It seems like I have tried them all. I am so tired of hacking up 2&1/4 to 2&1/2" spinners for 13 and 14 inch props. They all seem to self-destruct anyway. Does anyone know a company that makes this size spinner with larger slots for "real" props? I'm getting tired of buying Tru Turn spinners for funfly planes if you know what I mean.

Try [link=http://www.sigmfg.com/]Sig Spinners[/link]. They have large slots for large props. Also try Great Planes nylon spinner with aluminum backplate.

But those still need to be "hacked up" to fit the wide-chord low pitch fun-fly props. I know exactly what he's talking about.

FWIW, I think the GoldBerg spinners with their four pins, are the sturdiest. You need a freakin' rubber hammer to install them, but I've never had one "let go". Never had a Dubro let go either, for that matter.

The Sig plastic spinners are flimsy, IMO. My YS 91 ate one in three flights. The DuBro I "hacked up" to fit the APC 16x4 boat paddle lasted 18 months on that engine, and is still being used on another engine.

A lot of "spinner death" I see is directly attributable to pressing the starter button BEFORE making sure the rubber cone is firmly against the spinner. Think about the torque that is being applied when you spool the starter up and then jam it against the spinner.

Personally, I like to hand-start if at all possible. I got one of those Davis Diesel "rooster sticks" a few years ago, and it is great.

I think part of the problem with plastic spinners on 4-strokes are the ones with a plastic backplate. Most 4-strokes simply get too hot for the plastic backplate to hold up. There are plastic spinners available from a few companies that have an aluminum backplate and seem to hold up rather well.

On a 4 stroke I think its false economy to try and use plastic spinners. Go ahead and spend the bucks a get an aluminum spinner precut for the prop you want to use. Unless you pound it in the ground it will be with you for a long time. If its on a funfly type plane have you thought of just using something like a Dubro Nut out front?

Its not the heat that gets them, its the power stroke that does them in.

Ed M.

I would agree, Ed; in principle.

But its kind of difficult to spend $50+ for a spinner for a $200 ARF. Tru-Turn has gotten mighty proud of their stuff. I know it is top-shelf, but...

Lord knows I'm no cheapskate when it comes to my hobby. But you gotta draw the line somewhere. I plan to get a Tru-Turn for the Sig SkyBolt that's next up on the board. But I would no more put one on the CG Matrix I'm repairing now (after the aileron horns pulled through the wood and almost fluttered it to death) than I would on a trainer or Stik.

Steve, have no problem with anything you typed. Another way to go is to get a cheaper aluminum spinner, GP, Kangke, etc. and cut it to fit the prop. Saves $30 or so and does not take that much work. Just a little SLOW Dremmel work and a quick balance.

Ed M.

Here is what I have learned with my 4-strokes. I tried to use the plastic spinners once. The engine backfired and kicked everything off and in all different directions. This was enough to sell me on a tru-turn. I think of it this way, it's not a $200 arf that this is going on, it's a $200 engine and mine and others safety. Those plastic spinners don't hold up for crap on 4-strokes. Chincing up on the device that holds the prop from coming off is not worth it to me.

I have used the Great Planes aluminum (which are much cheaper than tru-turn) and they were fine and there are also alot of cheaper ones out there. I see polished aluminum ones in the magazines all the time from this one company, and I cannot find that as right now, and I think a 2 1/2" was like $17 plus the adapter..That's not too bad considering what could happen with those cheap plastic ones and your hand or body in the way when it kicks off an APC prop...

Use the great planes plastic spinner with aluminum back plate. Hack the spinner with the dremmel tool and the little sanding drum, and it will look as good as a factory job.

Well, Novaflier, with the exception of the Sig spinner I mentioned, I've had good luck with plastic spinners on four strokes, in all sizes. I'm running a Goldberg right now on a Laser 150. This same spinner and Graupner prop ran fine on a Saito 150 for many flights.

The other two shots are Dubro spinners on a 52 and 70 Surpass. That Four Star has a PILE of flights on it, and the yellow one on the 70 on the Matrix was on a YS 91 for 18 months.

Perhaps the fact that I don't use a starter has something to do with it?

Possibly, I never thought of that.. good one.

