MT Maintenance Issues

[HFS]

I have an MT MTV9B-198/52 3-blade propeller on my HR II. Installed in 2002 and now has a little over 1000 hours on it.

It has been in the shop 3 times (now being the 4th), twice for grease leaks & once for OH (now 2nd OH - per MT's recommended 72 month OH interval).

At inspection this time I was told that 32 of 33 "lag screws" attaching the aluminum shanks to the blades failed "torque spec", had worn O-ring grooves & could not be returned to service limits. After the dust settled this turns out to be a $7500 hit.

Anybody else have similar experience with their MT?

Thx in advance for your response.

HFS
HR II S/N 002

[mike newall]

In the UK, the only MT problems have been on racing aeroplanes that have been operating at max rpm for long periods.

Also our military cadet force operate MT props on Grob Tutors - they were retro fitted after problems with blade issues on the Hoffman. Because they either haven't found the blue knob () or pretend they are jets, they leave the prop at max rpm for all operations and they make a horrible noise when they fly over our house.

If this is similar to your operation, that may be a contributory factor.

What I would suggest is a well worded email to MT in Germany with an honest r?sum? of your operating style and maintenance events and who did the work.

In our experience, they are very customer focussed and helpful. They sorted paint issues on our 2004 prop and did the SB free when the blades went back for damage repair in 2005.

[HFS]

Mike -

I operate the propeller at a relatively low RPM and MAP - 2200 & 19", both of which were authorized by MT Germany. So I don't think my operating conditions are creating the problem.

I have conversed with the home office many times regarding these issues and have had less than hoped for response. Didn't have much luck in getting any financial assistance in the grease leak issue & my current OH shop doesn't even use their facility in Deland, FL to do the rework - they use a specialty shop in Ohio. Go figure?

David

[6 Gun]

That's about what a new prop from Vans cost for Hartzell.

[mike newall]

Mmmmm,

Not the response I was hoping for as MT were very good with us, but we were going through a prop shop who were gaining MT approval at the time and maybe MT were keen to help them as well as us.

I would contact Martin Albrecht direct, he is the VP and is the guy who goes out to the shows. I have dealt with him directly before.

martin.albrecht@mt-propeller.com

Would suggest you confirm age of prop, history and operating speeds/MP. Now, I would need to confirm this, but I am pretty sure this prop is the same as ours and used to have an avoid band around 2000 rpm which was cured after the service bulletin was complied with back around 2010. This involved adding carbon layers to the blade and refinishing.

This was done as part of the damage repair we had done in 2011. Our prop is due a low impact overhaul this year - we get a dispensation for low hours - basically a strip, inspect, re grease and re build.

I would explain to him that as you live in the USA with plenty of home grown prop manufacturers, he may be keen to provide direct help in this instance to further the good name of MT in the Colonies