Main Landing Gear
As a new Cherokee 6 / 260 owner, I am looking for recommendations on the best vendor to purchase rebuilt main landing gear or to rebuild existing landing gear. My right main will not hold pressure after having a new rebuild kit installed . Thanks in advance for your recommendations...
Comments
Stand by while I send this to our A&P Eric Rempert.
Scott Sherer
Wright Brothers Master Pilot, FAA Commercial Pilot
I've resealed all of mine several times over the past 40 years. I remember cutting a seal one time and having to do it over. Maybe it is something that simple. You might try Wentworth for a used strut assy. if you need one.
Austin
Chip; Are the struts leaking fluid or just losing pressure and going flat? If leaking fluid, then it could be that the main seals need to be replaced, or could be something like Austin mentioned. If no fluid is leaking, it could be the air or nitrogen charge is leaking from the top of the strut that houses the Schrader valve. It's more work to rebuild the tops than the main strut seals, but far less expensive than replacing both struts. Keep in mind that you don't know the condition of used struts, and they may need a full rebuild also. My advice is you might as well do a full rebuild on the struts you already have.
Jim "Doc Griff" Griffin
PA28 - 161
Chicago area
Here's a response from our A&P, Erich Rempert:
Most likely it was reassembled improperly/ a seal was damaged during assembly.
Pay for another rebuild of your strut by a different mechanic.
If that doesn't resolve the problem you can contact a salvage yard like White or Wentworth. (You'll have to pay to have that strut rebuilt as well before installation, so that's another reason I recommend a different mechanic. If you use the same one and your strut is still bad, and they rebuild the replacement, it's likely it will be "bad" too)
Aviall is the parts supplier if you want new, but be prepared to get an after school job or personal loan to pay for that! ;-)
Also, find out if the Schrader valve was replaced during the rebuild, that is an often overlooked culprit.
Think horses, not Zebras...
~Erich Rempert, IA Consultant
Scott Sherer
Wright Brothers Master Pilot, FAA Commercial Pilot
From my experience, Griff is giving you some very savvy insight.