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Torque strut removal


fryguyokc
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The T.O. states CAUTION "Airplane must not be moved while the torque strut is removed. Severe structural damage to the landing gear struts and fuselage may occur". To me that would mean do not tow the airplane of course. We have a few individuals that say you can't have any other maintenance going on while the torque strut is removed. No going on top of the plane because this could cause the plane to move. Does anyone know to what extent the "Airplane must not be moved, caution" goes?

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IAW the CAUTION, the acft. may not be moved, means no more no less. If there were other restrictions, such as other maintenance, going on top of the acft. the caution would so state. People have a tendency to read more into the TO than is there. As I used to say, "When all else fails, read the TO".

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Several years ago (1971) We (834AD) were tasked to repair an E model at an in-country location.. The Acft had been involved in moving captured rice from Laos back into SVN... At the drop site the crew had backed too close to a drainage ditch and dropped the Lt. rear main into the ditch snapping the torque strut... We used tie-dn straps and 'J' bars for a splint... Cranked the inboards and pulled fwd about thirty feet... The army brought in wing jacks, strut changed and acft flown back to TSN.. Can anyone add to this story?? Like how it got stuck in a ditch!!! Army and wing jacks are another story..

Jack...........

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  • 1 month later...

Fryguy...The intent of the caution your talking about is to prevent 'undue' stress on the individual tracks/shelf brackets because the strut supporting structure is stronger when the two gears are connected. The Herk landing gear achilles heel has always been side stresses - its engineered to withstand really hard landings, but the oversize wheels really has tremendous leverage on the supporting structure when turning/maneuvering. While there could be movement from people working on top, your just not going to have the same stresses as moving the airplane.

Chock the individual tires (F & B) and if management is still concerned, come up with a splint, as HercMX was talking about. Management is overreacting in this situation. Good luck!

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