An oleo strut includes an outer cylinder forming a first fluid chamber and an inner cylinder forming a second fluid chamber. The inner cylinder is adapted for sliding concentrically within the outer cylinder in a longitudinal direction. An orifice plate, which is located within the inner cylinder, has holes for fluidly coupling the first fluid chamber with the second fluid chamber. A free-floating washer is constrained in a slot of the orifice plate adjacent the holes and is adapted to move in the longitudinal direction for alternatively blocking and unblocking at least a portion of the holes. During compression of the oleo strut, fluid pushes the washer away from the holes for reducing resistance to fluid flow. During extension of the oleo strut, fluid pushes the washer against the orifice plate covering at least a portion of the holes, which increases the damping force and reduces the extension speed.