Mooneymite Posted September 29, 2015 Report Posted September 29, 2015 A year ago during annual, when I put the spinner back on, I decided to spare the paint by using those nice little nylon washers under each screw. This year when I went to remove the spinner, those screws were virtually impossible to remove! I am postulating that the propeller rotation somehow scrunched those spinner screws tighter and tighter due to the slight compressibility of the nylon washers. Perhaps you real mechanics are laughing at my mistake, but I've never heard of this phenomenon before. I wish I'd known. Needless to say, I didn't use them when I put the spinner back on this year!
larryb Posted September 29, 2015 Report Posted September 29, 2015 There is a fiber washer that is the proper part for the spinner. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Guest Posted September 29, 2015 Report Posted September 29, 2015 I've used the nylon washers for years and never heard of this happening. We're the screws stainless or cad plated steel? Clarence
PTK Posted September 29, 2015 Report Posted September 29, 2015 (edited) My spinner is polished aluminum secured by ss screws. There are these tiny plastic washers protecting spinner from screw heads. Have had the spinner off during annuals without any issues. Also when I had the airplane painted the shop installed all ss hardware. They also provided plastic little washers throughout to protect the paint. Nice touch. Edited September 29, 2015 by PTK
N201MKTurbo Posted September 29, 2015 Report Posted September 29, 2015 Probably not the washers. What I do to keep screws from getting stuck is to put all the screws in a cup and spray them with your favorite lube before screwing them in. This keeps them from getting corroded and they come out much easier. Also don't over tighten the screws. They are all in locknuts, they are not depending on tightness to keep them from coming out. Just running them home is good enough. 1
Hank Posted September 29, 2015 Report Posted September 29, 2015 I put little Teflon washers from Spruce under all screws that I remove at annual, including those in my polished spinner. Never had a problem getting any out. I'll give you some Fri or Sat, I keep some in the plane. Seems they come in bags of 100 for just a couple of bucks.
Mooneymite Posted September 29, 2015 Author Report Posted September 29, 2015 I've used the nylon washers for years and never heard of this happening. We're the screws stainless or cad plated steel? Clarence Some of each.
Guest Posted September 29, 2015 Report Posted September 29, 2015 I've found that stainless screws will bind and become stiff in some plate nuts where cadmium plated will not. Clarence
1964-M20E Posted September 30, 2015 Report Posted September 30, 2015 (edited) I have had the same experience with inspection covers and belly pans. I think it is galling on the SS screw. just my $0.02 Edited September 30, 2015 by 1964-M20E
Mooneymite Posted September 30, 2015 Author Report Posted September 30, 2015 (edited) Since I remove the spinner every year and have used essentially the same screws year after year and never had a problem removing any of them before...I am led to believe that the combination of prop rotation and the nylon washers had something to do with it. When I say the screws were virtually impossible to remove, they weren't just snug. It was a major undertaking to get the screws out. I've used nylon washers in many other locations (cad, or chrome) with absolutely no issues. Generally, if anything, the screws with nylon washers are easier to remove. This was a surprise to me. Edited September 30, 2015 by Mooneymite
cliffy Posted October 1, 2015 Report Posted October 1, 2015 I have found that "some" SS screws have threads that are just slightly out of spec on thread pitch and become very hard to remove once installed. They also go in somewhat harder. Can't believe that spinner rotation has anything to do with it. it is a fit or corrosion problem in the threads. Change to cad plated screws and see if there is a difference.
Mooneymite Posted October 1, 2015 Author Report Posted October 1, 2015 I have found that "some" SS screws have threads that are just slightly out of spec on thread pitch and become very hard to remove once installed. They also go in somewhat harder. Can't believe that spinner rotation has anything to do with it. it is a fit or corrosion problem in the threads. Change to cad plated screws and see if there is a difference. Most of the scews were cad plated and had performed normally before the nylon washers were added to the mix.
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