Prop delamination, RV-6 stuck on cross country, HELP!

[jabarr]

Originally Posted by snopercod

Looking at the photos, the Great American prop that I have been flying behind for years looks a lot worse than yours. But if you're not comfortable flying behind it, then do whatever you think is right.

I certainly wouldn’t fly with the OPs prop. Maybe you should re-evaluate your standards??
I’ve seen wood props come apart— it’s not a good ending!

[Mel]

Originally Posted by jabarr

I certainly wouldn?t fly with the OPs prop. Maybe you should re-evaluate your standards??
I?ve seen wood props come apart? it?s not a good ending!

I have to agree. A prop is not a place to take shortcuts. It is a critical piece of your airplane. PLEASE do not fly behind a wood prop that has obvious delamination. Think about how fast that prop is going. I too have seen wood props come apart. Is is NOT a pretty sight. I have seen shattered props shake the engine right off of it's mounts.

[kismet]

First, thanks all for the comments and advice.

Originally Posted by jabarr

I certainly wouldn’t fly with the OPs prop. Maybe you should re-evaluate your standards??
I’ve seen wood props come apart— it’s not a good ending!

Believe me, I didn't like the additional drama added to my trip east. Here's a video of me being stranded in Kansas due to an electrical problem (broken wire, unrelated!) that occurred just a few days ago.

https://youtu.be/qal7ZjhiYs0


Now, the prop is off and it seems tomorrow I'll get a wood prop off an RV4 (150hp, so propossibly more of a standard prop for my 160 hp RV6). I'll hopefully get a spinner too, but at the least with safety wiring the extension and flying without a spinner I can safely get back to Longmont, Colorado.

Immediately after I am interested in getting the real deal mounted on the plane, taking care of my aft C.G. bias in the process.

I see a few options:

(1) Metal FP sensenich prop (anyone want to talk me out of it?) I have a VFR only plane that avoids rain. $5,300 is a lot of money for a certified prop on my RV6.

(2) Catto prop, hopefully I can wait it out with my $500 wood prop I'm buying tomorrow. Add a saber crush plate with some mass on the front end to move CG forward.

(3) Sensenich Ground Adjustable prop with perhaps a heavier extension from Saber.

I feel silly for not taking off the extension on the plane and just trusting the mechanic's eye that the bolts are 3/8" on BOTH ends of the extension. I know the prop bolts are 3/8" and assume I don't have 7/16" on the engine facing side of the 4" extender that is currently on the aircraft.

[Mel]

My vote, if you can wait it out, is 100% for the Catto. I've flown behind a lot of different F/P props in my 51 years of flying and I've never found anything else close to the performance, smoothness, and quietness of the 3-Blade Catto. Oh, and as I have stated somewhere before, it looks Sexy as H. E. double hockey sticks.

And BTW, it will fit your current extension.

[rocketbob]

Never have encountered delamination, erosion, or loose bolts with a Hartzell.

Just sayin.

[rapid_ascent]

To add to Mel?s comments...I just got a quote from Cato and their pricing is competitive for the 2 blade prop. The 3 blade is more. If you don?t get the nickel leading edges you can save more, but I won?t be doing that.

[EXflyer]

The prop is in very bad shape glad that you didn't try to fly it or fix either one. The person who said use super glue and it would fix the problem is nuts. The prop is junk split clear down to hub no fixing that one as its swelled due to moisture. Fix it by using the thing for hangar decorations.

[rvator51]

If I was replacing the prop, I would go with 7/16 prop bolts versus 3/8. Also if your4? extension is only 6? diameter, be a good idea to replace with 4 in extension that is 7 in diameter.

[Kyle Boatright]

A set of bushings and the prop advertised for sale in this thread and the airplane is ready to fly again.

http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...d.php?t=167144

[kismet]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/brooks...57676935626358

See photos

Pacesetter 200 it seems. Slightly under pitched based on RV4 150hp that it came off of, but I'll mount tomorrow and fly soon to test it out.

I plan to upgrade crush plate and extension to larger surface area and sort it all out by talking to Craig Catto.

At this point, it's either 2 or 3 blade Catto with nickel edges being ordered once the plane is back in Denver.

Thanks all!