Re: Sonex-A purchase - What to look for
Posted: Wed Jun 19, 2024 12:35 pm
Bryan Cotton wrote:Kai wrote:Get the prop dynamically balanced.
I'd argue this is a nice to have, not a must have.
I`d argue that what is a must have, is a crankshaft that stays in one piece- and anything that can be done to increase its useful life, is a must. Dynamic balancing will reduce harmonics and torsional vibrations (a well known and documented crank killer) in the crankshaft. All the VW-1 aeroderivatives I know of have one massive configuration error, as the main pto is at the structurally weaker end of the crank. The pto should be from the flywheel end, as many others have underlined before me- Bob Hoover among others. Look at the Sterling work William Wynne has done with the Corvair engine with the addition of the flywheel end bearing and the prop drive flange on the flywheel. The result is that this automotive unit has now become one of the more reliable aircooled powerplants for the Sonex.