Help me spend some money

[skydvrboy]

1 hour ago, Yetti said:

Delaying the tires will cost you alot when you have to get it changed away from home.   A set of Air Hawks and Dressers tubes will run you $300.00  The grumpy IA likes Condors.

 

If you are handy, pull the panels and shoot with the Rustoleum spray paint.  Mine have lasted for going on 2 years. do you carpet while you are at it.

Whoever did your annual did not grease the landing gear.  The grease on the zerks looks several years old.   Wipe with a rag once you do grease things.  Only takes a second more.

 

Replace your brake lines.  It will cause you to replace your brake fluid which is a good thing.

Many people like the Home Depot door seal.

Already had one tire/tube on hand, now have the second on order.  Went with retreads and Michelin Air Stops.

While interior trim panels are in need of paint, the problem is they are warped, which is what really makes them look bad.  Any advice on straightening them?  Being cosmetic, it's not high on my priority list, but rather something to tinker with.  I read your post about covering them with leather and will most likely do that at some point.

I'd be surprised if they didn't grease the landing gear.  Could that appearance be from sitting outside in a dusty environment?  I'll certainly inspect them at the next annual and make sure it is done with the zerks cleaned off.

Why do you suggest replacing the brake lines?  I am loosing a bit of hydraulic fluid but thought it was from the flaps, though I haven't found a leak.  Did you see something that clues you in that the brakes lines are leaking?

Already have the Home Depot version of the door seal, though I ordered it online since the closest Home Depot is an hour away.

We (my instructor and I) talked about masking off the end of the wing and painting it all white.  It would be far enough from the body that you would never be able to tell the difference in color.  That still leaves the vertical stabilizer and rudder though.  It probably wouldn't look too bad all white, but I think it would be noticeable that the accent lines don't carry through.

[carusoam]

Brake fluid drips...

Next time you pull the belly panels off....

Identify what is on the back side of the panels.

• If it clean, or just dusty... that is a good sign.
• If it has something like dirt stuck on it... that is a sign of hydraulic fluid leaking from above...
• If it is tough to wash off... that is a stronger sign of a hydraulic fluid deposit...
• If it washes off with WD40... a third sign that the cherry juice is coming from above...

Things that leaked hydraulic fluid from my M20C... ancient return lines (bubbled and cracked) were asking to be replaced.  Orings (?) in the hydraulic pump are kinda easy to replace... (some seal parts, I don’t recall exactly today)

My biggest leaks were the low pressure return lines falling apart.

Best regards,

-a-

[Hank]

What's inside my belly panel is excess grease from the zerks [I always identify and wipe them before greasing, but often forget afterwards], and Tri-Flo . . . .

[Yetti]

There is a look to zerks that tells when they were last done.  It actually looks like your landing gear joints were shot with triflow. There should be some new grease coming out of the joints. 

Check your date codes on your brake lines, they look original.  On the tags.  I believe it is 7 feet of hose for both sides and the ends are reusable.  You just need a mandrel to do them.

Your landing discs could go another couple of years.  When they crack, they are done for.  Might want to clean the oil off them.

Might try a heat gun on the panel to reshape.  Mine were in pretty good shape and was able to repair the one spot with shoe goo.  

Before you paint, you might want to find the part that goes in front of the tail.  Supposed to add a couple of knots.   @jetdriven has a post about replacing his with one with the vent, but it would be good guide for the standard one.  They are on later Fs so it would not be a big logbook hassle.