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Help! My 320 has been flying since October 1997. The hydraulic cylinders
date to 1989 and have been in service since late 1992. The door retract
cylinders were the first to start leaking, about two years ago. Just a
slight seepage at first, then gradually increasing. The gear retract
cylinders recently started leaking in a similar fashion. I had ordered the
rebuild kits (O-rings and seals) last Fall and recently removed the
cylinders for rebuilding. The door cylinders were relatively easy to
disassemble; however, after removing the snap rings for the main gear
cylinder ends, I was unable to pull the shaft assembly out by hand. I was
unwilling to exert more than hand pressure. Could anyone tell me how to
disassemble the gear cylinders?
                          Bill Rumburg
                          N403WR  (Sonic BooM)

[Bill... this may be a stupid question, but did you remove the AN fittings
from the cylinders?  They screw into the cylinder end caps and not the
cylinder body.  If you've gotten the end caps off I can't think of any
reason the piston shouldn't come out of the cylinder other than the piston
seal getting caught in the snap ring grooves.  I haven't had mine apart,
but have discussed their disassembly with another builder.  He had
problems getting the snap rings out until he removed the AN fittings
which then allowed the end caps to be moved toward the center of
the cylinder slightly, taking the pressure off the snap rings. .  <Marv>  ]