Cessna wing strut paint cracks

[Tipitina]

Curious how many have seen this before and if it poses any significant risk? The rest of the plane appears in fantastic shape with little to no paint concerns which is why it seems weird that both struts have these types of conditions near the mount points. Appears to be paint only, and my guess is it’s cosmetic, but as I continue learning, thought I would ask any fellow Cessna owners/flyers/maintainers for thoughts?

 

[kyleb]

Are they cracks or are they scratches from removing and reinstalling the fairings?

 

[Tipitina]

They appear to be cracks and appear to be in the paint only, but could be scratches I assume. But, with the effort apparently taken in the rest of the paint job, I assume more care would have been taken in any disassembly of the fairings.

All of that said, that’s why I’m asking I know exactly two Cessnas in my limited experience and one has these and one doesn’t

 

[Gary Ward]

Are they cracks or scratches from removing and reinstalling the fairings?

I agree, those are scratches from sliding the fairings up for inspections, tire, brake replacement.
Mine are the same way from my annuals. It's hard to almost impossible not to do it. The fairings are stiff even when they have screws on the backside to open them up.
I had to heat one up to get it on during replacement.

 

[kyleb]

I agree, those are scratches from sliding up the fairings for inspections, tire, brake replacement.
Mine are the same way from my annuals. It's hard to almost impossible not to do it. The fairings are stiff even when they have screws on the backside to open them up.
I had to heat one up to get it on when I replaced one.

On the RV's, I have lined the inside surfaces of the fairings (the cuffs) with paint protective film. Helps a bunch.

 

[bonefishpete]

IDK almost looks like filler or Bondo under the paint. That can’t be can it? Not the first time I’ve seen Bondo under aircraft paint.

 

[Dan Thomas]

IDK almost looks like filler or Bondo under the paint. That can’t be can it? Not the first time I’ve seen Bondo under aircraft paint.

Better not be Bondo. That stuff will hide the cracks that can kill you. Those struts either have it, or they have extremely thick paint. In any case, with all that thickness it's impossible to rule out strut cracking through those big rivets in the strut ends, which is a thing with Cessnas on floats or otherwise pounded around a lot.

 

[bonefishpete]

Better not be Bondo. That stuff will hide the cracks that can kill you. Those struts either have it, or they have extremely thick paint. In any case, with all that thickness it's impossible to rule out strut cracking through those big rivets in the strut ends, which is a thing with Cessnas on floats or otherwise pounded around a lot.

Could be just paint on paint but looks funny. Fairings look like they were filled or feathered with something. I'd have someone investigate. Maybe remove a small spot to see what's under the paint.

 

[Magman]

Bondo? Isn’t that the stuff used to fix prop tips? A least 1 guy thought so.

And he was an engineer. ‍

 

[write-stuff]

I had this cracked paint showing working strut rivets. I replaced the strut with a new one.

 

[Gary Ward]

I had this cracked paint showing working strut rivets. I replaced the strut with a new one.

Please explain what we are looking at?
Can you buy a new strut?

 

[write-stuff]

Please explain what we are looking at?
Can you buy a new strut?

That's where the lift strut attaches to the bottom of the wing. The faring has been removed. Yes, you can buy a new wing strut. It was roughly $8000 and took a year to get.

 

[bonefishpete]

Please explain what we are looking at?
Can you buy a new strut?

Probably the rivets look like they could be lose or working. More like minor corrosion to me. Never heard a Cessna lift strut go bad other then bent.

I bet a good many available in the bone yard.