Spring gear

[Capair]

Any opinions on the addition of a spring gear on my champ..

[Captgrumps]

It won't be a Champ.

Doug

[Nathan K. Hammond]

It's a lot of fabrication, fabric recover, labor and cost. What's the benefit?

nkh

[badger bob]

ive got a spring gear on my 7aca and its like wheel landing on a kangaro. id like the oleo setup but the spring is all the 7aca came with. Bob

[Capair]

Ok. I will leave well enough alone. How can I make sure that I have the right amount of fluid in them. I have the no-bounce setup

[Paul Agaliotis]

The service manual has the procedure. I believe the no bounce require 8.5oz.
Paul

[brink]

Hi Paul:
I agree the Heavyduty/low bounce is a very nice gear, far superior to the spring. unless your training into a Cessna, with spring gear, most have it. The process in servicing the gear. is 8.5 Oz, 5606 red hydraulic fluid, remove the top cowl, and hoist at the engine mount area, at the engine. lift the aircraft, and remove the bottom bolt that attaches the axle to the strut assembly,lift the oleo assembly, level with the fuselage mount, remove the 4 point plug and add the 5606. Replace the plug and reattach to the axle. you should have a grease fitting on the front of the oleo mid way up. I use medium weight grease, about 3 or 4 full pumps on a dry oleo. or until the grease exits out the bottom. It's always a good Idea to wipe the strut barrel with 5606 after a flying this prevents rust and will smooth the grease as it lubes the assembly. it's just the way I do it. Sunny

[Paul Agaliotis]

Sunny,
That's just the way I do it. I don't use the 5606, I use a light weight jack oil. I butter lube the oleo if I have it out and give it 1 shot of grease at Annual.
Paul

[gusc]

Brink,

5606 exposed to air gets sticky in my experience.

[mike newall]

Grumps,

It would be

It would be a 7 ACA !

My buddy has a 1972 7 ACA in Zephyrhills FL, however.............

It had 2 major accidents in it's past and now sports oleo undercarriage. In fact, mysteriously, the trimmer moved as well, so we suspect a donor fuselage was found !!

Stay with the oleo - much better and much more in keeping.

[MikeB]

After flying the 'conventional' oleo gear for many years I was a bit apprehensive about the 'no bounce' gear on my L16. I thought it would be kind of 'springy' when transitioning to land but can't really find any fault with the no bounce other than a bit rougher ride when you're on the taxi side of the gear. However (like the conventional gear) it's still possible to bounce if you approach too fast....don't ask me how I know .

MikeB