Bottom cowl removal with 3-blade prop

[Dorfie]

I have read just about all I can get on the issues surrounding bottom cowl removal with 3 blade prop, and there are many postings about this topic. I know about lengthening the nose gear slot, installing a removable intake snorkel as with the Rod Bower design, cutting the bottom cowl rear and inward areas around the prop flange. I can easily remove my lower cowl alone with the 2-blade prop. The questions I am specifically looking for that were not answered in the threads:
1. With the extended nose gear slot in the lower cowl, does the lower cowl come off as easily as with 2-blade prop? Is it a one person job?
2. How easy is it to remove the lower cowl with the Rod Bower removable intake snout type modification? Like with a 2-blade prop? One person?

Maybe all the mods still makes removal difficult??
Thanks.
Johan

 

[AviatorJ]

I have a Rod Bowers set up with my air tact installed with quarter turn attachments. So taking that part on and off is about a 2 min job and extremely easy. Also gets me pretty much unfettered access to the bottom engine.

Taking on and off the top cowling is also a solo job and can be taking off in less than 5 minutes. Reattaching it takes 10 to 30 mins... 30 mins when for whatever reason one of my piano hinge pins don't want to go in. In hind sight I wish I would have installed similar quarter turn attachments for the top.

The bottom is a different story. It can be done solo, you have to be extra careful to protect your nose wheel pant. So it's much easier with two people working together on the side pins and then lowering it slowly to clear down and out. But I can get it on and off without hitting the 3-blade prop. Again putting it back on is much better with two people, I've done it a number of times solo using some jacks and tape and whatnot. Turns a 5 min job into a 20 min job.

 

[Avengerboss]

Lower cowl removal with a 3 blade prop

I recently changed over from a 2 blade Hartzell to the 3 blade whirlwind. Had to extend my slot to get the cowl on and off by almost 10". I just added a flush cover plate from .032 alum and 6 screws to cover the extended cut. Easy and works fine.