f14av8r
Well Known Member
I had to remove my Hartzell propeller to change the alternator belt. I've never pulled a prop before and was afraid of screwing this up so I studied it to death. Once I was satisfied that I could do the task, I decided the key enabler was some sort of propeller hoist. I considered building one with 2x4s and the like but, in the end, decided to pick up an inexpensive hoist from Harbor Freight. At $140 bucks, it was an easy choice. I spent another $15 on parts to create the spanner bar and propeller attachment devices. Using the hoist made pulling the prop an easy one person job. Highly recommended.
Lessons learned:
- Mark the propeller position on the hub so you can reinstall it in the same orientation. Use a felt tip marker.
- You DO NOT need to remove the spinner to remove the propeller
- Go slow - back the bolts off evenly. If you ever find yourself having to use much more than finger pressure to turn one of the bolts during removal or installation, you should STOP. Keep the propeller moving evenly off the hub and you'll be able to turn the bolts by hand most of the time.
- The interiors of my propeller hub and the engine hub were both a mess. A LOT of carbon and sludge buildup. I scraped and cleaned it all up, which took some time, but wasn't difficult.
- My Avery Tools Hartzell Wrench broke on the first bolt! I ordered another type from Spruce. I was able to use a standard 3/4 crows foot to torque during the installation but the special tool makes it much easier.
- Be careful once you get the propeller off. The starter ring gear isn't held on with anything but friction. Once I loosened up the alternator, it almost fell to the ground!
- Order a new propeller O-Ring. The old one might look alright but just pulling it out and cleaning the seat was worth the effort for me,
- I'm not safety wiring. Safety wiring those nuts is an enormous pain and I think it is totally unnecessary in my application. I have the cowl off often and can inspect the propeller bolts easily. So, I torqued them and put some torque-seal on them so I can tell if they've moved.
Here are some pics:
Lessons learned:
- Mark the propeller position on the hub so you can reinstall it in the same orientation. Use a felt tip marker.
- You DO NOT need to remove the spinner to remove the propeller
- Go slow - back the bolts off evenly. If you ever find yourself having to use much more than finger pressure to turn one of the bolts during removal or installation, you should STOP. Keep the propeller moving evenly off the hub and you'll be able to turn the bolts by hand most of the time.
- The interiors of my propeller hub and the engine hub were both a mess. A LOT of carbon and sludge buildup. I scraped and cleaned it all up, which took some time, but wasn't difficult.
- My Avery Tools Hartzell Wrench broke on the first bolt! I ordered another type from Spruce. I was able to use a standard 3/4 crows foot to torque during the installation but the special tool makes it much easier.
- Be careful once you get the propeller off. The starter ring gear isn't held on with anything but friction. Once I loosened up the alternator, it almost fell to the ground!
- Order a new propeller O-Ring. The old one might look alright but just pulling it out and cleaning the seat was worth the effort for me,
- I'm not safety wiring. Safety wiring those nuts is an enormous pain and I think it is totally unnecessary in my application. I have the cowl off often and can inspect the propeller bolts easily. So, I torqued them and put some torque-seal on them so I can tell if they've moved.
Here are some pics: