Red/Organge Wax Like Substance at Wing Support

[M-7 Rocketman]

Has anyone had the experience of a organge/redish substance that is like a wax coming out of the area where the wing supports meet at the bottom of the airplance. There are no known fluids in the wing support members. Others that I have contacted, including the factory suspect it is an inspection compound that may have been put on a bit too liberally and is now migrating outside the support cover. I have the airplane in the desert southwest where the temp's are extreme which is where the substance began to appear. No mention of the substance during the annual 2 months ago.

[a64pilot]

Don't know what an inspection compound is, but what I think you have is an anti-corrosive like a grease. Some of the better ones are wax based. What I use is called par-al ketone or black bear. In my opinion it's good that it is there and I would leave it there. Was your plane ever on floats? If you remove the cuff to inspect that area don't be surprised to find the bolts aren't real tight, they aren't supposed to be.

[taildragger]

Is it possible your struts were sloshed with linseed oil per the strut AD and it is somehow seeping thru a hole?

Scott

[a64pilot]

Does anybody still have the unsealed struts? Linseed oil usually dries hard, but it is an orange color very similar to varnish. It's only something like three or four screws to pull the cuff and be sure.

[silvaire]

By 'inspection compound' they probably mean Torque Seal which comes in florescent yellow, green and orange but it's not a 'waxy' substance, it's very hard and brittle and is used to quickly see if a nut or bolt has migrated or loosened. It's also widely used for tamper proofing warrantied assemblies and components. It would possibly be applied at the base of the nut on the strut fork bolts but like I said, it's not gooey or runny - not even in the desert heat. It dries as a brittle laquer.

[mauledrvr]

Boeing T-9 "Boe-Sheild" turns translucent orange after a few years. Have an old can in the shop that is pretty gummed up with the stuff. Works well but is a grit magnet.