Hi Steve Campbell,
I tried once to use a plastic spinner with a 70 or 90 4 stroke, but the back plate distorted so much from my prop tightening that I couldn't install the cone.....the screws wouldn't line up.
Sorry, I don't remember the brand, probably Dubro or Great Planes. I have to do this to avoid throwing the props or just their slipping,etc. Evidently you have had better luck...any tips?
Thanks

I wanted to use a Tru Turn for my Funtana, but was surprised how much weight would be gained by the adapter nut and washer they want you to use to hold it on. The Saito comes with a smaller nut and locking nut that weighs much less when added to a typical 2.5" or 2.75" plastic spinner.

The Tru Turn spinners themselves are very thin aluminum, and light, but the ones my LHS has are already cut out for props that are nothing like the wide blades I run. I didn't want to wait for a special $30 spinner to arrive when i have a choice of 2 shiny plastic yellow lighter alternatives: Goldberg and Dubro.

Well, I'm sure I'll get flamed for this but I don't use any fancy (heavy) locknut gizmos on my 4-strokes and have never had a problem. Use at least a 6" wrench on the nut, crank it down good and it ain't commin' off. Everyone is always worried about throwing the prop on a 4-stroke but I see just as many (if not more) props and spinners part ways with 2-strokes. 2-stroke or 4-stroke, you gotta tighten the nut.

<<...you gotta TIGHTEN the nut...>>

Right; and DON'T run the engine lean. That Laser 150 only uses a single, non-locking nut to secure a 16x8 prop; hasn't thrown it yet.

Running lean causes backfires, and on a four stroke that will throw a prop faster than a cat can lick its butt.

Gary, I know what you're talking about re. distorting the back plate. All I can say is, you're overtightening. Or perhaps the back of the blades are forcing the alignment pins down (back toward the thrust washer), instead of resting against them.

My problem with the plastic ones is the REAL SMALL slots, bu the time you cut a slot for a 4 or 5 pitch slot they are so hacked up they look terrible. Can't figure why somebody doesn't just make one with a big slot for the 10 million wide props being used out there.

Cause they won't fit the 30 million smaller props being used out there

So if you have to hack up a spinner for a given prop, what's the best method to balance it?

Wrong!!!![>:] The small props will fit anything. why not make them big enough so EVERYTHING will fit. And Skydude has a point. Bye the time it is all hacked up, who knows what the balance is.

<<...who knows what the balance is...>>

Good point. I confess this is one area where I'm a bit lazy.


I will spend hours balancing fans, fan hubs, rotor heads, etc., on a helicopter. But I just don't bother with most prop spinners anymore. The reason is I never noticed any difference one way or another.

I still do it on a large engine, such as my Laser 150; or a metal spinner of any size. There's enough mass there to cause a problem if the balance is bad out. But the smaller (less than 1.00 displacement) engines using a plastic spinner get the TLAR method; IOW, smooth up the slots as close as possible to each other with the Dremel, and bolt that puppy on.

Some may disagree with that; okay. But the three pictures above show four stroke engine/plastic spinner combos that were done that way, are well-used, and have zero problems. A fourth installation not shown is a 48 surpass on an LT-40. All of these engines are started by slapping the prop clockwise with a chicken stick.

I'm one of the most meticulous persons I know. But sometimes, a bit of sloth is okay....

I agree with using aluminum on 4 stokes. I have been using Spin RIte aluminum spinners and belive they save me money. A 2 1/2" can be had for under $10, less for smaller ones. You break and hack out a few plastic ones and it/s paid for. I still run plastic on my 2 stokes sometimes.

If you need a link I can provide it for you.

An aluminum spinner for under $10???

Not doubting you, but that raises a question: either Tru-Turn is gouging the hell out of us, or these Spin-Rite spinners are, well...

.

Here is a link for anyone interested. I do not know the quality differences between Spin Rite and Tru Turn as I have never invested in a True Turn. I suspect TT may be better, but these have served me very well over the years. Virginia is very helpfull and shipping is very fast. If you used a propshaft other than 1/4 inch, you'll need an adaptor for the appropriate size. They have them as well.


http://www.atsrcplanes.com/

Thanks for the link. Just might try one...