Difficult WW200 install

[jimgreen]

Pretty cool looking prop, but not that easy to install.
The clearance around the bolt heads seems marginal. My mechanic friend had a ground down crow foot, but even with that it was hard not to round the corners of the nuts. Less clearance than a Hartzell.
Lock wire was not easy either. WW specifies .032. We tried .040 and it would not fit around most of the nuts. On one bolt, due to the orientation even .032 wire would not go in the gap between bolt head and prop hub once it was twisted.
My friend filed a small groove in the corner of the bolt head between two flats and we got it done.
I'd be interested in feedback.

[Tandem46]

I've removed/reinstalled my 200V at least 5 times in the last six years and have not had any real problems. I've never had any help and I'm not a mechanic. I use the extended crows foot sold by Avery Tools: http://www.averytools.com/prodinfo.asp?number=3528
As for the lock wire, yeah, can be tricky. You can loosen a nut, insert wire, then retorque nut. My understanding is that the hub is a standard McCauley hub.

[B Cunningham]

Hi Jim,
You have a great engine/prop combo there! You will be thrilled with the performance. The Aerosport team -- right there in your backyard and the guys at Whirlwind are top drawer. (I have just used standard 3/4 "stubbie" wrenches to get the prop bolts started. The key is to avoid getting the wrench up next to the hub as you tighten. Contact with the hub will cause the wrench to slide up a bit on the bolt head and cause a poor fit, eventually damaging/rounding it off. The contact is hard to recognize sometimes, just be careful. You'll get good at it I use the same stubbie and a 3/4 inch nut and bolt at 90 degrees to my torque wrench to tighten.) To grab those stubborn safety wires, make a small hang-mans noose out of wire slipped under the nut to grab the wire, pull it around the corner with your pliers...)

[Bob Kuykendall]

I helped Steve Smith install and safety wire his WW200. It went about as others have described. I'd call it tedious, but it wasn't particularly hard.

[gereed75]

Watched / helped the guys at Whirlwind mount mine when there for service.

There is no secret easy way. Same all have said - Crows feet or "slim" wrench and get after it. Same with safety wire - just gotta get er done.

Takes some time and perseverence.

[jimgreen]

Hmmm. Thanks for the replies. I'm a little surprised I found it so much harder than everyone else. We did geterdone but I was surprised that it is so tight. Especially that twisted lock wire would not fit in the gap with worst case position of the nut. Without a little persuasion with a needle file on the nut it would not have gone in.

[Tom McCutcheon]

I'm very happy with mine. I took a 5/8 socket to the grinder and thinned the wall. The 9/16 worked without changes. I use a 3/8 Snap-On torque wrench. To set the pitch I baught an electronic angle finder at Harbor freight. It is within .1 degree accuracy. It has magnetic base. So I glued a piece of metal to the bracket provided by Whirl Wend and the angle finder magnetically attaches.