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To All,
I how have a new thing to check before flying.
Today I was out shooting approaches and while on initial approach the plane stared makeing a lot of wind noise like the gear has come down. Still had 3 in the yellow and no indication of a hydralic problem. Cycled the gear and got normal operation 3 in the green and then cycled up and got the 3 yellow again no indication of a problem except for the noise. OK low pass pass the tower confirmed 3 wheels down and aparently locked again 3 in the green. Proceeded to make the one of my best landings. Amazing what a gear problem can do for landing improvement.
When I got back to the hanger it was kind of what I expected. One of the inner gear doors had disconneccted form the hydralic system. The rod end had screwed out of the end of the cylinder rod. The washer departed and the door with the now loose rod end flopped round with the door and the spring stayed on the cylinder rod. Loose but still in the airplane.
I wonder if anyone else has had this problem. I look the gear and associated hardware every preflight. Wiggle the inner doors and look at the attachment. They all looked good. However, you cannot see on the spring side of the washer and that is where the problem appeared to be. The AN312-3 nut not only holds on the washer and spring it should also lock the washer against the cylinder rod. In my case the nut came loose and the rod end would "walk out" of the cylinder rod every time the gear cycled. The cylinder rod is free to rodate in the cylinder. On inspection the nut washer and rod end looks normal because it is held tight by the spring. The net will even appear tight. Again the problem is not being able to see behind the washer to see if any threads are showing.
My solution will be to one make sure the AN315 is tight with the washer against the cylinder rod end. I will also use locktight on both the rod end and nut threads. I am also going to add a second AN315 as a stop nut again with locktight. This should stop the washer from comming loose but if it does I could have the same problem again with out a good way to inspect.
Any additional ideas or experence.
Ray Gardner
LNC2 N107SD.
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