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Thread: Lift Strut Inspection

  1. #1

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    Default Lift Strut Inspection

    I visited with Ernie Vandergriff of Vandergriff Technologies yesterday regarding the use of ultrasound as an alternative to the Maule punch tester for Piper lift struts. He has a Nadcap accredited facility and has done work for Locheed, Boeing, Bell, etc, so he understands the industry and the Feds. He indicated the inspection of the struts would be pretty simple and would provide a readout of the thickness measurements found on your struts. All four struts could be inspected in about an hour at a cost of $100. In a few instances, questionable struts may take a bit longer but the total cost would not exceed 2 hours or $200 for the inspection. He also has the ability to magna-flux the lift forks with a minimum charge of $85 for 4 forks or 20 forks. He does things on a first come first serve basis and thought a 2-4 day turn time would be pretty accurate. Ernie also indicated that as they got more experience doing the procedure the cost would probably stay at the lower end of the estimate. Ernie was easy to talk with and had a great sense of humor, just what you would expect from a Minister. You can contact Ernie at Vandergriff Technologies 4209 Murray Avenue Haltom City, TX 76117 Ph.817 485-1248 ernie@vandergriff.net

  2. #2

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    Default Re: Lift Strut Inspection

    I had mine done @ last years annual the guy [teacher @ the colledge NDT program ] came to the airport and did them right on the plane ,dont remember but pretty sure my forks dont have to be tested as they are jensen struts and forks and they are very big compared to piper and alo bigger then univairs anyway he did the ultra sound this guy does all the prop ADs and such also I think he is an A & p but he got me for $150.00 which I considered a whole lot better then removing them and punch testing and repainting !!

  3. #3
    Administrator Steve Pierce's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lift Strut Inspection

    Great info, thanks for posting.

  4. #4

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    Default Re: Lift Strut Inspection

    I had my struts ultrasonically tested this year and 2 of them failed so I upgraded to the univair struts..I had them removed from the plane and my NDT guy also tested the bolts and found a crack running 1/2 way through one of them...Since than my NDT guy refuses to test lift struts on the plane so he can check every inch of the forks and hardware..

  5. #5
    gliderman's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lift Strut Inspection

    My last ultrasound inspection( removed) ran me $160; including forks.

  6. #6

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    Default Lift Struts

    If you have your old style struts ultrasonic inspected dose the two year time limit start when they are mounted on the plane or does the time start at the time of inspection ?? Any body have any idea's (PA22)

    Leo

  7. #7

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    Default Re: Lift Struts

    sbjmobil, if you go to this site and read down to the section listed below, you will know as much as me. Scary as that might be. I should probably wait for an IA or A&P to answer your question, but it looks to me like the AD requires an inspection of an old style strut within 1 year after the date of the AD and then every two years after that.

    So, if you put old style struts on an airplane, then you would have to inspect immediately since the AD is already more than a year old. Maybe if you had record of an inspection on them when they were on another plane and it was less than 24 months ago that would work? Don't know. I do know that you have to re-inspect every 24 months after that. I do know that if you can afford it, life is much easier with sealed struts. That does make me ask the question though, could you buy two at a time or do you have to do them all at once? I don't think I would buy them one at a time.

    http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Gu...3?OpenDocument

  8. #8

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    Default Re: Lift Struts

    It would be 24 months from the time of the inspection, which normally would be logged concurrent in the aircraft log book, 500hrs on the fork ends. Either way - it would 24 from last inspection regardless of installation.

  9. #9
    Administrator Steve Pierce's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lift Struts

    I guess the idea is that "Rust Never Sleeps".

  10. #10
    taildragger's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lift Struts

    Quote Originally Posted by Steve Pierce View Post
    I guess the idea is that "Rust Never Sleeps".
    I have a Vagabond and rebuilt it from the ground up. It was a crashed project and I need to replace the stuts. Can I buy used struts from a friend who has some and if so what do I have to do to keep them on the plane? New struts are $2500 so I need to try and cut expenses somewhere.

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