wing struts

[taylorukuk]

We have amongst all our Taylorcraft parts new sealed wing struts for our BC12 restoration delivered new from the Taylorcraft factory in 1994

They are unused since delivered but there are a few nicks and dents in them from storage in various places.

Does anyone have an idea of what an acceptable dent in a strut is? (note LAA standards in UK)

Thanks in advance...

[Scott]

Round bottom dents would not be a problem. There's no manufacturer's data for limits so AC43.13 is your source.
any reasonably equipped auto body shop should be able to remove the dents.

[3Dreaming]

Round bottom dents would not be a problem. There's no manufacturer's data for limits so AC43.13 is your source.
any reasonably equipped auto body shop should be able to remove the dents.

If the struts weren't sealed removing the dents would not be a problem. I'm not sure I would want to try and remove them with any kind of major heat source with the sealed struts

[Hank Jarrett]

When I was working for NAVAIR we looked an a Magnetic Induction Dent Removal system that was OUTRAGEOUSLY expensive at the time but is now low cost enough to buy on AMAZON. It used and induced current in a metal part that built up a matching current in the metal and when the field was suddenly reversed caused the dented part to be attracted to the tool, pulling the dent out. I watched them pull a bunch of hail dents out f an aluminum skin that looked like magic. Worked on any metal that would conduct electricity and pulled the dents without heat.

[Scott]

Body shops have pullers that basically spotweld "keys" to the dent surface, pull the metal straight (without heat), then break off the keys and polish off any remnants of the spotweld.