Jim,

 

Older struts (I can't remember the year of change - maybe 1996?) did not have a self centering mechanism.  This is why you will see older 200-300 series planes with a bail around the back of the wheel - to help straighten out and stow the nose gear if it was not centered when retracted.  Lancair provided an upgrade service to modify older struts with the centering mechanism and, after such modification, some owners cut off the bail leaving only an inch or two fastened to the fork to act as a stop for the flat side of the axle bushing.  Others, like myself, left the bail in place out of nostalgia.

 

The self centering function is not an absolute necessity as long as one takes of fairly straight and the shimmy dampener is working so that the wheel could be jammed into the well.

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: troneill@charter.net [mailto:troneill@charter.net]
Sent: Wednesday, July 08, 2009 10:16 AM
To: lml@lancaironline.net
Subject: Re: [LML] Re: New nose strut

Hi Grayhawk,
Snip>
Terrance Wrote:
"The strut does not center- lock when the shaft is fully extended."

The Strut is supposed to be centered when fully extended. If it is not or is
not able it is wrong, and unsafe in the retraction cycle.  Not what it was
designed to do.  Take the strut off and, or get it to someone willing to
verify its internal integrity.  Something else is terribly wrong. Has
Lancair gone through your strut?

My strut has been trouble free. (4 years and 200 hours in my care.)  I have
had tire pressures at 30-35 psi and not a hint of imbalance or shimmy on the
CHEN SHIN/ ESCO combination.

Jim Auman


Snip>



Terrence O'Neill aka Redhand
L235/320 N211AL
Still grappling with the fuel slowscan 201B, but am cleared to fly 40 hrs
etc. in my test area.


---- Sky2high@aol.com wrote:
> I don't think ESCO went out of business, maybe just the business of 
> experimental aircraft struts....
> 
> _http://www.escocorp.com/locations.html_
> (http://www.escocorp.com/locations.html)
> 
> Grayhawk
> 
> 
> In a message dated 7/6/2009 7:46:17 P.M. Central Daylight Time, 
> cfi@instructor.net writes:
>
> It's my  understanding that ESCO went out of business.
>
>


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