----[Please read http://ercoupers.com/disclaimer.htm before following any advice in this forum.]----
Don,
The main and nose landing gear struts are the
unpressurized type. Maintaining strut extension during ground operations
is attained using mechanical methods. For the nose, an internal spring
inside the outer cylinder. For the mains, rubber donuts or "Belleville"
springs. My Ercoupe service manual explains for jacking the main
gears is to use a 3/4 inch steel rod inserted at the pivot point of the trailing
link, hopefully this is true for your Alon. You must remove the main
landing gear fairings to insert this rod. To service the main struts,
remove the rubber bumper pad (what the strut will rest on in-flight) then extend
the main gear strut by jacking so that the inner piston will clear the servicing
port. Add fluid until overflow (about 10 oz.).
Your condition suggests to me your main landing
gear donuts could be squashed. While your fairings are removed
take a measurement and compare the difference of the rubber or spring stack
between each main gear. Since most flight operations involve only one
pilot, this would make sense. NOW PLEASE DON'T READ INTO THAT, I'M NOT
SUGGESTING THE PILOT IS OVERWEIGHT. But this is a normal wear issue, I
seem to find that these donuts last about five years before replacement is
needed due to a condition like yours or the more common tail height
discrepancy. Another thing to look at is your main landing
gear tires. Are they the same type? Are the diameters the
same?
After comparing these things and if
everything is close, maybe your still filling your tanks a bit much.
Filling my 'coupe I leave the fuel level about 1.5 to 2 inches below the filler
cap (I have the 30 gallon system). Any closer I run the risk of overflow
if the parking ramp has a slight slope.
Walt Uebele
1946 415-C
N94113
From: Donald Bowen
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Wednesday, November 24, 2004 12:06 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [COUPERS-TECH] HOW TO FIX WING LOW CONDITION ON GROUND ?
Sent: Wednesday, November 24, 2004 12:06 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [COUPERS-TECH] HOW TO FIX WING LOW CONDITION ON GROUND ?
----[Please read http://ercoupers.com/disclaimer.htm before following any advice in this forum.]----
My 1995 ALON IS LOSING FUEL OUT OF THE LEFT WING FUEL
CAP VENT, DESPITE ME TAKING CARE NOT TO OVERFILL EITHER WING TANK.
I ATTRIBUTE THIS TO A LEFT WING LOW CONDITION, IN THE HANGAR AND
WHILE TAXIING. THE A-2 AIRCOUPE SERVICE MANUAL NOTES THAT THE MAIN SHOCK STRUT
MUST BE SERVICED WITH THE WHEEL LIFTED UP OFF THE GROUND, YET NO JACK PAD IS
INCORPORATED UNDER EITHER WING, THERE APPEARS TO BE NO WAY TO PUT AIR OR
NITROGEN INTO THE STRUT. IT FURTHER STATES THAT THE STRUT SHOULD BE
SERVICED WITH 10 OZ OF HYDRAULIC FLUID WHILE IN IT'S FULL EXTENDED POSITION. MY
MECH THINKS JACKING UNDER A SPAR, WITH THE TILT OF THE WING, WITHOUT A JACK PAD
IS A VERY DANGEROUS UNDERTAKING. ANY IDEAS, PLEASE? DON
BOWEN
don bowen
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