Last September when I landed at Marble, my airplane's nose strut collapsed. It had been pretty low when I was loading up, so I had it inflated before take off, but it lost all pressure so that when I landed, as soon as I lowered the nose, it was obvious it had collapsed completely. Marble is relatively smooth, so it did no damage, and taking off a couple days later was no problem, either.

The next week, my IA fixed the strut, and it's been fine all winter. But I'd like to put a bumper on the strut, like I've seen on some other airplanes, just in case it happens again. Advice on what hose and clamping would be helpful. Thanks.

Cary

Cary wrote:Last September when I landed at Marble, my airplane's nose strut collapsed. It had been pretty low when I was loading up, so I had it inflated before take off, but it lost all pressure so that when I landed, as soon as I lowered the nose, it was obvious it had collapsed completely. Marble is relatively smooth, so it did no damage, and taking off a couple days later was no problem, either.

The next week, my IA fixed the strut, and it's been fine all winter. But I'd like to put a bumper on the strut, like I've seen on some other airplanes, just in case it happens again. Advice on what hose and clamping would be helpful. Thanks.

Cary

About 4" of straight radiator hose, Spiral cut it at least 1 revolution, 2 SS hose clamps, NAPA.

I use about a 1 inch piece of rubber hose and attach it with two zip ties . Not sure what the hose stuff is actually called . I keep a bunch of zip ties in the plane cause sometimes they break . Works good on the 206 . Think I would feel pretty naked flying without that extra protection from bottoming out .. Intake hose that you find under the cowl . Black on one side orange on the other .. Going to hanger in a few min and will take a pic for you.Pm me an email or cell phone I can send pic to cause I'm a computer idiot and don't know how to put pics on this forum anymore ...... Hope that helps ....mike

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Fernco-2-in-x-2-in-DWV-Flexible-PVC-Coupling-P1056-22/100096490

All the cool kids are using them these days.

I like the looks of that . Ever have any issues with the metal clamps messing up the seal on the strut from a pretty good smashdown up there ? I've always used the zipties .

4" tubing and hose clamps are pretty standard AK nosedragger mod. Top clamp about 1/2"-3/4" from the top of the tubing keeps it from getting anywhere near the seal. don't think i have ever heard of anyone having a problem with the hose clamps causing a problem.

Cary,
the attentive A&P slides the un-slit tube, 6000 series hose, onto the strut before assembling thus negating the need for the hose clamps. You will need to be creative with servicing though. Almost all of my 206 aircraft are on floats half the year so it becomes simple to give them the care they deserve. In the plane it becomes...a pain in the neck...literally. It is best done hanging from the hoist if your plane has lifting eyes.

I gave some nose gear love to my girl, a '59 182, shortly after acquiring her and find I seldom ever bottom out. Could be I am not doing it right?!?! I keep a substantial 150# winter kit behind the back seat and land with the trim shanked out nose up. It could also be the 8:50 on the nose with 18 psi is eating up a lot of my poor landing technique.

Rocket

I've never bottomed out before the Marble experience last year, so this is mostly if the same sort of failure occurs again. It turned out to be a rolled O-ring, but the reason it happened wasn't obvious. I was there while my IA fixed it, and there was no indication of nicks or anything. He opined that it might have just been a faulty O-ring, since he had just serviced the strut at the annual a couple months earlier.

I appreciate all the advice.

Cary

Radiator hose, my mechanic put it on when he serviced the strut, so no need for clamps.

Wont fly without it

lesuther wrote:http://www.homedepot.com/p/Fernco-2-in-x-2-in-DWV-Flexible-PVC-Coupling-P1056-22/100096490

All the cool kids are using them these days.

A 2 inch Fernco is for 2 inch pipe. 2.375 OD. Kind of sloppy

A 1 1/2 inch Fernco is for 1 1/2 inch pipe 1.900 OD. Just a bit tight

I would not use either even though I have them both in stock.

Tim

I would not use either even though I have them both in stock.

Why?

Cary

Yes, I picked out an example. Not sure what size I have on, only that I've used them for 5 years now. Works fine, fits well, and met several folks sporting the same thing. You cut the diameter down slightly with a quick trim to the edge of a lengthwise slit. Some of the 135 operators have Home Depot on their struts as well. It has grooves at either end for the hose clamps.

The radiator hose seems entirely fine too...and it might be slightly stiffer with the fiber reinforcement for all I know, which is attractive. You still have to slit it unless you want to get intimate with your nose strut and have a few hours of oily misery to spare.

They also protect the strut from rock/sand blasting on takeoff, a problem I seem to have on some strips.

You add a smidge more pressure to the nose strut to keep 2-3" above the rubber, and you are set.

Good luck!

I use some .250 thick rubber mat from Grainger. It is reinforced with nylon and does the job. I have it 3.5" tall. Keep the clamps at leas 1/4" from the top and bottom and no worries about affecting seals on the strut.

A word of caution about over inflating the strut. Everytime I have inflated it to 100PSI it has blown out the seals on my strut when in the BC. I keep it at 95 PSI and have not had a problem in years. I was ramp checked in Nampa a few yrs ago and one of the FAA guys was being a real dick about the Landis fork and rubber bumper. Then his partner arrived and told him that this was normal in Alaska and to back off.

My $.02 worth from flying a 205 for 43 years.

R

I'm sure my mechanic will have an answer, but who knows For those of you who install the rubber bumpstop hose on the strut before assembly, so you don't need to slit it and use clamps, how do you properly cycle the strut to eliminate air bubbles and get the correct oil height?? I have my strut all apart, changing over to a 310 fork, and I have some 2" ID hose, it seems like a clean and elegant solution to slip it on before assembly.

Thanks,
Gabe

First time poster, I have a 64 182G, I have the extended cargo (Selkirk) and keep about 50lbs of gear and assorted parts and tools. Being a nose heavy model I was wondering if doing the “nose bumper” is still being used and found effective? Thanks

182NhFlyer wrote:First time poster, I have a 64 182G, I have the extended cargo (Selkirk) and keep about 50lbs of gear and assorted parts and tools. Being a nose heavy model I was wondering if doing the “nose bumper” is still being used and found effective? Thanks

Absolutely. You won't find many Cessna 206s working the bush in Alaska without them. They really do help, especially in the event that your nose strut pressure gets a bit low. If you've ever had that happened, and bottomed out the strut on a bump, you will instantly be a big fan of this very simple modification.

Frankly, I'm amazed someone hasn't gotten an STC for it.

Just do it, you won't regret it. And, don't worry about getting just the right diameter......cut to fit and attach with hose clamp. Simple, and easy to remove/replace.

MTV

My mechanic installed a piece of hose on the strut of my first Tripacer while we had the nose gear apart. We didn't put on any clamps. A few years later, the strut leaked and the hose got pretty much sandwiched down to the point of not providing any actual buffer. Perhaps the hose he used was less stout, not sure, but ever since I have been in favor of the clamps even if the hose stays on without them. I think they probably create a little extra ability to keep the strut from bottoming out.

Thanks for the info, how wide of a hose should be used? I saw the 2 clamp hose recommended above at Lowes & Home Depot. It seems like it covers half the strut and would touch just taxiing. We talking about about 2” 3” or 4” type hose? Maybe cut it back

Looked back: Fernco 2 1/2” seems to prob be the easiest and strongest.

Thanks, I’ll try it out.