Our landing gear, especially the nose, is dead simple to compared to other aircraft, but it does need to be serviced properly once in a while.  Some shops do them every 2 years if the plane is out of doors, and every 3 for a hangared bird.

When they are not serviced in enough years, the metal start to act on each other and generate rust and then it is but a short step to having to replace both torque tube and strut (about 3 grand for parts, and maybe that for labor)

So here is a plane that the nose strut has not been out of for a log, long time.  Once we removed everything in the way we found it was not moving, even with help from the ‘Big Tool’.  So we sprayed Kroil (penetrating oil) and let it work overnight.

Here it is on the strut (thank you Jerry Kramer for making my tool for me) and this am it would turn just a bit.  So more oil and now to have fun.

We connected it to the golf cart for pulling with a cargo strap, setting the cart so the tire hits the hangar lip and are being pulled sideways.Notice the plane is supported by a metal saw horse and a jack, the tires are chocked, ,and the wing tiedown rings and the tail are all secured aft to the hangar to hold the plane while persuade the strut out.

With more oil and a lot of pumping action up and down on the tool, after a few minutes we see this.  A small glimmer of progress after an hour of work.  Now we know we are going to win.  Heck, just getting it to turn can be a huge effort.  It was so frozen in place, that while lifting with a friend, we actually lifted the left main gear right off the floor.  When it finally moved, it was a loud crack, almost like a rifle shot.

Over the next 2 hours we get these:Sweet another 3/4th of an inch out.By the time the first hole was exposed, the rotating force was greatly reduced, oil no longer smoked spraying on the parts (yes it generate that much heat, it was 390 F on the infarred thermometer when we cooled it with a cold rag.  But this is the downhill slide.

A few moments later and this!Now to clean it all up, check it, check the tube and bolts, and then reassemble.  Don’t let this happen to your plane.

Here is why I say that:

new 507 strut ~1450.00 plus freight from Fletchair
new torque tube ~ 1650 plus freight from Fletchair
torque tube replacement ~ 20 -24 hours shop time at 80 per hour 1,920
That is $4,4220 right there ball park. Trust, me, no one want to play there.

Enjoy!

Roscoe
Yankee-Aviation.com
513-519-7008