CTLS Shock Absorber Inspection question

[Big Flapper]

In the CTLS Maintenance Manual "Shock Absorber Inspection" it states to push down on the propeller and release sharply. The nose is supposed to return to the original setting.

How much force is required to push the nose down. Mine seems quite stiff and only moves a small amount. Is this normal? My plane is a 2008 model with 700 hrs.

 

[Mike Koerner]

Flapper,

I suspect that inspection procedure applied to the original design, with a spring in the strut. Since they changed to plastic donuts, the front suspension is very stiff. There's probably more play from compressing the tire.

[Tom Baker]

With the new style plastic donuts you need to lift the nose, and if the gear drops down the donuts need replaced. They should be under compression, but as the airplane sits with weight on the nose gear they compress. The more they compress the more looseness you will have.

[Anticept]

The procedure I use is to lower the tail and grab the nose strut. Move it side to side and up and down. There will be a little movement, but more than say, an inch up and down, and it needs service badly. Ideally there would be no vertical play, but then those would be replaced constantly.

The side to side is testing the condition of the cassette pin and assembly. It should BARELY move at all before you hit tension from the rest of the system. As in, less than the gear lash on the prop.

If you're not sure how much that is, I would recommend disassembly of the nose strut and study its design so that you have a good idea of what you are looking for. Don't loose the little flat spacers under the steering horn!