Bill, I fly a 4-P Turbine and the description from Michelle at Kit Components is...160-0002, gas spring 100#, 10.71" ext'd / 3.94" stroke, M6 maleNote that there are two different "end" styles and confirm with her which one that you have before ordering. She is very helpful!! ... George George F. Rosel (cell) 303-995-5501 Cool vacation destination..."The Lodge at Timberline", Copper Mtn., Colorado ... a true "ski-in/ski-out" Luxury Home for RENT, see video... http://youtu.be/ZYMcJn2TfqY ... Click here to view my webpage: http://www.vrbo.com/254739 or... http://www.LodgeAtTimberline.com On Tuesday, March 18, 2014 1:14 PM, Chris Zavatson <chris_zavatson@yahoo.com> wrote: Dom,My 360 requires a strut force somewhere south of 65 lbs to lock the gear in flight. The strut when new at ~100 lbs has a huge margin. I base my replacement interval on actual strut performance in-flight. I look for the maximum airspeed at which the gear will lock. I start at 120 KIAS and free-fall the gear. New gas struts will lock the nose gear even at this much elevated speed. If it does not lock, I start slowing until I get a green light. During this test the gear has already lost its momentum from the free fall and it is just the gasstrut pushing the gear forward into the airstream. Once the maximum locking speed (without the aide of a free fall) drops below 100 KIAS I replace the strut. They have been lasting about seven years. Note that undue friction in the bearings or linkages can reduce your margins during the free fall. So even if the strut is replaced more frequently, an inflight test is the only way to know the actual functional performance of the system. In-flight testing of the emergency extension is a critical maintenance item. Throughout the years the Lancair fleet has suffered a number of nose gear collapses (following emergency extensions) as a result of weak gas struts that were not being properly checked. Note that undue friction in the bearings or linkages can reduce your margins during the free fall. In an actual emergency extension one should slow down at 80 to reduce the air loads. For more nose gear maintenance items:http://www.lancairowners.com/nosegearmaintenance/ Chris ZavatsonN91CZ360std On Tuesday, March 18, 2014 8:57 AM, George Rosel <rosel_george@yahoo.com> wrote: Hello Gang,I suggest you change out the nose gas strut every year at your annual condition inspection. It's not worth the worry and they only cost 19.75ea. from Lancair Kit Components. I just ordered a couple of them. Fly Safe!!... George George F. Rosel (cell) 303-995-5501 Cool vacation destination..."The Lodge at Timberline", Copper Mtn., Colorado ... a true "ski-in/ski-out" Luxury Home for RENT, see video... http://youtu.be/ZYMcJn2TfqY ... Click here to view my webpage: http://www.vrbo.com/254739 or... http://www.lodgeattimberline.com/ On Tuesday, March 18, 2014 9:19 AM, Matt <mattinlosangeles@yahoo.com> wrote: I test it in flight on my 360. A couple times a year. When the airspeed gets too slow I replace it. MattSent from my iPhone> On Mar 18, 2014, at 6:53 AM, John Barrett <2thman1@gmail.com> wrote: > > You can remove the strut and test it. I do that at annual and replace it if it's losing its charge> > John> > Sent from my iPad> > >> On Mar 18, 2014, at 4:48 AM, "Dominic V. Crain" <domcrain@tpg.com.au> wrote:>> >> Does anyone change the nose gear gas strut as a matter of routine maintenance, e.g., at an annual, or biennially etc?>> Cheers>> >> Dom Crain>> VH-CZJ >> >> Dominic V. Crain>> domcrain@tpg.com.au>> Phone 03-94161881>> Mobile 0412-359320>> >> >> -->> For archives and unsub http://mail.lancaironline.net:81/lists/lml/List.html> > -- > For archives and unsub http://mail.lancaironline.net:81/lists/lml/List.html--For archives and unsub http://mail.lancaironline.net:81/lists/lml/List.html