Tweet
08-04-2008, 06:30 AM
Tom Saccio | 3385 Seawind Dilemnas (oleo)
About a month ago, after getting my Seawind back in the air, I was taking off at my local airport when I heard a loud bang. I thought it was prudent to circle and land. When I touched down the left main gear collapsed. Upon inspection I found that the threaded rod on the inside of the oleo had unscrewed itself and disconnected. One end of the rod is secured with castle nut and a cotter pin. The side that disconnected only had a lock nut on it. That is the side that unscrewed itself. I tried to drill a hole through the aluminium collar and the rod but not even my local machine shop could get through the stainless. So I called Evensburg Tool, the maker of the Oleo, and ordered two rods drilled out and I will cotter pin the shaft in place. I don't think that I am the first one that this happened to. It might behoove you to check this out and do something similiar so this doesn't happen to you. I had to repair the sponson and the keel. Not fun. Good luck, Tom Saccio
08-04-2008, 06:32 AM
Mike | 3390
Hi Mike, I probably had about 50 landings and maybe between testing the landing gear on the ground during the building process about 150 cycles. Not enough in my opinion to cause a major problem like I had. The people at Evensburg Tool are sending me new rods drilled at both ends so that I could put a cotter pin in each end. That should make it more secure. Take care. Tom Saccio
08-05-2008, 06:40 AM
Mike | 3391
Tom, do u have a website for Evensburg Tool or a phone #......Thnx
04-14-2009, 03:45 PM
seawally | 3385 Seawind dilemma
Tom,
I'm rebuilding seeping oleos, (gonna use Granville) and I really like the "drilled both ends" rods you found. It wouldn't seem that stainless is needed (being completely inside the oleo). I missed the numbers on where to get them. Would you mind posting it again? Thanks, Wally Weller
Tom Saccio | 3385 Seawind Dilemnas (oleo)
About a month ago, after getting my Seawind back in the air, I was taking off at my local airport when I heard a loud bang. I thought it was prudent to circle and land. When I touched down the left main gear collapsed. Upon inspection I found that the threaded rod on the inside of the oleo had unscrewed itself and disconnected. One end of the rod is secured with castle nut and a cotter pin. The side that disconnected only had a lock nut on it. That is the side that unscrewed itself. I tried to drill a hole through the aluminium collar and the rod but not even my local machine shop could get through the stainless. So I called Evensburg Tool, the maker of the Oleo, and ordered two rods drilled out and I will cotter pin the shaft in place. I don't think that I am the first one that this happened to. It might behoove you to check this out and do something similiar so this doesn't happen to you. I had to repair the sponson and the keel. Not fun. Good luck, Tom Saccio
08-04-2008, 06:32 AM
Mike | 3390
Hi Mike, I probably had about 50 landings and maybe between testing the landing gear on the ground during the building process about 150 cycles. Not enough in my opinion to cause a major problem like I had. The people at Evensburg Tool are sending me new rods drilled at both ends so that I could put a cotter pin in each end. That should make it more secure. Take care. Tom Saccio
08-05-2008, 06:40 AM
Mike | 3391
Tom, do u have a website for Evensburg Tool or a phone #......Thnx
04-14-2009, 03:45 PM
seawally | 3385 Seawind dilemma
Tom,
I'm rebuilding seeping oleos, (gonna use Granville) and I really like the "drilled both ends" rods you found. It wouldn't seem that stainless is needed (being completely inside the oleo). I missed the numbers on where to get them. Would you mind posting it again? Thanks, Wally Weller