ORIGINAL: Bad_Daddy
Just make sure you get a few replacement motor shafts while you are there to buy the prop, because the vibration will fatigue the metal and the shafts will break shortly after that.
Oh PLEASE!!!!!!!!!
Gimme a break!
I have been flying for well over 40 years.
I have engines that are more than 20 years old
I have balanced a prop exacty twice in my life (Both times during the winter when I was totally bored) and I have never had any problems with ruining bearings or crank shafts.
Also, none of my planes have ever shaken themselves to pieces, nor has an engine broken its bolts, nor have I ruined any servos or gotten Rx interference (And I don't pad my receivers, I velcro them in place)
One of the major magazines did an article a while back on balancing props and came to the conclusion that (except in extreme cases or on very large engines) it is just not necessary.
Electrolight, I'll make you an offer - don't balance your props and if you burn out a crank shaft in the next 5 years, I'll buy the engine from you for TWICE what you paid for it.