Front Prop Clearance and Nose Strut Deflated

Frank Benvin · #1 10-07-23, 11:13 PM

My mechanic filled it while I pulled down the tail and rested the tail on a upside 5 gallon bucket with a pillow on top of it. The nose gear was down and locked while he filled it

CO_Skymaster · #2 10-08-23, 01:15 AM

I am headed to the hanger tomorrow. I will check again. Maybe I can get to it if the strut is extended or maybe I was looking in the wrong place. Let you know if it works.

Thanks,

Karl

Kim Geyer · #3 10-08-23, 08:18 PM

I used a single short jack on the jack point behind the nose gear. I have weighted the tail end down with cases of oil in a pinch (@8- 12 qt.) The nose wheel needs to be off the ground to service it. If you try to do it with weight on it, it will take 250+ psi to get it to move.

CO_Skymaster · #4 10-08-23, 10:32 PM

I went down today to see if I could get access to the Schrader valve to put in some air. It looks like there is a metal cap that can be loosened with a hex wrench, but try as I might, with the aircraft not jacked up and the strut deflated, I could not maneuver my arm in there without hitting the side of my body or head on the gear doors. I'm going to have to purchase a nose jack and try again later. Good news is it looks like my A&P is finally starting to move through his backlog of aircraft for annual. Wither he fixes before I get to it or not, I need to learn how to do it, so I will keep trying to work with it.

Thanks everyone for your help,

Karl

Frank Benvin · #5 10-09-23, 01:26 PM

The cap on the valve should be able to be loosened with your fingers

You can see it in the picture attached

Frank

CO_Skymaster · #6 10-10-23, 10:11 AM

Thanks Frank.

That's what mine looks like, good to see I'm on the right track. I was also looking at a nose jack as my first jack purchase. I was looking at Alpha Aviation (those are the red hydraulic jacks I see on Aircraft Spruce), but I can't find the specific model for the nose. Does anyone have a recommendation for a nose jack model or even another company?

Thanks,

Karl

Kim Geyer · #7 10-10-23, 11:46 PM

If you are only servicing with nitrogen or air I have done this without a jack. I would connect the nitrogen bottle and stet the regulator to @ 30 psi then pull down on the booms till the strut was full extended. When the weight was put back on the nose gear, you can see if you need a little more or not if you don’t have enough extension add a few psi and do it again.