I have looked over the new packings, and I don't think that they will soften up hardly any. It looks like maybe a 50/50 mix of rubber and fibers.
The last time that I had a gear leg & strut off, I used the top motor mount at the fire wall. I didn't have a motor or wings to contend with, but I wouldn't be afraid to do it the same way with the motor or wings. The first time that I did such a thing, I didn't have a chain hoist. I made a simple "A" frame and let the legs of the frame straddle the gear leg. Then put a jack on top of it and jacked on the tri-pod frame, inboard of the strut.
I think that some time, several years ago, I posted an E-mail on the Web site, about where I located a simple wrench that I used for the gland nut. Like I just read in anyther E-mail, I had to grind >1/16" off the inside edge so the pins could engage the holes in the gland nut. I'll look around to see if there is any markings on it, that would be a clue for where it came from. It had the correct pin size, and had a single pivot on the two arms to adjust for span.
'----- Original Message -----
From: danMichael
To: fairchildclub@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Saturday, December 20, 2008 9:35 AM
Subject: Re: [fairchildclub] Main gear oleo packing renewal,F24
Harry:
> Also the packing is a tad hard any ideas on softening it.
>
I had a leaking strut on my F24 a few years back. The packing was
rock hard. I could not locate replacements, so my old-time IA had me
simmer the packing in ATF for a couple hours. I coated them with
graphite grease and reinstalled them and they have been fine since.
If that hadnt worked, I was going to try square teflon-coated packing
that is used in marine shaft stuffing boxes.
> If any of the group has experience in the renewal of the oleo
> packing ,if necessary to support the plane if so how did you
> accomplish this?
Like Tom, we lifted the plane by the engine mounts. We wrapped heavy
nylon webbing on the upper mount tubes as close to the firewall as
possible. Fortunately there was a portable overhead crane at the
shop. A light webbing from a strut to a weight on the floor ensured
that the plane wouldnt rock.
I think you would have to take the weight off the strut to renew the
packing. If for no other reason, to judge how much the gland nuts
have to be tightened after reassembly. You need to be sure the gear
extends under its own weight.
p.s.: I discovered that I needed to buy a new pin wrench and take a
grinder to it to fit the gland nut. The recesses in the nut were too
close to the strut piston to allow clearance for the wrench I first
tried (the arms of the wrench would contact the piston strut before
the pins could reach their holes).
Good luck.
:Dan
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