from Ian Crowe:
 " I had been fussing over the item on the annual which calls for a test to
verify the gas spring and had not as yet come up with an in situ test.
Taking the gas spring off to test it is a pain."

Ian,
I agree; taking the gas spring off is a pain and unnecessary.    I contend
that if you can do a successful gear free-fall test at 120 MPH or more,
there is no need  to remove the gas spring.
Bob Jude
N65BJ