How to find a good used prop

[AndreiC]

Somehow I got this idea in my head that I should start to look into replacing the prop on my 1970 M20E. I currently have a 3 blade McCauley which is 12 years and about 550 hours old. Runs perfectly, but all my efforts to balance it well did not yield a smooth result. 

I was hoping to find somehow a good condition B-hub Hartzell two-blade. It does not need to be the newer scimitar, older style blades are fine. The problem is the cost. I was told by a prop shop that I could hope to get about $4k for my prop. But the same shop would only sell me a refurbished prop, and a refurbished B-hub prop will cost $11.5k. I can't justify spending $7.5k only to smooth out a bit of vibration.

However, if I could find in a private transaction a good used prop for about $5k, spend another $1-2k for an IRAN, that would be within the price range that would make the proposition attractive. Where can one find listings for such items? I looked on ebay and on barnstormers.

Also, here is another interesting question. Does anyone know if older style blades (non-scimitar) can be installed by a prop shop in a hub designed for scimitar blades? Or are they incompatible? How expensive is it to swap blades in a hub?

[Fly Boomer]

3 hours ago, AndreiC said:

How expensive is it to swap blades in a hub?

One of our members flys a Mooney and operates a prop shop -- get in touch with @Cody Stallings.

[AndreiC]

I already talked to him. His suggestion to talk to this guy in Vegas who has a business trading props yielded nothing, that is where I got the $11.5k quote. 

[LANCECASPER]

13 minutes ago, AndreiC said:

I already talked to him. His suggestion to talk to this guy in Vegas who has a business trading props yielded nothing, that is where I got the $11.5k quote. 

Good used props are hard to find. Supply is way less than demand. Usually airplanes that get salvaged have props that are bent up. Other accidents that don't total the airplane, like prop strikes, eat up the supply.

[KSMooniac]

Best option might be to post a WTB here or on barnstormers. You might get lucky with a Canadian owner that is forced into mandatory overhauls on calendar time, and they may sell to you outright and put that money towards a new upgrade. You could then sell yours privately... As Lance mentioned someone is always looking for a used airworthy prop.

This means you'll have money tied up in two props for a while, but ultimately might get you where you want to go for reasonable cost.

Sent from my motorola edge plus 2023 using Tapatalk

[Joshua Blackh4t]

2 hours ago, KSMooniac said:

 You might get lucky with a Canadian owner that is forced into mandatory overhauls on calendar time, and they may sell to you outright and put that money towards a new upgrade.

Or in Australia. I have been told that when my prop is next due (in about 8 years or 700 hours), it won't be able to be ground down any further. However if I keep looking after it, it would be fine for many many years especially with someone who doesn't use it too often and only on good runways.

So when it's near end of life, I'd love to be able to sell it for any value to someone in USA. I'd bring it over to USA as checked luggage to save freight and pay for a US holiday

[Red Leader]

I'd be looking more into the vibration that concerns you so much. On my last plane, I had a strange vibration that was minor but still noticeable. I had the prop balanced and it did little to resolve the issue. I saw the readings on the before and after (though I do not remember the numbers) and although slight, it was OOB. Are you sure it is the propeller? Have you had an IA check the operation? I would exhaust other potential causes before plunking down a chunk of change on a new prop. If you are sure it isn't anything else, you have a good used prop already - have it overhauled and rebalanced. You might find (if this is the issue) that an overhaul fixed the trouble and at considerably less cost than another used one.

[Yetti]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2226961823/user/100001679114403

[AndreiC]

2 hours ago, Yetti said:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2226961823/user/100001679114403

That facebook link takes me to some guy who has not posted anything??? Was that what I was supposed to see?