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  #11  
Old 03-05-2019, 11:37 AM
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Mark H Mark H is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Indianapolis, IN, USA
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Tim,

Thanks for the write up on your website about this SB. This covers a huge number of mags and I suspect a LOT of people here are effected by it. I contacted Aircraft Spruce to ask about getting the warranty claimed through them and they wouldn't work me because I didn't purchase the mag through them. How were able to handle this with them?
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  #12  
Old 03-05-2019, 12:29 PM
TimO TimO is offline
 
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Man that's a good question (on working the return through Aircraft Spruce). The guy I talked to at Slick just told me to buy the part at any of their distributors (if I didn't want them to do the install) and the distributor would work out the return and credit. I won't be able to start this process until I swap gears (mine arrive today but not sure when I'll do the job), so I guess I'll find out. If they don't handle the return, I guess I'll talk to Champion/Unison/Slick directly and figure it out. At least it's only a couple hundred bucks, but one way or the other I'll get it worked out.
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  #13  
Old 03-06-2019, 03:27 PM
TimO TimO is offline
 
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I did find the cam grease in a more long-term economical package. I found a website selling the Slick Unison Cam grease, and they had the MSDS posted. That MSDS said that it was Magnalube-G. You can buy a tube of that many places, including Amazon, for about $11 for a tube. Far better than the tiny blister pack price of about $2.50-$3.00 for a tiny dab of it.
I got my tube today and it appears to be the same as what I bought in the blister pack.
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  #14  
Old 03-07-2019, 05:10 PM
krw5927 krw5927 is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Wichita, KS
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark H View Post
Tim,

Thanks for the write up on your website about this SB. This covers a huge number of mags and I suspect a LOT of people here are effected by it. I contacted Aircraft Spruce to ask about getting the warranty claimed through them and they wouldn't work me because I didn't purchase the mag through them. How were able to handle this with them?
Similar experience here. 3 affected mags (one is a bench spare), purchased at different places. One wanted to charge me the full price of the distributor gear ($100) plus $50 for their labor, and wouldn't give me back the $100 even once they got the credit from Champion. I know where not to go from now on.

The other mag I bought outright from Aircraft Magneto Service. They wouldn't work with me because they aren't a distributor, but told me to call their distributor Omaha Aircraft Supply. But they in turn weren't set up to even sell to an individual, and it didn't sound like there'd be any way to get an eventual refund for the returned defective gear either.

So in desperation I reached out to Joe Logie at Champion directly. He said they can't work directly with me either, but if I wanted to take my plane out of service for weeks I could send all the mags directly in to them.

Champion, if you're listening, your policies and distributor deals that prohibit dealing directly with the end customer absolutely STINK! (And so do the distributors who can't figure out how to forward a refund to the customer.) I guess you want us to just keep flying these dangerous mags?
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Last edited by krw5927 : 03-07-2019 at 05:15 PM.
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  #15  
Old 03-11-2019, 10:47 AM
TimO TimO is offline
 
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Today I got my RMA from Aircraft Spruce. I'm not sure if I was lucky, or just worded things just right.

They asked me "Did you buy this from us". Of course, the magneto came with the engine from Lycoming, but, I did indeed buy 2 of the mag gears from Spruce. So I said, Yes, I bought 2 of them on invoice number XXXXX. They checked, and saw that I had, and then promptly issued me an RMA and she was very friendly. I had gone into the phone call wondering if I was going to have to ask for a manager, but left with a normal good experience at Aircraft Spruce. At this point, I haven't yet of course got my refund, but my gears are headed to California for return.

I wanted to add another comment too. I will try to update the site with the write-up soon, but I bought 2 slick gears and one from Kelly that I figured cost less and would make a good spare. In retrospect, while it did save a little bit of money, it didn't save as much as I though, and I probably wouldn't go that route again. The reason is, the slick gear comes with the carbon brush, whereas the Kelly one does not. Once you add that cost, you're most of the way there to the price of the slick.

The slick gear and the kelly both did have the monel wiper on it rather than copper, so that will be a lasting improvement either way.

Hopefully all of the other affected people have a good repair/return experience. I won't bother posting more on mine unless something bad happens with the RMA.
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  #16  
Old 03-13-2019, 12:52 AM
VPYVO VPYVO is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Melbourne Australia
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Thanks for this post.
My left mag (right ign is also light speed like yours ) is affected.
Has 160 hours.
Ordered the gear kit and gasket from Spruce today and have spoken to a local mag chap and will have him change over on the 200 hour annual.
Your information has been a great help.
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