---------------------------------------------------------- Commander-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Sun 06/27/10: 5 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 12:08 PM - Landing gear strut lubricaton (Dave Gerrish) 2. 05:00 PM - Re: Landing gear strut lubricaton (John Vormbaum) 3. 07:47 PM - Re: Landing gear strut lubricaton (AEROCOMAND@aol.com) 4. 09:02 PM - Re: Landing gear strut lubricaton (Jack B. Mills) 5. 10:06 PM - Re: Landing gear strut lubricaton & IFR currency (Keith S. Gordon) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 12:08:28 PM PST US From: "Dave Gerrish" Subject: Commander-List: Landing gear strut lubricaton I have been reading the communications for a couple of years, but this is my first try at asking for input. Before every flight we wipe hydraulic fluid on the strut to make it less sticky and wipe off any grime. I had a mechanic at our airport (KHWY, Warrenton, Va.) suggest to me that a product I believe called DOW40 be sprayed on instead. His thought was that it kept the oleo slippery longer and did no harm to the internal seals. Does anyone have opinion or experience with this product. Sincerely, Dave Gerrish Co-owner, 500S, N47AC ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 05:00:45 PM PST US From: "John Vormbaum" Subject: RE: Commander-List: Landing gear strut lubricaton Personally, I always thought that the only thing stickier than super glue is hydraulic fluid. I use Commander-Approved Strut Cleaning Fluid (i.e. some fuel from the sump, on a paper towel) to wipe down the struts before I fly. It gets them clean easily and evaporates quickly. I haven't heard of DOW40 but am curious to hear from anyone who has used it. Cheers, /John 500B N353CC From: owner-commander-list-server@matronics.com [mailto:owner-commander-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of Dave Gerrish Sent: Sunday, June 27, 2010 12:08 PM Subject: Commander-List: Landing gear strut lubricaton I have been reading the communications for a couple of years, but this is my first try at asking for input. Before every flight we wipe hydraulic fluid on the strut to make it less sticky and wipe off any grime. I had a mechanic at our airport (KHWY, Warrenton, Va.) suggest to me that a product I believe called DOW40 be sprayed on instead. His thought was that it kept the oleo slippery longer and did no harm to the internal seals. Does anyone have opinion or experience with this product. Sincerely, Dave Gerrish Co-owner, 500S, N47AC ________________________________ Message 3 _____________________________________ Time: 07:47:58 PM PST US From: AEROCOMAND@aol.com Subject: Re: Commander-List: Landing gear strut lubricaton Kerosene or diesel jg ________________________________ Message 4 _____________________________________ Time: 09:02:03 PM PST US From: "Jack B. Mills" Subject: Re: Commander-List: Landing gear strut lubricaton I am with you, John, also this action keeps you from getting the $ 50,000.00 Fine (no joking) at Pensacola, Fl. for throwing the sumped avgas on the tarmack. On another note, are any of you able to keep insurance on a pressurized Commander, without having an instrument check ride at least once a year? After moving to Farmington, NM it is not necessary to stay instrument current, as we have two types of weather here....vis. at least 100 miles, or so bad that you don't want to Taxi. Also, since my retirement, most flying is just for fun, and if I must sit on the ground until the weather clears at MYF or somewhere, this only means that I have more time to enjoy the local stuff. My insurance carrier (AVEMCO) who has been good for many years, insists on the check ride only because of the pressurization. Also, because of the pressurization, a co-pilot will be needed when I turn 70. If someone has a good 680F or 680FL I would consider trading up, down, or sideways for my 680Fp, which has mid time engines, all the bells and whistles, is certified known icing, and is in really great shape except the paint job which could use some help. Due to the high density altitude here I can only consider forced induction with big horsepower. Moe Mills N680RR 680Fp From: John Vormbaum Sent: Sunday, June 27, 2010 4:55 PM Subject: RE: Commander-List: Landing gear strut lubricaton Personally, I always thought that the only thing stickier than super glue is hydraulic fluid. I use Commander-Approved Strut Cleaning Fluid (i.e. some fuel from the sump, on a paper towel) to wipe down the struts before I fly. It gets them clean easily and evaporates quickly. I haven't heard of DOW40 but am curious to hear from anyone who has used it. Cheers, /John 500B N353CC From: owner-commander-list-server@matronics.com [mailto:owner-commander-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of Dave Gerrish Sent: Sunday, June 27, 2010 12:08 PM Subject: Commander-List: Landing gear strut lubricaton I have been reading the communications for a couple of years, but this is my first try at asking for input. Before every flight we wipe hydraulic fluid on the strut to make it less sticky and wipe off any grime. I had a mechanic at our airport (KHWY, Warrenton, Va.) suggest to me that a product I believe called DOW40 be sprayed on instead. His thought was that it kept the oleo slippery longer and did no harm to the internal seals. Does anyone have opinion or experience with this product. Sincerely, Dave Gerrish Co-owner, 500S, N47AC http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Commander-Listhttp://forums.matronics. comhttp://www.matronics.com/contribution ________________________________ Message 5 _____________________________________ Time: 10:06:38 PM PST US Subject: Re: Commander-List: Landing gear strut lubricaton & IFR currency From: "Keith S. Gordon" On the topic of wiping down