Would like to understand the landing gear challenges

[YankeeClipper]

My apologies for poking at an old sore, but I'm trying to understand a little more about the landing gear issues that have been reported from owners and journals alike--namely that they require a greater commitment to maintenance, or are otherwise more prone to failure than a conventional twin. If helpful, I can find some links to examples of these claims but for now I'll assume that this is a familiar topic. Also, from what I gather, there was an improvement in the '73 model that simplified the system. In any case, sssuming that there is any merit to these reports, the points I'd like to hear owners comment on are:

* What commitment to maintenance (i.e. frequency & cost) is necessary to keep either the old or newer system on par with the reliability of more conventional, otherwise comparable twin?

* Did the newer system substantially improve either the reliability or performance of the system?

* Do you feel that the reports have, for some reason, overstated the cost of prevention, or likelihood of failure?

* Does the gear-door delete address one or more issues of reliability with the gear operation?