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Spinner Screw cutting hole in spinner

RVG8tor

Well Known Member
So each year this seems to get worse, and now I have a crack behind a spinner screw. I use the screws and nylon washers that came with the spinner, provided with the prop from Whirl Wind.

Am I tightening these down too much? This is happening on one side of the spinner with the screws closest to the prop hub showing less deterioration.

It is like the prop plate is out of round somehow. At this point if the screws were tight it would create puckering on the aft edge of the spinner.

How would I fix the lost material in the spinner holes and more importantly keep this from happening again. I don't thing mixing up some micro and filling he holes would last long. Perhaps just a new spinner and back plate.

I kind of feel like I have tightened the screws too much, but then maybe not enough and that is way the washer seems to saw thru the fiberglass of the spinner.

Just over 700 hours on the prop and engine, 9 years of flying. I have not felt any vibrations.


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Thank you for the help
 
My impression is that the wear at the screw is caused by movement between your spinner and the backing plate. "Fixing" the screw hole will only delay the future movement and you'll be back where you started.

Taking care of the hole is easy if you're willing to use a counter sunk washer and screw, that'll also cover the existing hole and spread the load more evenly to the spinner.

You mention that the spinner appears to buckle when you tightened the screws further, that tells me that there backing plate is too small or isn't bedded in properly.

So a path to take would be to re-bed the spinner on the backing plate using reinforced epoxy (search for methods using a wax release on the backing plate to facilitate disassembly), then using whatever fasteners you choose.

You didn't say if you're the original builder or if you have experience with epoxy, but this is a fairly simple fix.

Good luck
 
Whirl Wind provided Spinner

Bill,

Thanks for the input. I am the original builder but the spinner and back plate were supplied by Whirl Wind. At the time of installation I did not notice any puckering in the fit of the aft part of the spinner. There must have been and that is why I am getting the wear on one side of the spinner at the screw holes.

With luck someone with the same Whirl Wind spinner will chime in on if they have had similar issues.

Thanks again
 
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