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Hartzell overhaul frequency

Vansconvert

Well Known Member
I'm not familiar with Hartzell constant speeds. What is the recommended number of hours between overhauls? And if there is nothing major to take care of what is the typical cost? Thanks
 
Overhaul

It's 72 months or 2000 hrs which ever comes first. Lower hours if the prop is used for extensive aerobatics. Expect to pay around $2.5K for a full overhaul. Some shops might be ok to just do a hub repack (I think it is called) which is not the same as a full overhaul but some people argue it is sufficient.

I just bought an RV8 that is 7 years old and I asked the seller to overhaul the prop and we came to an agreement. I'd never fell 100% happy if I knew it wasn't done at the recommended interval time.

Rogier
 
Perhaps you should read Mike Bush's commentary in Sport Aviation December 2011 issue. It was very informative.
Manufacturer-specified TBOs are almost never required by regulation. It is like engines....with regular inspection and maintenance they can go well beyond TBO. I think he said his engines on his 310 were at 200 percent of TBO, and his props hadn't been overhauled in 21 years.
Allen
 
Engine TBO's you are correct on, propeller TBO's don't get any extension.

Low hour usage can be sorted with disassemble, inspect, grease, reseal and reassemble.

They are out front, have a hard life and can suffer corrosion and ball wearing :eek:

They need a look at ;)
 
Mike is flying a TWIN. There's no way I would fly one of our single-engine airplanes without constantly paying close attention to the propeller, including complying with the manufacture's recommendations on overhauls.
Just last week I inspected an RV-6 that had been flying since 2002, with no overhaul on the prop and no record of greasing it either! In fact, the owner said he didn't grease it because that way it would not sling grease.

Amazing what you hear sometimes. :(

Vic
 
In my conversation with Hartzell, they mentioned one of the concern is corrosion and if one lives in a dryer environment (CA, AZ, etc) it would be reasonable to extend the 7 year period providing their is no issues.

The cost of an overhaul in some of the shops is just crazy, nearly half or more of a new prop.
 
Mike is flying a TWIN. There's no way I would fly one of our single-engine airplanes without constantly paying close attention to the propeller, including complying with the manufacture's recommendations on overhauls.
Just last week I inspected an RV-6 that had been flying since 2002, with no overhaul on the prop and no record of greasing it either! In fact, the owner said he didn't grease it because that way it would not sling grease.

Amazing what you hear sometimes. :(

Vic

Thanks much for that info. I inquired about an RV currently being advertised. When I asked what year it was built and when the prop was last overhauled the answer was the aircraft was 15 years old, and I don't know, but I welcome any pre-buy inspection. Ok....next......
 
So just curious how many folks comply with the recomendations from Lycoming:

"All engine models are to be overhauled within twelve (12) calendar years of the date they first entered service or of last overhaul. This calendar year time period TBO is to mitigate engine deterioration that occurs with age, including corrosion of metallic components and degradation of non-metallic components such as gaskets, seals, flexible hoses and fuel pump diaphragms."

Personally I don't feel like Lycoming and Hartzell's worst case scenero for environmental deterioration applies to most well taken care of and always hangered RV's. I like to let folks know what the recommended schedule is, but pulling a perfectly operating and properly maintained prop or engine due to calendar time, well it's just not what I would call a show stopper.
But to each thier own.
 
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Personally I don't feel like Lycoming and Hartzell's worst case scenero for environmental deterioration applies to most well taken care of and always hangered RV's. I like to let folks know what the recommended schedule is, but pulling a perfectly operating and properly maintained prop or engine due to calendar time, well it's just not what I would call a show stopper.
But to each thier own.

I agree with Walt

Particularly with the propeller
Hartzell doesn't differentiate storage environment.
There is a big difference between sitting outside in the open, in a harsh climate for 6 years, vs always being in a hangar in an area with a mild climate, when not being flown.
 
Can anyone report a hub or blade requiring replacement due to corrosion, discovered at the 72 month calendar interval?
 
Dan - at a reputable prop shop I was shown an F7666 blade which had suffered corrosion well within the 72 month period. Same for the hub but I can't remember which hub it was.

The story was the aircraft was left with the blades oriented 12/6 o'clock, tied down outside. A bad seal on the upper blade allowed water to get in. Owner flew the airplane, noticed lots of slime on the prop and sent it in for overhaul. Blades and hub were scrapped.

Obviously this is a corner case with the aircraft being parked outside with a failed seal.
 
