The saga continues…
Props are getting stress tested… hoping the remaining hub and blades will pass… their overhaul is in process
Finished main gear… new tires, tubes, regreased bearings and rebuilt brakes- they just needed cleaning and new O-rings, pucks OK. New hydraulic lines were done on both nacelles… brake lines and gear actuating hydraulic flexible hoses on each side.
Up to the nose yesterday- I could only squeeze in a couple hours, front wheel assembly removed, interesting structure, bearing races were bad so new races and bearings on order…new tube and tire await in the wings (pun?).
In the nose a vertical stringer near the hydraulic actuating arm for the nose gear is cracked and needs replacing, I’m guessing this is a known spot for cracks to occur- seems like a lot of stressors add up to that spot. I have to remove the gear indicator switches to get to the stringer’s fasteners… need Gumby arms! Again, my hat is off in respect to aircraft mechanics- it’s a physically challenging job!
Pics below of cracked stringer from outboard side and a pic of gear position switches from inside the front gear well- with the shiny screw heads going upward (beyond reach I might add) past the nearly removed switches- one more bolt remains on the switches…on top and out of sight.
One bolt, one screw and definitely one NUT at a time gets this work done! I am enjoying this immersion into the plane…
Pics below…
