I have bought Robart Pheumatic rotating retracts for my Skyraider. I also bought struts with functional oleos. The struts come with a adapter bushing to go inside the strut and two allen screws. There is no install instruction with the struts or on there site, great instruction for installing plastic struts over your wire. The adapter that go inside the oleos has no drilled and taped holes, and the struts has no holes. I believe the correct way to install the struts on the retracts is to hammer the adapter into the strut and then drill and tap two holes for the two supplied 1/8 allen screws through the strut and the adapter to lock the strut on the grear wire that you also have to cut to the correct lenght which also isn't given.
I hope there is someone on rcuniverse that has done this and can give me the best way to go about this. Since i don't have a machine shop, or a tap set for 1/8 allen screws.
thanks again for your information
Tom

Don't know what size struts you're working on. Hope this helps

assuming that you have the Robart struts the grub screws are 6-32 size, not 1/8, that are outlined in the instructions grbaker posted, the tap is not expensive, you need the actual tap, a "T" handle that the tap fits into, and the matching drill bit for the tap I believe its a #6 bit but I am not 100% sure, your talking less than 15$ total for the single parts.

if you have tapped a screw hole then its no problem,if not then just drill the holes, using a regular drill not a dremmel moto tool(it spins too fast to drill the holes into the hard metal and will only dull the bit) and slowly screw the tap in,and out, untill it is smooth, some light oil works well to allow the tap to move smoothly,to cut the threads, and reduces friction.

now for the adaptor,it can be soldered into the tube, but I have found JB Weld works well for holding it in place, just mix a little bit of it, and coat the outside of the adaptor and lightly tap the adaptor in place, if you pound it too hard it will distort the shape and is really not necessary to get them to slide in, then wipe away any exess JB Weld before its dry.

I then let them sit overnight before I drill and tap the holes to insure there secure in the tube.

for cutting the tubes to length a Dremmel moto tool works well with a cut off wheel go slow and it will make short work of the job, I like to use my plumbers pipe cutter to mark the tube but some tape will work well enough mark the cut line.

Thanks for your help ,
GReat information, will sure make the tast a lot easier and knowing what to use .
thank again for taking the time to answer my questons .
Tom

Hey Tom,

I used the same setup on my Skyraider. I wrote a build thread over in the Warbirds forum.. Stop by and take a look.. Also, leave some pictures to show your work..

Tom
(edited to add a photo)

I am installing a set of retracts into a cessna 421. I have the retracts on the plane but do not have a clue about the the plumming. The retracts a generic HobbyCity W/O Directions. I think I can figure most of it out but it has a three way air control switch. Can someone give me some suguestions on how to mount this. The only Three way switch on my radio is for flaps. (Spectrum DX 7). Pictures are worth a thousand words.