REFLECTOR: Main gear not locking on dump

[Phil Hooper]

Dear collective, slow building Hooper here.

I have a bit of a challenge with the main gear.  Everything works fine,
full lock when hydraulic-driven.  When we test the dump valve release, the
gear goes down, but stops just short of lock.  Scott Swing thought it might
be a weak spring and sent me the strongest he had...same problem.  There is
no drag whatsover on the main gear bolt, nor in the gear pocket sleeves.
It all moves freely and will lock every time when hand dropped slowly from
both sides, but with no cables attached.  There is also plenty of slack in
the cables when using hydraulics, probably too much at this point.

We have found that by giving a manual nudge, pulling the ram out about
another 1/2" out, bam, it locks.  So the problem points to the ram having
resistance to coming out to the end of it's travel as the weight of the
gear pulls the cables, and thus the ram.

Scott speculated that the ram might loosen up with time, but so far, it
shows no signs of yielding.  I wonder if the seals are too old (about 11
years) and if the cylinder should be rebuilt...ugh, just when we got all
the leaks cleared and cleaned up the last of the spilled fluid.

*I wonder if any of you fine folks have had a similar problem and how you
solved it.  One interesting thing we tested was adding two and half pounds
of weight to the center of the mechanism...presto, down it came, and
locked.  I have also thought about adding a downward pulling spring without
5 pounds of force, or an emergency cable connection that would pull the
overcenter down into lock (parts to break).  The easiest solution may be
g-forces if I'm ever alone and it won't lock, but I don't know if I can
trust that.
*
What say you, and thanks to any and all with wisdom superior to mine.
Blessings to all.

Phil

-- 
**
-- 
*Phil Hooper
*President*
* *Harvest Development & Media Inc.*
19851 Yorba Linda Blvd., Suite 204
Yorba Linda, CA 92886

*voice:* 714.693.8745
*fax:* 714.777.0134
*web:* http://www.hdmnet.com/
*email:* phil at hdmnet.com
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