What is the ideal amount of strut showing? Is it 3, 4, or 5 inches? This is assuming full fuel. and a loaded aircraft or empty. What is the best amount of strut showing for flying the backcountry?

3-4 fingers is an old rule of thumb. I tend to inflate mine on the higher side. I go just high enough that i can still steer. Props are expensive, and struts are just like tires, they leak down over time and temperature changes.

My service manual says 2 inches for C-150's, 2 1/2 inches for everything else. Most people consider this as a minimum amount.

I wonder if there is any problem with have 4 or more inches. That would increase the prop clearance. It also depends on how heavy the plane is. I wonder if there is a best height for the backcountry.

flyer wrote:I wonder if there is any problem with have 4 or more inches. That would increase the prop clearance. It also depends on how heavy the plane is. I wonder if there is a best height for the backcountry.

To high and it wont steer. It also gives holes and rough ground more leverage to rip the nose gear off. The manuals all vary per year, some are "X" inches, some are "X" PSI. For back country ops put a piece of hose on the bottom of the strut to prevent metal to metal contact when it bottoms out.

This is a topic I was going to post, so thanks for that. I have an 82 inch Hartzell prop on a 1973 182P with a Texas Skyways conversion to O-520. I believe the weight increase with the engine modification was 8 lbs but I will check on this. I have asked my mechanic to pump the strut up a bit. We had flown in to Key Way and it looked pretty low. Josh and I compared it to another 182 there and he had about 5 fingers and mine was 3. I have stock tires and plan to get a new fork and bigger tires in the near future. I guess there is no perfect solution without becoming a tailwheel pilot!

I have a 1956 182. I am packing the plane for camping. 50 pounds in extended baggage with 100 pounds in regular baggage and 30 gallons fuel with no humans and there is too much strut showing. In fact I can grab the prop and lift he nose tire off the ground and I am old.
After tanks are full, I add the ice chests, groceries and personal gear then I climb in the front and it is just right

That is a good point. I do have enough in the rear. That would also make it easier to land!

I meant I do not have enough in the back

Wow - I don't think I would risk leaving pavement with that little clearance.

Tim made the same point I was going to make. If you are flying in to camp (heavy), then unload and lose all that weight in the back, you still need to make sure you’ve got enough in there to have the 3-4 fingers. On the flip side, you don’t want so much that you’re too nose high with gear in the back and can’t steer. It’s a balancing act. Find the happy median and, like was mentioned above, get some hose on the strut as a buffer.


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Is there a maximum safe PSI to observe when pumping it up? The service manual for a 1962 182 simply says 50psi, but the service manual for 1969-1976 says 55-60psi. Was there a design change to the strut in 1969 or could that be interpreted as updated guidance.

On the 1962e that I fly 50psi will only get 2.5 - 3 fingers; is it safe to pump up to 60 as in the newer planes?

A three point type full stall, hopefully with power control of descent, is easiest on nose gear when landing. Taxi, as needed.

First thing I’d do on that plane is install an Airglas nose fork and bigger (much bigger) nose tire. OR stick to pavement ONLY. That’s simply not enough clearance.

Second, once you get that bigger nose fork installed cut a piece of heavy duty hose, split it and attach it with hose clamps to the lower end of that strut. Prevents damage from bottoming due to impact or low pressure, and guarantees at least minimal prop clearance.

Not sure there’s a 206 in Alaska that doesn’t have a piece of hose on the strut. Saved lots of prop damage.

But, seriously, stick to pavement till you get more clearance.

MTV

mtv wrote:First thing I’d do on that plane is install an Airglas nose fork and bigger (much bigger) nose tire. OR stick to pavement ONLY. That’s simply not enough clearance.

Second, once you get that bigger nose fork installed cut a piece of heavy duty hose, split it and attach it with hose clamps to the lower end of that strut. Prevents damage from bottoming due to impact or low pressure, and guarantees at least minimal prop clearance.

Not sure there’s a 206 in Alaska that doesn’t have a piece of hose on the strut. Saved lots of prop damage.

But, seriously, stick to pavement till you get more clearance.

MTV

Are you referring to the plane in the original post or the one I described? Also, how tall do most folks make the rubber tube stopper?

Thx

DJ Balla wrote:

mtv wrote:First thing I’d do on that plane is install an Airglas nose fork and bigger (much bigger) nose tire. OR stick to pavement ONLY. That’s simply not enough clearance.

Second, once you get that bigger nose fork installed cut a piece of heavy duty hose, split it and attach it with hose clamps to the lower end of that strut. Prevents damage from bottoming due to impact or low pressure, and guarantees at least minimal prop clearance.

Not sure there’s a 206 in Alaska that doesn’t have a piece of hose on the strut. Saved lots of prop damage.

But, seriously, stick to pavement till you get more clearance.

MTV

Are you referring to the plane in the original post or the one I described? Also, how tall do most folks make the rubber tube stopper?

Thx

Referring to all the above.....three inches or so of prop clearance just isn't going to work well on backcountry strips, and frankly, I've been on a number of "not so" backcountry strips that would be problematic. Sometimes, you have to get OFF that nicely manicured grass strip, and maybe the adjacent "parking areas" aren't quite so well groomed. We had a prop strike at a backcountry strip last summer I watched, with the pilot of a 172 trying to get off the strip for a plane behind him. He managed to luck out in taller grass and got the nose wheel into a small depression and the prop hit dirt.

As to size of the rubber hose: Maybe 2 or 3 inches. It functions as both a soft stop to prevent damage in a deflated strut, and prevent nearly full compression of the strut.

MTV

mtv wrote:

DJ Balla wrote:

mtv wrote:First thing I’d do on that plane is install an Airglas nose fork and bigger (much bigger) nose tire. OR stick to pavement ONLY. That’s simply not enough clearance.

Second, once you get that bigger nose fork installed cut a piece of heavy duty hose, split it and attach it with hose clamps to the lower end of that strut. Prevents damage from bottoming due to impact or low pressure, and guarantees at least minimal prop clearance.

Not sure there’s a 206 in Alaska that doesn’t have a piece of hose on the strut. Saved lots of prop damage.

But, seriously, stick to pavement till you get more clearance.

MTV

Are you referring to the plane in the original post or the one I described? Also, how tall do most folks make the rubber tube stopper?

Thx

Referring to all the above.....three inches or so of prop clearance just isn't going to work well on backcountry strips, and frankly, I've been on a number of "not so" backcountry strips that would be problematic. Sometimes, you have to get OFF that nicely manicured grass strip, and maybe the adjacent "parking areas" aren't quite so well groomed. We had a prop strike at a backcountry strip last summer I watched, with the pilot of a 172 trying to get off the strip for a plane behind him. He managed to luck out in taller grass and got the nose wheel into a small depression and the prop hit dirt.

As to size of the rubber hose: Maybe 2 or 3 inches. It functions as both a soft stop to prevent damage in a deflated strut, and prevent nearly full compression of the strut.

MTV

Is automotive radiator hose heavy duty enough?

Maybe, depends on the hose. We used a really thick and stiff walled rubber hose, the reinforced type, blue in color. Not sure what that stuff was designed for.

MTV

Any examples of this available to point our mechanic in the direction of?

Kickrjason wrote:Any examples of this available to point our mechanic in the direction of?

Sorry, I don't. It's a piece of hose. All it does is prevent the nose strut from collapsing completely and provides assurance of a bit more prop clearance.

MTV