I have been helping a friend work on his gear and we are not having any luck. It goes up to about 20 cranks in a normal manner, and then gets real stiff for the next ten or so cranks and then gets free again. This has gotten worse over the last year or two. So far we have lubed (again) everything, changed the bearings that are on the shafts that go through the rear spar. Rebushed almost everything, cleaned the chains, changed one trunion nut, and changed one U_joint. No change at all at this point. We are concidering pulling the bolt out of the sprocket behind the spar (one at a time) and cranking one side up at a time to see if we can isolate the problem to one side or the other. I seem to remember an article about this problem in one of the old news letters, but I cant locate it. Any ideas? Suggestions? WAGs? Boy, am I glad I have hydraulic gear on my Cruisair._____Grant.
Cruisair gear cranking harder and harder?
- Thread starter gjordan
- Start date
Dan Cullman
New member
If you are doing this on stands, I would think this is normal. After 20 turns, you are lifting the weight of the gear. In flight, it shouldn't be so bad.
This is in flight, and it has gotten worse over time. I flew the plane about 18 months ago and it was a little bit stiff, and I flew it last month and it was way worse. The owner who has over 2000 hours in Cruisairs says it is terrible. We both hoped that changing the bearings on the shaft that comes thru the rear spar would fix it since they are subject to such side load, but it didnt. I seem to remember this being talked about in an old news letter, but I cant locate it. Any suggestions are welcome.____Grant.
Alain1
New member
There is a cable on mine that compress the oleo when gears go up so the wheel can fit in the well, I think they're all like this.. When it start compressing it , it is a bit harder. Are you sure that your oleo is operating properly, and not too stiff or dry? try coating a bit of oil on the chrome section of the oleo, maybe your seals wipe it too well ?
Alain.
Alain.