Re: Can you check the pressure in the front strut?
Take it back to your favorite guy than signed off the Annual. Have him correct it to the specs listed in the MM which will bring the amount of visible chrome showing to that specified in the preflight section of your POH. A strut contains a specified amount of oil and charge of high pressure nitrogen. Strut maintenance usually requires specialized equipment and knowledge. Don’t just stick a pencil in the valve to release nitrogen.
Re: Can you check the pressure in the front strut?
Any reason he can't just let the gas out. We do it on our trainers to obtain the correct strut height. Our Piper struts come back over filled all the time and we correct the height by simply bleeding pressure a little at a time. Just asking. When we service them we simply use a nitrogen bottle with a standard schrader valve nozzle. Same as I use on 737s.
Re: Can you check the pressure in the front strut?
Strut maintenance by the owner/pilot is allowed under part 43. You must have the knowledge, manual and proper equipment to service the strut yourself and make the proper log book entry. Letting some of the charge out is acceptable but be careful a little goes a long ways. You may be looking for someone with a nitrogen bottle or a strut pump to bring it back up to specs. Good luck.
Re: Can you check the pressure in the front strut?
Yes Jason - watch out, it take a split second to let out enough nitrogen to lower the strut by 1" or more. Be ready to put some back in if it drops too low.
Re: Can you check the pressure in the front strut?
SteveG Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yes Jason - watch out, it take a split second to
> let out enough nitrogen to lower the strut by 1"
> or more. Be ready to put some back in if it drops
> too low.
And you can't do that with a tire pump. With all the problems you have with this mechanic when are you going to begin to hold him accountable to do things right?
Re: Can you check the pressure in the front strut?
And you can't do that with a tire pump. With all the problems you have with this mechanic when are you going to begin to hold him accountable to do things right?
Atleast look for a different A/P. After mine lost my log books and then adamently blamed me for misplacing them, he was fired (after he found my log books in his office). I prefer the businessmen that provide a service to you as a customer instead of acting like you need them. You haven't had much luck with this guy it seems.....
Re: Can you check the pressure in the front strut?
GM,
My FBO is hurting and they let him go. They dont have an A/P now. Maybe I should talk with them to figure it out. Its amazing how highly recommended he came. He even called me after they let him go to let me know he was available to do work @ $50/hr.
I did find a name on the field, just a little gunshy, because the last guy was recommended too.
My last annual I looked over the plane and found one cowl fastener bolt missing and a couple of others untightened.
I now of course have to remove the cowl and check every single item in there for security - which probably should always be done in any case.
Nonetheless, I find it really irritating that a shop can overlook things like this. In my line of work, you have to be systematic and you check everything. You do it cause peoples lives depend on it. Is it too much to expect that of an airplane mechanic?
My mechanic applies some kind of orange string marking material on every nut or bolt after it is torqued down. He used it on the hose fittings too when I replaced all the rubber. It hardens and rubs off after it dries.
