Thanks Bill, all good information. I AM an A&P, so was well aware of many of the sloppy crap repairs before I bought it. The landing gear struts were not one I inspected closely, mostly cause it came with a spare set with Belleville washers on it, and it "seemed" easy to repair.. I went out this evening and shot penetrating oil on it, but it is hard to get any where it is needed, because of the compressed state. Then I heated and while hot started beating. Nothing did the trick, removing the upper bolt I feel is the only option now.
--- In [email protected], William R. Bayne <ercog...@...> wrote: > > > Donald, > > Before proceeding further, ask yourself these questions: > > 1. What kind of an owner/mechanic would put spacers on the main > landing gear oleos without servicing the oleos? > > 2. What kind of mechanic would sign off an annual without inspecting > the main landing gear oleos for proper fluid and operation? > > 3. What was the date of the last annual on this bird? > > 4. How long does it take to eject or evaporate fluid from the MLG > oleos and then for them to seize from rust? (Hint...a lot longer than > a year!) > > These questions should suggest to you that prior maintenance of your > airplane has been questionable, at best. That, to me, puts associated > paperwork in question as to completeness and accuracy. It might be > prudent (regardless of your finances and personal skills) to find and > hire a competent mechanic to oversee a progressive annual on it as soon > as possible. > > ÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅ > > What follows is ONLY applicable to Serial numbers 813 and up! > > "Pounding and beating" with a "LOT BIGGER" hammer is a traditional > practice of blacksmiths, but such skills of that honorable trade have > little application to proper repair and/or maintenance practices on an > Ercoupe. Unnecessary damage is the likely result. > > The same is true (perhaps even more so!) with regard to using a torch > on any part or assembly in or on an airplane. It is so seldom > necessary as to be best left to an expert. Dismounted, in the vise, OK > (with due care). Remember that any brake fluid or hydraulic oil > remaining in an oleo will likely boil out or vaporize given sufficient > heat, with unpredictable and possibly dangerous result. > > With reference to the Parts Manual, Fig. 12, to get the oleos off the > plane you need to remove Items 27, 28 and 29. Before proceeding, > liberally soak them with good penetrating oil. There are times when > only force will resolve a problem, but you want to think everything > through so as to reduce that force to the absolute minimum necessary > before proceeding. > > It is unlikely Items 27, 28 and 29 are frozen; but if they are, the > shock of periodic light but solid hammer blows assist the lubricant to > penetrate the assembly. Apply with a punch of slightly smaller > diameter to the bolt threaded end (if that is accessible) or any large > flat-ended punch to the rounded "screwdriver end" (apply so as to not > bugger the screwdriver slot). > > If the cotter cannot be extracted in the normal manner, cut off the > bent ends of the cotter. Lock a Vise grip onto the loop end and try to > pry out. If still unsuccessful, try to rotate the nut/bolt such that > the cotter hole is vertical. If you can't, cut the loop part of the > cotter off with a sharp chisel (flush with the nut and use a socket to > to rotate the nut/bolt such that the cotter hole is vertical. Then use > a pin punch to drive out the remains of the cotter. > > If it is not then possible to simply remove the nut with the > appropriate wrench, cut the sucker off with a chisel and drive the bolt > out. Replace any part not in perfect condition after removal (for > reasons that should be obvious), and never reuse a cotter pin. > > Once the whole oleo is off the plane, position it in the same > orientation it was mounted and squirt penetrating oil into the filler > cap and the upper seam between cylinder and piston every day (several > times) for a week. (Yes, you could have started this soaking while > getting the assembly off the plane ;<) Then (and ONLY then) attempt > to disassemble each oleo. As Paul pointed out, it may be that your > oleos cannot be saved; but I would try. > > Position the rubber donut stack securely in a large, well mounted vise > so it is not easily dislodged. You DON'T want to apply force to the > "ears" the mounting bolts go through and you DON'T want such clamping > force applied to any unsupported part of the actual cylinder in which > the piston must travel freely as permanent distortion will likely > result. > > Using two pipe wrenches of appropriate size and cloth padded jaws to > clamp on (1) the flange of the attaching end of the piston (supporting > the "ears" through which the mounting bolts go) and (2) the flange on > the oleo cylinder supporting the rubber donut stack (perhaps with a > friend's help) apply rotational force (as if unscrewing a nut from a > bolt) so as to break the piston-cylinder seizure. This MAY distort the > bottom donut spacer, see item #20, Fig. 12 in the Parts Catalog (if so, > and it cannot be straightened, replace it). > > If unsuccessful, try adding torch heat to the (lower) cylinder (where > you can get to it). If a little isn't enough, add a little more. Any > expansion is a good thing, although transient. More than is absolutely > needed is too much. Again, this is no place for the blacksmith > approach of heating things to different colors! DO NOT apply heat to > the (upper) piston. Expansion there works against you. > > If still unsuccessful, "overhaul" your Belleville strut assemblies. > Most cylinders will benefit from cleaning and honing, and pistons from > cleaning and flushing out with acetone. Degrease, prime, paint and > lubricate parts as appropriate before reassembly. A coating of STP for > the upper and lower mounting bolts (and threads thereon) in the process > of assembly could reduce wear and eliminate all possibility of seizure > here in the future. STP is a rifle, not a shotgun. In many places it > has properties you DON'T WANT "in play". > > Remember, I'm NOT a mechanic. but can do such work "under appropriate > supervision" (as can you). > > Regards, > > William R. Bayne > .____|-(o)-|____. > (Copyright 2010) > > -- > > On May 23, 2010, at 16:20, Donald wrote: > > > 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! >
