I had been using your web instruction posting. Although I hate to ruin the MLG housing, I have a spare set so will not be a big problem. Since it is stuck compressed, I can see no place to get penetrant into the rusted area, but am going back out and squirt some this evening just in case it will work. I assume the rust is along the entire length of the piston, an awful lot to break loose, and about inpossible to get penetrant the entire distance. I may try a torch on the bottom portion to see if it will enlarge a bit and maybe break loose.
--- In [email protected], "Hartmut Beil" <hb...@...> wrote: > > Donald. > Did you try to freeze up the rusted pistons with some rust penetrating fluid? > You should be able to squirt it in between strut and piston. > I have never heard of the MLG struts to rust frozen. > I know it won't help you much, but here a few pictures of the strut removal. > http://www.ercoupe.info/?n=Main.MainGearServicing > > When I had everything out, including the upper portion of the strut (piston) > I had the wings off. > I noticed that is almost impossible to get the upper bolt off, because one > needs to reach to a cotter pin first and then can put a wrench on one side, > but the other side is held by a screw driver, since this is a big clevis pin. > Really, without the wings off, hard to do. > > Don't smash the MLG with the bigger hammer. > Maybe fill the gap between piston and strut and let sit for a few days and > try again by wiggling the thing off. > > Gee that is a nasty problem. > > Hartmut > > > > From: Donald > Sent: Monday, May 24, 2010 12:02 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: [ercoupe-tech] Re: MLG Problems, long post, Need Help! > > > > > > I guess I was not clear, the snap ring has nothing to do with my problem. My > problem is that the center portion of the strut is frozen to the outer > housing - in a compressed state. In all probability it got rusty, then on a > landing it forced it up and stuck there. > > --- In [email protected], BRIAN BARAGWANATH <baragwanath1@> wrote: > > > > once you remove the snap ring they should fall apart. > > > > Brian Baragwanath > > N3085H > > Cranland-28M > > > > --- On Sun, 5/23/10, Donald <DonGeneda@> wrote: > > > > > > From: Donald <DonGeneda@> > > Subject: [ercoupe-tech] MLG Problems, long post, Need Help! > > To: [email protected] > > Date: Sunday, May 23, 2010, 5:20 PM > > > > > > Fitting in with the MLG postings of late, I decidewd to jack mine up and > > put in the spacers to raise my tail today. As I was taking thinga apart, I > > was surprised to see there were already a set of spacers there. Strange, > > my tail is pretty low. > > I decided to measure my donut stack, three and 1/2 inches, although the > > rubbers look as good as new. I jacked it up to measure again no load - > > still three and a half! What the heck is going on here. I have a pair of > > bellville spring equipped struts, measured them, and the stack is about > > four and a quarter inches! > > I decide to take things apart to see what is going on, drop the bottom > > bolt, swing the strut back to pull it off - and it won't move! Now I > > understand why the rubbers are compressed - the strut is froze solid in a > > compressed state! Take the other side off, same thing. > > Easy, just pull the top bolt out - whoops, I think you must have to pull > > the wings to do that AND have some special wrenches, not what I wanted. I > > found I could put a drift down thru between the wing and center section, > > and pound on the top of the strut to try to beat the bottom part off. No > > luck, gave up for the day and came home to get a bigger hammer - a LOT > > BIGGER hammer. I may have to heat the outside of the strut to release it, > > probably burn up the rubbers, and I don't even know for sure WHERE the > > sticking is! > > Has anybody else had this problem? I could sure use an easy solution right > > now. > > No wonder I had such a devil of a time with smooth landings, darned thing > > had NO spring action whatever! > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------ > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > >
