A price for my used struts

[Tom G]

Hi everyone, its been a while since I've posted.

I've given my two front struts that I removed from my aircraft to another TCraft owner. He had an incident that damaged one of his. I told him to take them, have them tested and we could settle on a price later. He had them tested and they were fine. I'm not looking to make a killing here but feel that they are worth something and want to be fair. My four were replaced with new and these were just sitting in my friend's hangar. I'm glad they can do someone some good. What's fair here, maybe $100 each?? Suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks very much.

[Mark Julicher]

Re: A price for my used struts

Tom,
$100 each for good struts would have many of us standing in line to get them.
Yes that seems very fair.

[N74DV]

Re: A price for my used struts

$100 is what I paid for our used strut after one of ours failed the x-ray. it cost me another $100 in shipping to get it from GA to AZ :O

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: A price for my used struts

How did you ship your struts? I am looking at using a 6" x 12' PVC tube with a threaded cap on the end for 4, but it is heavy as all get out! Feels like the struts would be safe in the tube, but the cost could be through the roof.
Any other ideas out there? Truck freight? Bus?
I need to get them to Wag Aero to get them modified to the sealed configuration from South East Virginia. Anyone know what method Wag wants us to use? Guess I need to call them unless someone has already done it. First to post the answer wins the prize! (Don't get all excited, there isn't any prize).
Hank

[Mark Julicher]

Re: A price for my used struts

Hank,

Go to your rug store and get a cardboard rug tube. Being as how your are an engineer I leave it up to you how to close up the ends, (hint: A disk of plywood and a few sheet rock screws)

Ship by Yellow Freight or Roadway Express which is one company now. Ship terminal to terminal because it saves a bunch without local pick up and delivery. About $100 sent 4 struts from Texas to Oregon.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: A price for my used struts

I guess one of my questions to Wag should be if they will pick up.
Hank

If they don't, anyone live close?

[ClipWing_T]

Re: A price for my used struts

One thing that has been bugging me about selling old original parts is the liability one might have if the part failed. I had a buddy killed in a J-3 when
the strut forks pulled through and the wing folded. He had just sold it and
the he was checking out the new owner when the strut failed and killed both
of them . Now, I KNOW the T-Craft strut is completely different that the Piper
struts and it is apples and oranges between the two. But for a $100.00 is it
worth the worries IF you missed something on inspection. I have a complete
L-2 landing gear set and they LOOK OK. They punch and OK..The what if's are not worth a few bucks IMO.......Of course unless you are SURE .Then the struts are surely worth a $ 100.00.

[mulwyk]

Re: A price for my used struts

The cost of inspection and sealing really limits the value of used struts.

For example, lets say you pay $100 each for 4 struts, ship them to Wag-Aero $100 each way. Let's say they pass inspection (RISK!), and survive shipping without damage (MORE RISK!), and then you pay Wag Aero $1100 for the inspection and sealing.....in the end you'll have $1700 or more in a set of used struts when you coulda bought new ones for $1800 to $2100.

It just doesn't pass the explain-it-to-the-wife test.

[KewFlyer]

Re: A price for my used struts

Option B:

How about: Get the struts and get them inspected [ Here in Virgina runs approx $ 400 for all four with a report] = cost $ 800.00 [= struts $ 400 + $ 400 for the inspection ]

Now, the questions is : the sealing of the struts.
What's the process done at/by Wag to seal and certify the strut? Can the "sealing" of the strut be made locally by a A&P IA ? with log book entries and receive a certified strut at the end? [ replacing Wag's process costs of shipping and sealing].
Would the A&P IA strut certification relief the four year reoccurring inspection? [ IMHO, i think it would]

Just looking for costs savings [no stimulus pkg here]
Ralph

[3Dreaming]

Re: A price for my used struts

To stop the inspection it would require an AMOC from the FAA for your procedure. The other thing to remember is just because it passed the xray inspection does not mean it will pass the inspection for the struts to be sealed. Wag Aero is doing a visual inspection and if there is any rust scale the struts do not pass. You could have scale and still pass the xray inspection. Tom

[3Dreaming]

Re: A price for my used struts

The cost of inspection and sealing really limits the value of used struts.

For example, lets say you pay $100 each for 4 struts, ship them to Wag-Aero $100 each way. Let's say they pass inspection (RISK!), and survive shipping without damage (MORE RISK!), and then you pay Wag Aero $1100 for the inspection and sealing.....in the end you'll have $1700 or more in a set of used struts when you coulda bought new ones for $1800 to $2100.

It just doesn't pass the explain-it-to-the-wife test.

You can get the inspection procedures from Wag Aero to inspect the struts before you send them, so you are not wasting money sending bad struts. Tom

[3Dreaming]

Re: A price for my used struts

One thing that has been bugging me about selling old original parts is the liability one might have if the part failed. I had a buddy killed in a J-3 when
the strut forks pulled through and the wing folded. He had just sold it and
the he was checking out the new owner when the strut failed and killed both
of them . Now, I KNOW the T-Craft strut is completely different that the Piper
struts and it is apples and oranges between the two. But for a $100.00 is it
worth the worries IF you missed something on inspection. I have a complete
L-2 landing gear set and they LOOK OK. They punch and OK..The what if's are not worth a few bucks IMO.......Of course unless you are SURE .Then the struts are surely worth a $ 100.00.

In this case where the struts need to be inspected and determined to be safe by a trained NDT inspector prior to installation it should remove most of the liability IMO. Tom

[Marv]

Re: A price for my used struts

If you want used struts and they test good, I feel they would definetly be worth $100 each. How would you get sued for selling a used strut and telling the buyer to get them inspected. If there ever was a problem i feel the inspecter would be at fault. Marv

[M Jones]

Re: A price for my used struts

I guess one of my questions to Wag should be if they will pick up.
Hank

If they don't, anyone live close?

Hank,

Let me know if you decide to send them to Wag Aero. The closest Yellow or ABF trucking center I'm aware of is about 80 miles away from them, and I'm just about in between Wag and those centers.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: A price for my used struts

I'll give Wag a call tomorrow and see what their prefered method is. If the world doesn't fall apart tomorrow I will post their answer. They are going to try and launch the Ares 1X again between 8 and 12 Eastern. Not my project, but it will have a major impact if it breaks up at Max Q on all the MSF projects (including mine).
Hank