PA-32 oleo trouble
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PA-32 oleo trouble
Hi all,
just wondering if anyone has experienced trouble with flat oleos on the cherokee 6. I often fly my fathers 1974 model and we have found that the left oleo is prone to compressing to a flat state on the landing roll after the aircraft slows and the wings are no longer producing lift. Although some of my landings leave a bit to be desired, most are fairly smooth. We've had the nitrogen topped up a couple of times and the last time it was with the engineers they thought they'd solved the problem after finding an old rubber washer under the valve fitting and replacing it with the specified one. They left the plane in the hangar and found no leakage after 3 days. First landing after that, it happened again. It seems that only the gas is leaking as we've found no evidence of oil so there's still about 1.5-2 inches of travel left but the main problem is ground handling on landing. One flat oleo can make landing on a short property strip fairly interesting, especially under firm braking. Since then, we've adopted the old bush pilots trick of lifting the wing and wrapping a length of radiator hose around the chrome secured with clamps, but this will only be a band aid until we can get it back down to the city. The engineers also said that the chrome on the oleos is fine and they are not in need of re-chroming.
If anyone has got any experience with this problem or knows of someone who might, I would really appreciate it. It will be great to be able to maintain a nice straight landing roll without looking like i'm dancing a jig.
Cheers
just wondering if anyone has experienced trouble with flat oleos on the cherokee 6. I often fly my fathers 1974 model and we have found that the left oleo is prone to compressing to a flat state on the landing roll after the aircraft slows and the wings are no longer producing lift. Although some of my landings leave a bit to be desired, most are fairly smooth. We've had the nitrogen topped up a couple of times and the last time it was with the engineers they thought they'd solved the problem after finding an old rubber washer under the valve fitting and replacing it with the specified one. They left the plane in the hangar and found no leakage after 3 days. First landing after that, it happened again. It seems that only the gas is leaking as we've found no evidence of oil so there's still about 1.5-2 inches of travel left but the main problem is ground handling on landing. One flat oleo can make landing on a short property strip fairly interesting, especially under firm braking. Since then, we've adopted the old bush pilots trick of lifting the wing and wrapping a length of radiator hose around the chrome secured with clamps, but this will only be a band aid until we can get it back down to the city. The engineers also said that the chrome on the oleos is fine and they are not in need of re-chroming.
If anyone has got any experience with this problem or knows of someone who might, I would really appreciate it. It will be great to be able to maintain a nice straight landing roll without looking like i'm dancing a jig.
Cheers
If it's not the valve gasket or core, it'll be the strut 'O' ring leaking (there isn't always evidence of hydraulic fluid). Easy fix, a two or three hour job at most, including jacking. Done it several times.
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Have they stripped the strut? sounds like the main seal at the bottom of the strut is worn or rolled. only grief can be if they corrode internally in the seal recess, but not as said a difficult job to do
