Yeah, air retracts require more maintenance, but thats what you got if you're into the big ones. Steve is right, been using his method for removing hose from the nipple for years. Over time I started actually doing maintenance instead of just flying. I spend a LOT of time doing the setup, leaving access to all the hose connections and such. You have to do the bubble test after installation to check for leaks and for annual maintenance, a small drop of very light oil for the cylinder O-rings. I found in the past most of my problems were due to using retracts/struts not strong enough, or too cheap for the plane. And my favorite is springairs. Spend the money. Nothing dampens flying fun more than un-ruley retracts.
Edwin