Oleo Strut springs

[Ian]

I feel that my plane sits wing low not much but noticeable and when I am in it it is even lower. I saw video of me taxiing and it was quite oviously low on left. The springs have recently ben replaced in the struts and Maule said that they may not be as firm as older ones. The question is coud one add a bushing/shim ( I've got a set of new brass bushings I could machine a couple out of) to each spring to preload it and make it firmer?

[maules.com]

The later, round section coil springs are actually stiffer and have a slower collapse rate than the older square section ones. They must be fitted as a pair and measured for equal length before installation. Possibly the plane had a hard landing in a previous life that twisted the longeron a tiny bit. It is important to use NAS bolts to attach the oleos at the top.

[a64pilot]

The spring will bottom out at X amount of force. Shimming the springs will only remove some travel, the springs will still bottom out at the same weight, you will just have less suspension travel. I believe that most damage is done after the springs bottom out. As Jeremy say's only use NAS bolts, not AN. The AN bolts in my aircraft were bent, which is not uncommon.

[jsavage3]

Ian, call Wup or Bill at Alaska Bushwheels (800-442-8473). My airplane does the samething regarding the lean (I bought it that way) -- I didn't think it was a big deal, afterall, it was annual'd last summer -- I have since found that my R langing gear is slightly bent. Wup and Bill can be pretty convincing when describing their experiences with gear failures while taxiing to the pump! They have witnessed alot. My new HD landing gear & oleo strut assemblies from AK Bushwheels (yes, I am replacing both sides) arrived today and my airplane will remain parked until the new gear & oleos are installed. Why take a chance, right?

[BudG]

Speak of the devil...I was looking at the way the gear on M5 seemed to be toe out and a bit mushy. I called Bill at AKB. He relayed some real great horror stories about gear and said to take the flashing off and look length wise and see if the gear legs are in line. Also check the tension of the oleo by standing under a wing and rock it. If it goes clunk and notice a soft rocking without springback tension it needs to be checked out. I didn't like the look of it (I didn't take off the flashing) but I decided to give the bird new legs and meat. Just got back from AKB yesterday. What a difference. AKB folks were the greatest, bar none. The wife and I spent three days there. It snowed one morning. The AN bolts were bent, one severly. I had the HD gear 29x11x10 tires 10"wheels and a HD tail spring and replaced the tailwheel with their scott rep. and one strut that was worn and the inserts. Unbelievable the difference. Thanks to Steve the Mech. Bill and Wup and Nicole and Sarah. I was up today landing. Hey Tom. and taxiing was a new experience. Had they not caught the damaged gear ... Get it checked.
CAVU2U
BudG