Light maintenance intro book/guide?

[pa24-180]

Hi Folks,

I am an aspiring aircraft builder... however in the meantime I own a PA24-180. I was once 50% owner but as of Nov 29th, I am sole owner of the aircraft. I am hangared right now at a field that does not do winter maintenance so I will likely be down for a couple of months later this winter until the field thaws out, and would like to go over many maintenance and corrective actions on my aircraft. In my previous partnership I was the more mechanically inclined, but only had the aircraft a few months of the year. But, since I will now have access to the aircraft 12 months of the year, I plan to perform as much preventative maintenance throughout the year as possible. So, my question is... are there guides out there for owners on things like what grease to use where for lubrication, etc? I know things like use DC-4 on the oil filter when changing oil... but what should I use on aileron hinges? Cables/pulleys? Where I have grease zercs on landing gear components, what grease should I use for lubrication? When packing a wheel bearing, which grease to use? What kind of corrosion inhibitor do people use underneath a battery box? What kind of corrosion inhibitor do people use at the battery connections? etc...

Anyway, if there is a good intro guide out there that anyone knows of, please let me know. Many thanks in advance.

[vaflier]

Hi Folks,

I am an aspiring aircraft builder... however in the meantime I own a PA24-180. I was once 50% owner but as of Nov 29th, I am sole owner of the aircraft. I am hangared right now at a field that does not do winter maintenance so I will likely be down for a couple of months later this winter until the field thaws out, and would like to go over many maintenance and corrective actions on my aircraft. In my previous partnership I was the more mechanically inclined, but only had the aircraft a few months of the year. But, since I will now have access to the aircraft 12 months of the year, I plan to perform as much preventative maintenance throughout the year as possible. So, my question is... are there guides out there for owners on things like what grease to use where for lubrication, etc? I know things like use DC-4 on the oil filter when changing oil... but what should I use on aileron hinges? Cables/pulleys? Where I have grease zercs on landing gear components, what grease should I use for lubrication? When packing a wheel bearing, which grease to use? What kind of corrosion inhibitor do people use underneath a battery box? What kind of corrosion inhibitor do people use at the battery connections? etc...

Anyway, if there is a good intro guide out there that anyone knows of, please let me know. Many thanks in advance.


Aquire a copy of the maintainece manual and parts manuals for you specific make and model of aircraft. All the info you want is in those manuals. If you have an A and P on the field who will be doing your work go have a long conversation as to what he wants you to do and what he is willing to allow you to do and him inspect. A good rapport with him is priceless. Be very good to him as you will need him.

[Kurt Flunkn]

First get the Piper manuals, then download the handbooks from FAA at

https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aircraft/

And then look at the aging aircraft info at

https://www.faa.gov/aircraft/air_cert/design_approvals/small_airplanes/cos/aging_aircraft/

[martymayes]

For most of your inquiries, Piper usually has a lubrication chart in the pilot handbook.

[Greg Wilson]

Get the Piper service manual and the owner handbook. They will show you what materials to use , the owner handbook should cover most if not all that would be " normal" preventive maintenance. As to what is "preventive maintenance" that the pilot/owner is allowed to do that is listed in FAR 43 appendix A(c), as vaflier said check with your A&P/IA first and make sure they are okay with what you want to do. Many will understandably be nervous of putting their name and number on something that an owner of unknown ability has been working on. It is not just what can you do legally but what are they comfortable with. I f you change a tire,you can, but over torque the wheel bolts and it fails after the annual, they are liable. This is so even though they may not have split the wheel halves for the annual, it would not be unless there was some external problem noted. A lot can be done under "preventive", much of it is more in-depth than many shops would be comfortable with especially with some-one new to them.