PA28 (Warrior) Landing gear struts

B767Driver · January 26th, 2004, 17:47

A friend of mine just purchased a 1975 piper warrior. He was describing to me that the right main strut was leaking fluid and bottoming out...so he had it rebuilt. A few weeks later he called and said the left main strut was bottoming out but not leaking like the other one was. He called to ask if I was familiar with this type of problem.

I have a couple thousand hours of PA28 time...but none of it in the last twelve years. I can remember a strut going bad...maybe a half dozen times...in over 2000 hours. I also remember pounding some pretty hard landings in...as an instructor...teaching people to land...and the struts always held.

Now, I know there must be numerous folks here with significant PA28 time. Does anyone have any info to pass on regarding the life of a landing gear strut...and the frequency of failures? (I'm fairly certain these are nitrogen and oleo struts.)

(BTW, he states the failures and strut deflations were not due to an abnormally hard landing event.)

Thanks for any info.

FlyChicaga · January 26th, 2004, 18:05

I have about 300+ hours in the PA28 series, and I've never had a strut bottom out. A few times one has compressed during a crosswind landing, and we taxied in all cockeyed.

ananoman · January 26th, 2004, 19:50

From my experience the struts are very durable. It is very probable that the struts were just worn out and once both are rebuilt, they will be fine. I would suggest rebuilding the nose strut at the same time. It should not really cost that much, and it is probably better to get it over with.

sorrygottarunway · January 26th, 2004, 21:11

I was wondering if anyone would go so far as to say these airplane struts are generally sturdier than the C172 sisters' struts. I've had had about 3 heavy-crosswind landings due to the wacko northeast weather, and these landings have been totally fine. However, only one landing was pushing the "envelope."

cime_sp · January 26th, 2004, 21:34

Perhaps the other strut just needs to be inflated...assuming it's not leaking

Minuteman · January 26th, 2004, 22:25

There's a good chance an o-ring in the "oleo" is isintegrating. That can happen if the strut is often compressed and extended when the shiny part isn't so shiny (grimey).

It was a ritual on a few planes I flew to put your back under the outboard edge of the fuel tank and lift the plane back up.

pilot602 · January 27th, 2004, 08:48

It's probably bad rings. Have him look back through the logs and see where the airplane spent most of it's time and when the struts were last rebuilt. If it spent a lot of time in a dusty area (The southwest, OK, anywhere near a beach) it might explain why the struts went bad.

If the strut isn't regularly cleaned (they all leak a little) sand/dirt gets trapped in the oil/grease on the outside of the shaft. Then the next time the airplane lands the strut compresses and that gritty oil is now being forced between the shaft and the seals. Over time this can erode the rubber and or actually roll the seal. Cessnas are more prone to rolling problems because they use a round-sided O-ring where as Piper generally use a square-sided O-ring.

In any event the cleaner you keep the struts (wipe them down once a week, or if you're really anal after every flight) and it should help to keep the seals (O-rings) from detioriating/rolling. Eventually all struts need to be rebuilt as they are designed to take a lot of abuse.

Chances are his struts were running on borrowed time.

January 26th, 2004, 17:47	#1
B767Driver Old Skool Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,853	PA28 (Warrior) Landing gear struts A friend of mine just purchased a 1975 piper warrior. He was describing to me that the right main strut was leaking fluid and bottoming out...so he had it rebuilt. A few weeks later he called and said the left main strut was bottoming out but not leaking like the other one was. He called to ask if I was familiar with this type of problem. I have a couple thousand hours of PA28 time...but none of it in the last twelve years. I can remember a strut going bad...maybe a half dozen times...in over 2000 hours. I also remember pounding some pretty hard landings in...as an instructor...teaching people to land...and the struts always held. Now, I know there must be numerous folks here with significant PA28 time. Does anyone have any info to pass on regarding the life of a landing gear strut...and the frequency of failures? (I'm fairly certain these are nitrogen and oleo struts.) (BTW, he states the failures and strut deflations were not due to an abnormally hard landing event.) Thanks for any info.

January 26th, 2004, 18:05	#2
FlyChicaga Old Skool Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 4,801	Re: PA28 (Warrior) Landing gear struts I have about 300+ hours in the PA28 series, and I've never had a strut bottom out. A few times one has compressed during a crosswind landing, and we taxied in all cockeyed.

January 26th, 2004, 19:50	#3
ananoman Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 916	Re: PA28 (Warrior) Landing gear struts From my experience the struts are very durable. It is very probable that the struts were just worn out and once both are rebuilt, they will be fine. I would suggest rebuilding the nose strut at the same time. It should not really cost that much, and it is probably better to get it over with.

January 26th, 2004, 21:11	#4
sorrygottarunway Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: DXR, Connecticut Posts: 1,169	Re: PA28 (Warrior) Landing gear struts I was wondering if anyone would go so far as to say these airplane struts are generally sturdier than the C172 sisters' struts. I've had had about 3 heavy-crosswind landings due to the wacko northeast weather, and these landings have been totally fine. However, only one landing was pushing the "envelope."

January 26th, 2004, 21:34	#5
cime_sp Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: ATL Posts: 779	Re: PA28 (Warrior) Landing gear struts Perhaps the other strut just needs to be inflated...assuming it's not leaking

January 26th, 2004, 22:25	#6
Minuteman Senior Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 1,466 Blog Entries: 1	Re: PA28 (Warrior) Landing gear struts There's a good chance an o-ring in the "oleo" is isintegrating. That can happen if the strut is often compressed and extended when the shiny part isn't so shiny (grimey). It was a ritual on a few planes I flew to put your back under the outboard edge of the fuel tank and lift the plane back up.

January 27th, 2004, 08:48	#7
pilot602 Old Skool Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: who haa Posts: 3,750	Re: PA28 (Warrior) Landing gear struts It's probably bad rings. Have him look back through the logs and see where the airplane spent most of it's time and when the struts were last rebuilt. If it spent a lot of time in a dusty area (The southwest, OK, anywhere near a beach) it might explain why the struts went bad. If the strut isn't regularly cleaned (they all leak a little) sand/dirt gets trapped in the oil/grease on the outside of the shaft. Then the next time the airplane lands the strut compresses and that gritty oil is now being forced between the shaft and the seals. Over time this can erode the rubber and or actually roll the seal. Cessnas are more prone to rolling problems because they use a round-sided O-ring where as Piper generally use a square-sided O-ring. In any event the cleaner you keep the struts (wipe them down once a week, or if you're really anal after every flight) and it should help to keep the seals (O-rings) from detioriating/rolling. Eventually all struts need to be rebuilt as they are designed to take a lot of abuse. Chances are his struts were running on borrowed time.

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