Prop questions

[Pat Stewart]

Getting ready for the first flight. Each time I have run the engine I am getting a little grease on the back side of each blade. Also I noticed just above one of the blades is a shim held on by two screws that are safety wired together. There are tapped holes at the identical spacing below the same blade and on both sides of the opposing blade however the screws and shim are only in one location. Is this normal.

Thanks,

Pat

[leaker311]

and I haven't even completed the first flight yet but I ran the engine on the ground, so maybe I can help.

If you have a Hartzell then regarding the oil seepage:
page 5-13 of the propellers owners manual states
"A new or newly overhauled propeller may leak slightly during the first several hours op operation..."
due to the seating of o rings and such but "...should cease within the first ten hours..."
I had the same leakage and religiously wiped the grease from the blades and it soon became less at each subsequent test run.

I asked Hartzell about the safety wired screws on one side only (open holes on the other side of the hub which I found odd so I called them) but they reassured me that that is normal because thats how they statically balance the prop assembly.

Hope this helps,

Marco

[Walt]

Originally Posted by Pat Stewart

Also I noticed just above one of the blades is a shim held on by two screws that are safety wired together. There are tapped holes at the identical spacing below the same blade and on both sides of the opposing blade however the screws and shim are only in one location. Is this normal.

Yes this is normal, they are used for static balance.

[Pat Stewart]

Thanks guys, I kinda thought thats what it would be.

Pat