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Brad Simmons (talented professional builder in Milan TN) has shown me a modification to the gear handle that solved this problem. The leaking hydralics at the pump housing (which I had rebuilt three of four times to stop this) must come from these little bumps and wiggles occurring against the handle, permitting hydralic fluid to sneak past the seals.
Using a machinist, the handle is cut short leaving ~40% (coming off the pump), and a female fitting incorporated into the cut end. The other 60% handle (with the bulb on end) gets a long male screw mounted inside the hollow end. When screwed together, the handle is solid. The 60% handle then sits elsewhere (side pouch or behind the passenger front seat or cleated under the front spar lip).
This opens up the entire leg area previously blocked by the handle projecting out over the spar, and also significantly reduces the presence of the handle/pump profile sitting between the seats. Without the occasional bumps on the handle, small leakage from the pump seals seems to have stopped.
I sent my handle to Brad <dl60280@bellsouth.net> and he returned it in two weeks machined and ready for reinstall.
Jeff Liegner
LIVP in New Jersey
To: lml@lancaironline.net
From: "Nicholas Paczkowski" <npaczkowski@telus.net>
Subject: Gear Hand Pump LIV
Perhaps a dumb question (apologies in advance) but Is there a better alternative available to the manually operated hydraulic 'gear down' lever (such as a charged gas bottle) that would eliminate both the awkward lever and the seemingly inevitable leaking of hydraulic fluid? Thanks.
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