struts: I'd like to get Morris Kernick's thou ghts on this. My thoughts are: AvGas, while a great solvent, does not lubricate the strut. WD40 (Witch Doctor 40) cleans and lubricates when its fresh, gets really gummy when it's old or cold and will roll an O ring fast. If you're not going to wipe down your struts with 5606 prior to each fligh t, find a substance that is compatible with the material the O ring is mad e from. I have no idea what that other substance would be. Moe: I had a client, Roy Everingham, who I trained in his AC-680F(P) who was not instrument rated. AVEMCO insisted on him removing the pressuriz ation equipment! I intervened and argued that a man in is 70s, flying from San Diego to Lak e Tahoe, would not be well served by lack of pressurization along that rou te. AVEMCO's answer was that statistically, a non-instrument rated pilot in a pressurized aircraft is going to be stuck on top of an overcast and (here 's the punch line) "We have the cancelled checks to prove it." We compromised. I said that rather than remove the pressurization system that he could disable it. That seemed to satisfy the agent. The answe r to your next question is, "No." You may have better luck with another underwriter -- but I doubt it. Insu rance companies do not like pressurized twins to be flown my non-instrumen t rated or instrument-current pilots. Alternatives? Self insure or get and stay current. Keith S Gordon Wing Commander Gordon Life is not simple anywhere. Probably less so elsewhere. -----Original Message----- From: Jack B. Mills Sent: Sun, Jun 27, 2010 9:00 pm Subject: Re: Commander-List: Landing gear strut lubricaton I am with you, John, also this action keeps you from getting the $ 50,000. 00 Fine (no joking) at Pensacola, Fl. for throwing the sumped avgas on the tarmack. On another note, are any of you able to keep insurance on a pressurized Commander, without having an instrument check ride at least once a year? After moving to Farmington, NM it is not necessary to stay instrument cu rrent, as we have two types of weather here....vis. at least 100 miles, or so bad that you don't want to Taxi. Also, since my retirement, most flyi ng is just for fun, and if I must sit on the ground until the weather clea rs at MYF or somewhere, this only means that I have more time to enjoy the local stuff. My insurance carrier (AVEMCO) who has been good for many ye ars, insists on the check ride only because of the pressurization. Also, because of the pressurization, a co-pilot will be needed when I turn 70. If someone has a good 680F or 680FL I would consider trading up, down, or sideways for my 680Fp, which has mid time engines, all the bells and whis tles, is certified known icing, and is in really great shape except the pa int job which could use some help. Due to the high density altitude here I can only consider forced induction with big horsepower. Moe Mills N680RR 680Fp From: John Vormbaum Sent: Sunday, June 27, 2010 4:55 PM Subject: RE: Commander-List: Landing gear strut lubricaton Personally, I always thought that the only thing stickier than super glue is hydraulic fluid. I use Commander-Approved Strut Cleaning Fluid (i.e. some fuel from the sump, on a paper towel) to wipe down the struts before I fly. It gets them clean easily and evaporates quickly. I haven=99t heard of DOW40 but am curious to hear from anyone who ha s used it. Cheers, /John 500B N353CC From: owner-commander-list-server@matronics.com [mailto:owner-commander-li st-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of Dave Gerrish Sent: Sunday, June 27, 2010 12:08 PM Subject: Commander-List: Landing gear strut lubricaton I have been reading the communications for a couple of yea rs, but this is my first try at asking for input. Before every flight we wipe hydraulic fluid on the strut to make it less sticky and wipe off any grime. I had a mechanic at our airport (KHWY, Wa rrenton, Va.) suggest to me that a product I believe called DOW40 be spray ed on instead. His thought was that it kept the oleo slippery longer and did no harm to the internal seals. Does anyone have opinion or experienc e with this product. Sincerely, Dave Gerrish Co-owner, 500S, N47AC http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Commander-List http://forums.matronics.com http://www.matronics.com/contribution href="http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Commander-List">http://www.matr onics.com/Navigator?Commander-List href="http://forums.matronics.com">http://forums.matronics.com href="http://www.matronics.com/contribution">http://www.matronics.com/c ======================== =========== ======================== =========== ======================== =========== ======================== =========== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other Matronics Email List Services ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post A New Message commander-list@matronics.com UN/SUBSCRIBE http://www.matronics.com/subscription List FAQ http://www.matronics.com/FAQ/Commander-List.htm Web Forum Interface To Lists http://forums.matronics.com Matronics List Wiki http://wiki.matronics.com Full Archive Search Engine http://www.matronics.com/search 7-Day List Browse http://www.matronics.com/browse/commander-list Browse Digests http://www.matronics.com/digest/commander-list Browse Other Lists http://www.matronics.com/browse Live Online Chat! http://www.matronics.com/chat Archive Downloading http://www.matronics.com/archives Photo Share http://www.matronics.com/photoshare Other Email Lists http://www.matronics.com/emaillists Contributions http://www.matronics.com/contribution ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- These Email List Services are sponsored solely by Matronics and through the generous Contributions of its members.