For those of you who have the larger GP ARFs, particulary the 1/3 Pitts and Eagle...

How is the stock spinner if you've used it? They look pretty decent, but I've heard some reports that they are not balanced very well. I modified the one that came with my Eagle to work with my DA50. It looks pretty decent, but I don't want to ruin the engine or plane due to a cheap, out of balance component just to save a few bucks.

Thanks for your feedback.

Regards,
Lee Snover

SInce the DA will require you to bolt on the spinner so that it cannot slip then you are OK. The problem with the brace in the spinner is that if your spinner/propeller slip, then the spinner flys away doing damage to the plane and propeller.

Guess How I know that!!!!

Well, I cut off the internal brace, and I'm putting a bolt through the spinner into the DA50s prop shaft directly. That's how the Tru-Turns work, so I thought it would be OK.

Just worried that they may be made inferior, and out of balance, which would cause other problems.

THanks,
Lee Snover

Lee. I've had quite a few of the GP Spinners and I think they look pretty good. All of my spinner prop openings had to be filed to accomodate bigger props. After I filed the prop openings, I put the spinner on a wheeled prop balancer. Each and every time, the spinner was way out of balance. I used a drill press and removed the excess weight on the "heavy" side of the backplate. I didn't drill all the way through, but just dimpled it to remove some aluminum material until the spinner was balanced. Oh, just like everyone else, I removed that spinner retainer mechanism first. That seems to have worked pretty well. With a large single cylinder motor, the vibrations seem to be more apparent at idle and low throttle speeds. As the engine rpm's increase, the vibration seems to be greatly reduced. Don't let that fool you! The vibration is still there with an out of balance spinner/prop, it's just radiated through the aiplane at a differenty frequency. This can cause RF interference, early loss of battery capacity, premature servo failure as well as attack the integrity of the glued joints in your plane.

Guess it's not worth the risk.

Regards,
Lee Snover

Lee.. Any spinner could be out of balance when you get it. Just check them and see.. Before you install it.

I've never had problems with Tru-Turns.

I'm afraid of having problems for lack of a quality spinner.

I guess you get what you pay for.

I may try Dave Brown or another relatively known brand.

Regards,
Lee Snover

I also cut out the internal brace and used a bolt seems to be holding up well. I've seen 2 in the stock configuration fall apart . Watch it real close or pick up a Tru-Turn. I also have had real good luck with the Dave Brown spinners.-Mike

I just pulled my woefully unbalance GP spinner from my Christen Eagle II and replaced it with the Dave Brown Vortech. I had to enlarge the prop holes a little but I can now idle my Fuji BT-50SA and actually see the nose of the spinner. My only complaint is the spinner bold was not long enough. I temporarily solved this by using a 10x32 blind nut as a coupler to connect additional thread -- its working fine; maybe I don't need to replace it.

I just pulled my woefully unbalance GP spinner from my Christen Eagle II and replaced it with the Dave Brown Vortech. I had to enlarge the prop holes a little but I can now idle my Fuji BT-50SA and actually see the nose of the spinner. My only complaint is the spinner bold was not long enough. I temporarily solved this by using a 10x32 blind nut as a coupler to connect additional thread -- its working fine; maybe I don't need to replace it. For $35.00 it was certainly cheaper than the Tru Turn Ultimate at $85.00.

Jim:

I gave in and just bought a Tru-turn. :-) To much money, but the least hassle.

Regards,
Lee