If memory serves there is/was an AD for the Ham Standard props on T-28s for similar reasons. Water gets in causing corrosion on the shanks and in the hub so it isn't a new problem.
 
I do them religiously (500 hr mag inspections). Certainly worth checking all of the moving parts if you have an impulse coupling, as it failing can ruin your engine. The points always get replaced, and the engines seem to start better as well.

Vic
 
I do them religiously (500 hr mag inspections). Certainly worth checking all of the moving parts if you have an impulse coupling, as it failing can ruin your engine. The points always get replaced, and the engines seem to start better as well.

Vic

Totally with Vic on this one..
 
On my non-RV, I had a Hartzell constant speed prop that had gone a very long time since overhaul, probably 2,500 hours and 30 to 35 years. It's always been in a dry climate. The shop tore it down and gave me a call. I went out to have a look.

Frankly, I was shocked by the corrosion pitting on some of the parts. I took one look and told the shop that there's no way that thing is going back on my airplane. They were shocked themselves; they'd never encountered that reaction before. Typically they had to spend some time convincing the owner that the prop hub needed replacement. Well, I was an aerospace stress analyst and did things like crack propagation studies routinely, so I had an idea of what was acceptable.

Now that airplane has a different prop and it gets opened up periodically.

Dave
RV-3B now skinning the fuselage, when I'm not out flying my non-RV.
 
Gosh this thread is meandering like Ole Miss !

Let me add my two penneth from Perfidious Albion ;)

Engines - Modified ditch pumps. They will run and run and run, provided the oil is regularly changed etc, they will regularly exceed TBO without an issue. Do you religiously overhaul them at 12 years ? Ran 3 on skydiving airplanes up to 3,000 hours without problems or any jugs replaced.

Props - Depends on manufacturer. They do have a rather tough time out there in front of the airplane, let's cut the prop a little slack here. Just had a 6 year inspection done on our MT and they found half the balls brinelled and were replaced though no corrosion issues and it was re assembled. I asked the very competent company, which props they saw most problems with and two guys in harmony just said - McCauley ! Nearly all of them exhibit corrosion in the hub at 6 years, though we seldom fit them to Vans. Hartzell are robust and don't suffer. I questioned the 6 year inspection and they re iterated, if it is treated as an inspection on a low houred prop, it is not a big deal and allows the hub to be inspected and re greased. Some hubs can be greased, some can't. Finally on props - how many of you McCauley operators have changed your prop governor at 10 years..? It is advised/required by them under an SB.

Mags - It is a Service Bulletin... Service bulletins are advisory and not mandatory. If the mag is not showing any issues, no mag drop etc then carry on. That said, at the rate most of us put hours on our motors, 500 hours will take many years ! Anyhow, we are all modern thinking futurists so should be on electronic ignition or EFI by now surely ? Support your friendly Texan and Cannuck :D

On SB's, the recent SB from Vans re the RV12 is being treated as an advisory by the LAA in the UK as it exhibited itself on high hour and possibly gust affected models. If you are still in build, then it makes sense to incorporate which is what we will do and have done with the other SB's thus far.

Now, which primer should I use when I overhaul my prop after 6 years - discuss :p
 
Gosh this thread is meandering like Ole Miss !

...

Mags - It is a Service Bulletin... Service bulletins are advisory and not mandatory. If the mag is not showing any issues, no mag drop etc then carry on. That said, at the rate most of us put hours on our motors, 500 hours will take many years ! Anyhow, we are all modern thinking futurists so should be on electronic ignition or EFI by now surely ? Support your friendly Texan and Cannuck :D.

...

At risk of pushing this thread even further off track, the only mag failure I ever had was one that checked good in the morning but was dead on the next run up that afternoon. I don?t recall precisely, but it was somewhere in the neighborhood of 500 hours since overhaul when it failed. Only advisory or not, if I was running two mags I?d keep at least one under the 500-hour recommendation.
 
Tach or Hobbs?

Dumb question, but on all these hours do you typically use Tach time or Hobbs? Since our modern EFISs track both, and there is a decent difference, 15% or so.
 
Dumb question, but on all these hours do you typically use Tach time or Hobbs? Since our modern EFISs track both, and there is a decent difference, 15% or so.

I use Hobbs for everything but the mags (which I just had in for the 500 hour inspection...shop said they looked good as new :)).
 
Tacho minus 10% into the airplane logs, tacho for flying logbook. All in decimal hours so you can add it up easily.
 
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