Landing Gear Service - Piper ARCHER III Pilot Operating Handbook

SECTION 8
HANDLING, SERV & MAINT

8.15 LANDING GEAR SERVICE

The three landing gears use Cleveland Aircraft Products 6.00 x 6, four-ply
rating, type III tires with tubes. (Refer to paragraph 8.23).
Wheels are removed by taking off the hub cap, cotter pin, axle nut, and
the two bolts holding the brake segment in place. Mark tire and wheel for
reinstallation; then dismount by deflating the tire, removing the three
through-bolts from the wheel and separating the wheel halves.
Landing gear oleos on the ARCHER III should be serviced according to
the instructions on the units. The main oleos should be extended under normal
static load until 4.50 ± 0.25 inches of oleo piston tube is exposed, and the nose
gear should show 3.25 ± 0.25 inches. Should the strut exposure be below that
required, it should be determined whether air or oil is required by first
raising the airplane on jacks. Depress the valve core to allow air to escape
from the strut housing chamber. Remove the filler plug and slowly raise the
strut to full compression. If the strut has sufficient fluid, it will be visible up
to the bottom of the filler plug hole and will then require only proper inflation.
Should fluid be below the bottom of the filler plug hole, oil should be
added. Replace the plug with valve core removed; attach a clear plastic hose
to the valve stem of the filler plug and submerge the other end in a container
of hydraulic fluid. Fully compress and extend the strut several times, thus
drawing fluid from the container and expelling air from the strut chamber.
To allow fluid to enter the bottom chamber of the main gear strut housing,
the torque link assembly must be disconnected to let the strut be extended a
minimum of 10 inches (the nose gear torque links need not be disconnected).
Do not allow the strut to extend more than 12 inches. When air bubbles cease
to flow through the hose, compress the strut fully and again check fluid level.
Reinstall the valve core and filler plug, and the main gear torque links, if
disconnected.
With fluid in the strut housing at the correct level, attach a strut pump
to the air valve and with the airplane on the ground, inflate the oleo strut to
the correct height.
REPORT: VB-1611
8-10
PA-28-181, ARCHER III
ISSUED: JULY 12, 1995