While wiping down the prop after a flight the other day I discovered a hairline crack on one blade. It starts at the tip and propagates toward the hub, is about 3/8" long and goes all the way through the blade from front to back. The prop only has 76 hrs on it and I'm currently in discussions with MT as to if its covered under warranty or not. My question is, is this a common occurrence for an MT prop?
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MT Hairline Crack
- Thread starter Brambo
- Start date
Capflyer
Well Known Member
My experience with MT over warranty repairs on my RV7 were not positive. They were not good with the shop either. I had the MTV15 aluminum prop that needed to be re-sealed twice, the first time in less than 100 hours. It took many emails to the GM (who did respond by the way) to get them to cover it. Then they told the shop to do it while still mounted on the plane! Of course the shop had to remove the prop to do the work. Then MT said they would not cover the prop removal and remounting.... but in the end they did. The shop is an authorized MT repair and assembly shop, Sensenich Propeller in Lancaster, PA (I highly recommend them...they are excellent).
I know others have had great experiences with MT but mine was such that it would be close to impossible to convince me to purchase another one of their props. With so many other companies out there that care about their customers enough to stand behind their products, why bother with those that don't, no matter how good their product may perform.
Brambo, if you are still having warranty issues with them contact the VP/GM:
Martin Albrecht
Vice President / General Manager
[email protected]
I know others have had great experiences with MT but mine was such that it would be close to impossible to convince me to purchase another one of their props. With so many other companies out there that care about their customers enough to stand behind their products, why bother with those that don't, no matter how good their product may perform.
Brambo, if you are still having warranty issues with them contact the VP/GM:
Martin Albrecht
Vice President / General Manager
[email protected]
Steve Sampson
Well Known Member
My experience is that they are very concerned to make it 'right', but I am dealing with the factory.
At perhaps 50 hrs I sent a photo of a few hairline cracks which I had spotted in each blade, asking about safety. Their reply was, not a safety issue but cosmetic:; cracks in the paint and filler.
They asked for the prop back, replaced the blades and picked up the shipping costs. It was back in a few days.
At perhaps 50 hrs I sent a photo of a few hairline cracks which I had spotted in each blade, asking about safety. Their reply was, not a safety issue but cosmetic:; cracks in the paint and filler.
They asked for the prop back, replaced the blades and picked up the shipping costs. It was back in a few days.
On the Cozy MKIV I helped build, we put a MT 3 blade composite C/S on an IO-360. At just a little over a year and 126 hours, we noticed that all three blades had a hairline crack in the nickel leading edge that wrapped around both sides. All were "about" 5 inches from the tips of the blades. MT first thought that it would be warranted, but it ended up costing my buddy $2000 to repair. They also replaced the hub bushings to the latest style. Don't know if that was the cause of the cracks or not but it was done. It was an easy decision for me to order the standard 2 blade Hartzell for my -10. MT sure is a gorgeous prop though!
Steve Sampson
Well Known Member
Brantel, I think they probably know a thing or two about props and how to distinguish between the structural and cosmetic issues. Although I asked about safety, the position/direction of the cracks made no sense to me on my prop as a structural issue, which they confirmed.
Interestingly I saw a photo of an MT that had lost a bit in a bird strike. I imagined it would have been really bad to fly, but the pilot did not know he had lost anything 'til he landed, if I remember correctly. I guess the outer ends weigh very little on an MT.
I'm waiting for American Propeller (Redding,CA) to pick up the prop. They said they would fight MT about the warranty for me.
Interestingly, this blade also has the "cosmetic" cracks that run vertically. They developed early on and when I called about them I was told the same thing "not to worry". I can't help but wonder if the stresses that caused the cosmetic cracks have also caused this real crack.
Interestingly, this blade also has the "cosmetic" cracks that run vertically. They developed early on and when I called about them I was told the same thing "not to worry". I can't help but wonder if the stresses that caused the cosmetic cracks have also caused this real crack.
I have seen cracks on a Cessna 175 with a Lycoming O-360 and the MT. A friend of a friend lost one of the leading edges on a experimental super cub with less that 5 hrs on it I believe. It is disturbing. I have heard of mixed results with how MT handled it, all ended up being warrentied, but some not with out some discussions.
I think that they have resolved the issue by adding some extra strentgh at the tips now from what I have heard. The props really work well on our float planes and we have not had problems with the more recent ones.
But I have defiently heard of a few of the same problems from good friends that you are having. I think MT will cover it.
I think that they have resolved the issue by adding some extra strentgh at the tips now from what I have heard. The props really work well on our float planes and we have not had problems with the more recent ones.
But I have defiently heard of a few of the same problems from good friends that you are having. I think MT will cover it.
