stopped. Not sure if we bunged up the install or the ring had a defect.
Still up after a year.

Oddly, I thought the new seals would make the struts move more freely.
That was not the case with mine. They still have a healthy amount of
"stick".

Good luck,
Mike

I hate that in a piper when a strut sticks and 1/2 your landing roll is lop
sided!

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
ups.com...
And if you hadn't helped him, it might have taken, what? a half-hour?
:-))

Probably.

Actually, as I've gotten more experience (I'm into my 9th year of
aircraft ownership now -- dang, how did THAT happen?) I've grown more
competent at helping my A&P.

Mostly that means I now know when to stay the hell out of his way...

;-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"



I myself either help with or watch everything when my plane is being worked
on! It's not my wrenches life up there it's mine and my family! There are
some wrenches out there that you kind of wonder who reminded them to breathe
when they woke up! Jay, I admire your persistence in helping and being
involved in the maintenance of your bird will make your flying safer for
many years and you also learn new skills. I Wish a lot of other
pilots/owners would do the same....even if it takes longer to help it's
worth every penny!

"Tri-Pacer" wrote in message
. ..
motorcycles anymore, so when I get a chance to do an owner-assisted
annual, I jump at it.



I LOVE owner assisted annuals. I just finished one on an Ercoupe. The
owner was crying about how hard it was to get the floor boards out, and
how much his back hurt him.

I simply reminded him that it was "an OWNER assisted annual" and continued
on with my compression check.

Cheers:

Paul
N1431A
(A&P IA)


And if I was him or the one paying you I would have told you to take a long
walk with that answer!!!!

Oddly, I thought the new seals would make the struts move more freely.
That was not the case with mine. They still have a healthy amount of
"stick".

Try smearing STP (Moto-Honey to some.....) on the exposed strut. It
helps elastomeric seals break in - even to the point that it will
migrate into the strut interior.

Don't laugh - I have done this on hydraulic actuators to temporarily
reduce the rod friction in a cyclic applications. It was absolutely
amazing what it would do with the effects lasting for maybe an hour or
so. These were actuators that cycled maybe 5 Hz or more. I suspect
the technique may be quite effective in a simple strut application.