Desert Rat
Well Known Member
Just a heads up here-
The Whirlwind 300-72 three blade install manual calls for the use of Loc-tite 262 to secure AN5 bolts that are holding the spinner backplate on the prop hub. it's very specific about this, without any alternate means of compliance mentioned.
I though this was a bit odd, since most props seem to just used drilled head bolts and safety wire here, but hey, it's a prop with all sorts of mystery forces working on it, so not a place to go off the reservation.
Loc-tite 262 is evidently made out of unicorn glitter, because there was none to be had over the counter anywhere in the aerospace capitol of the world, with the exception of Grainger Supply who wanted to charge me $70 for a 1.5 oz bottle.
I ended up ordering a 10 ml bottle rom Aviall, and after several days of waiting for it to show up, was able to start on this task only to discover that Whirlwind shipped my prop with bolts in this location that have the heads drilled for safety wire.
I emailed them and Hector Cruz responded the next day that the preferred method of securing those bolts is with safety wire, and that they would get the manual changed.
This is similar to what he told me last year when I questioned how the minimum drive lug engagement that was called out in this same document was mathematically impossible without changing the bushings in the crank flange - "oh, thats a mistake, we'll get the manual changed".
Not to mention how I magically went from the 6 year/650 hour teardown inspection to a 5year/500 hour inspection when I received it. -"oh, that website is from an old company that doesn't exist anymore, it's obsolete and should be taken down".
I think Whirlwind makes a fine product, but for those of you going that way, heads up that you can't just blindly follow their installation instructions, or in my case even their published marketing materials, because when it comes to paperwork, they are a little light on the attention to detail.
The Whirlwind 300-72 three blade install manual calls for the use of Loc-tite 262 to secure AN5 bolts that are holding the spinner backplate on the prop hub. it's very specific about this, without any alternate means of compliance mentioned.
I though this was a bit odd, since most props seem to just used drilled head bolts and safety wire here, but hey, it's a prop with all sorts of mystery forces working on it, so not a place to go off the reservation.
Loc-tite 262 is evidently made out of unicorn glitter, because there was none to be had over the counter anywhere in the aerospace capitol of the world, with the exception of Grainger Supply who wanted to charge me $70 for a 1.5 oz bottle.
I ended up ordering a 10 ml bottle rom Aviall, and after several days of waiting for it to show up, was able to start on this task only to discover that Whirlwind shipped my prop with bolts in this location that have the heads drilled for safety wire.
I emailed them and Hector Cruz responded the next day that the preferred method of securing those bolts is with safety wire, and that they would get the manual changed.
This is similar to what he told me last year when I questioned how the minimum drive lug engagement that was called out in this same document was mathematically impossible without changing the bushings in the crank flange - "oh, thats a mistake, we'll get the manual changed".
Not to mention how I magically went from the 6 year/650 hour teardown inspection to a 5year/500 hour inspection when I received it. -"oh, that website is from an old company that doesn't exist anymore, it's obsolete and should be taken down".
I think Whirlwind makes a fine product, but for those of you going that way, heads up that you can't just blindly follow their installation instructions, or in my case even their published marketing materials, because when it comes to paperwork, they are a little light on the attention to detail.
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