My friend and I both have MT CS props, we both had issues with grease leakage from the hub. MT had issued a SB to deal with it. His was out of warranty by a couple of months, they wouldn't cover it. Mine still was and they did the hub modification under warranty but I still had to pay to have the prop disassembled/reassembled and the hub shipped to florida. I like the prop for it's light weight and smooth operation but the low overhaul (500hrs/72months), stingy customer support (at least from the Germany, the folks in florida are good to deal with) and higher price would make me seriously consider the Hartzell next time.
Doug
RV6 350hrs (saving $$ for the OH)
Doug
RV6 350hrs (saving $$ for the OH)
I had MT on another plane some years back and had poor warranty service. Actually very poor, so instead of putting up a fight,I sold it for next to nothing and got a Hartzell. I have only bought Hartzell since and couldnt be happier. Dont know if their warranty is any better , but you sure dont read about many hassles.
Good luck with the warranty, maybe things have changed.
Good luck with the warranty, maybe things have changed.
Interesting responses here. If you look at the IAC competitions, you will see mostly MT props on the noses of some of the hardest flown prop aircraft in the world. Then head over the Red Bull Air race and it seems to be exclusively the Hartzell Claw in use!
Strange indeed!
Strange indeed!
Naturally a "crack" first needs to be determined as either just a paint crack or a structural crack. It could/can be a serious issue, but it very well may not be. It's a WHOLE lot different in a metal or composite or wood prop. Fact is, cracks & splits at the tips of wood props aren't uncommon or automatically unsafe. Those relatively new to aviation might be surprised that an accepted repair on a split wood prop is to wrap the prop with cord, glue it and go fly....it's been done that way since before most of us were born with little problem.
Anyway, there is no need to shout that the sky is falling until we know if it is a crack, where the crack is at, if it's a wood, metal, carbon or other composite prop. Also, losing part of a wood blade is an entirely different story than losing part of a metal blade or losing an entire blade. Same with losing the whole prop.
Sorry I don't have much worthwhile input, but until the real facts are known it's of little use to opine as to the "fix". I can't comment on warranty issues because I don't know when your prop was purchased, etc..
My 2 cents as usual.
Cheers,
Stein
Russ McCutcheon
Well Known Member
I like mine
I bought my -4 with the MTV-15b 183-33 installed and out of calendar TBO, I flew it for a year before it had major problems due to the grease drying up and the bearings destroying themselves along with the hub and the blade ferals, my fault for not sending it right in when I bought it.
I sent it to MT USA where Urgen, spelling??? Replaced about everything that moves and re finished the blades, it took to long but the product was perfect and now four years later it has 850 hours and is working perfect, no grease leaks and no cracks. It did have some cracks before and now has some root shrinkage that causes some lines where the glass has separated from the wood and I have sent pictures to MT in Germany, they told me what caused these issues and said they where cosmetic, not to worry they would be addressed at next O/H. The TBO on my prop is 1800 hours or 72 months, looks like it will go back in at 72 months and aprox 1200 hours.
I haven?t had any warrantee issues but the prop has been great and the service has been acceptable, I like it and would do it again, I also like the WW RV-200 prop and would consider it also.
I bought my -4 with the MTV-15b 183-33 installed and out of calendar TBO, I flew it for a year before it had major problems due to the grease drying up and the bearings destroying themselves along with the hub and the blade ferals, my fault for not sending it right in when I bought it.
I sent it to MT USA where Urgen, spelling??? Replaced about everything that moves and re finished the blades, it took to long but the product was perfect and now four years later it has 850 hours and is working perfect, no grease leaks and no cracks. It did have some cracks before and now has some root shrinkage that causes some lines where the glass has separated from the wood and I have sent pictures to MT in Germany, they told me what caused these issues and said they where cosmetic, not to worry they would be addressed at next O/H. The TBO on my prop is 1800 hours or 72 months, looks like it will go back in at 72 months and aprox 1200 hours.
I haven?t had any warrantee issues but the prop has been great and the service has been acceptable, I like it and would do it again, I also like the WW RV-200 prop and would consider it also.
I thought it only fair to report that MT did cover the repair cost of the prop. I now have it back on the plane and it looks good as new. The only real complaint I have is that it took so long (roughly 3 months). But I guess that's what happens when you have to send the blades back to Germany for repair.
I can't honestly say that if I knew then what I know now I would make a different decision on which prop to buy, but I will say that the lengthy repair/overhaul time should probably be considered a "con" in the pro-con list.
I can't honestly say that if I knew then what I know now I would make a different decision on which prop to buy, but I will say that the lengthy repair/overhaul time should probably be considered a "con" in the pro-con list.
