Adjusting Warp Drive

[Penguin]

I want to put a little more pitch into my Warp Drive. Any suggestions on how to measure pitch without the Warp device?

[choppergabor]

Make a sharpie mark at the split line of the base of the blade. :) The base is made of two rubber halves so you should be able to figure out how far you have moved the blades.....

[StanFoster]

Larry- I have a warp drive angle gauge, but if I did not, I would just go down to a hardware store and get one of those angle gauges that measures 360 degrees. The blade can twist one half degree and you can measure it. Stan

[eddie]

I use a digital level,its called a smart level they are remarkablely accurate and at a good price,the one i have reads in tenths of a degree around the 1 degree mark, set the level to zero at the prop hub and then adjust one blade to the degree that you want,and then zero the level to that blade,and then adjust the rest or the blades to zero.i have been told that 14.5 degrees is as much as you can open the blades up to without prop stall. I am using a 5 bladed prop on my turbocharged 2.5,and the pitch settings are important to be the same. best regards, eddie.....

[StanFoster]

Eddie- I should have mentioned something similiar, my Digicube which also reads to 0.1 degrees. I just thought he was wanting something real quick. I use my Digicube for setting my TR and main rotor blade pitch. Stan

[eddie]

stan/ thanks for the info will check out the digicube,i am really a low tech kinda guy,but todays technologies really blow me away,they are incredible. regards ,eddie.....

[Earthboundmisft]

Hey douche, there is a digital level hangin on the wall in the hangar.
Cut a stick or something to use as a referance for leveling the blade,
then measure out 75% from the root of each blade,
and use the level for before, and after measurements.
Gotdam, I gotta watch you every minute....
Ya gonna need an a$$load of pitch to hang with the fit...

[phantom]

I find that I can get the prop done eaiser with two pieces of angle about two feet long, clamp one to the keel and the other to the tip of the prop and it is easy to move it a tenth of a degree if needed.

Norm

[CLS447]

Replace it with an IVO !!!!

[Penguin]

Thanks for the info gentlemen.

Does the measurement at 75% out from the root sound right?
Warp Drive Protractor instructions (I don't have anything but the instructions) say "always set the degrees of pitch at the tip of the blade".
I suspect the idea is to use a common point on all blades.

As I'm not at the hangar, I'm trying to visualize the configuration of the drive lugs.
I think they need to be loosened to allow sufficient play in the propeller hub to rotate the blades?

So a complete procedure would consist of:
- loosen all pitch adjustment (clamping) bolts (and drive lug bolts?)
- set blade to be adjusted in a true horizontal position as measured on leading edge
- measure pitch at common point on flat side of blade
- adjust as required
- torque the 1/4" clamping bolts in increments of 20 inch pounds to 120 inch pounds
- torque the 5/16" drive lug bolts to 175 inch pounds

But first I need to rummage around Brunky's Junk Yard in an attempt to find the digital level. And then repair it. Might be more cost effective to just go buy one ...

[bmoore2156]

Close, but I would change 2 things. You need to make sure the blade your adjusting at the time is as close to level as you can get it. I measure out towards the tip and make a identical mark on all the blades. You want to make sure your digital level sits plumb when your adjusting things. I usually mark on the blade with a sharpie a plumb line so it is easy to find the exact spot again.
The only other thing is if you loosen all your bolts before you start your going to have fits maintaining the angle. I usually loosen the outer ring of bolts first. Then I loosen up the 2 inside bolts , make an adjustment, torque them down, and rotate the prop to the next blade. Then last thing would be to torque down the outer row of bolts.
Brad

[gyromike]

Hey douche, there is a digital level hangin on the wall in the hangar...
Gotdam, I gotta watch you every minute....


Nothin' but brotherly love there.
:)

[Penguin]

@Brad - Excellent suggestion on loosening only the outer ring of bolts first. I was wondering about holding the adjustments. Note my second bullet about true horizontal - I figured that part out.
@MikeG - Yeah, brotherly love is the only loving he's getting. He has to hang a pork chop around his neck to get his dog to play with him. Even Mom has put him on her 'ignore' list!

[j bird]

You have to start by taking a vertical reading at the prop hub, who knows what angle your prop hub is. The vertical angle of the prop hub is is added or subtracted from the degree of angle you want to set the prop to. You spin the blade to a horizontal position and place the digital level out near the tips (all the readings in the same place on each tip) if you were setting the blades to 10* you would add or subtract the readings you got from the prop hub. Of course the prop hub vertical angle is a right angle (horizontal angle) to the engine crank shaft.

[Penguin]

Thanks, Jay.
Got it.

[GyroRon]

If your prop is already set and true, and you want to add or reduce pitch, you just need to make a small change to one blade and using a digital level or protractor, etc.... you set the other 2 blades to match the blade you changed. It isn't overly complicated.

One other note.. you will need to loosen all the bolts on the prop, including those that hold it to the gearbox / prop flange. The inner bolts don't have to be sloopy loose, but the prop blades won't twist if you don't loosen them some.

What is your rpm during climb out at full throttle? For best climb performance you'd want to see 67 to 6800 rpms...... For best cruise performance you would want to see 62-6300 rpms.... best in between setting is 6500 rpms. You don't want to over rev the engine by having too little pitch, or lug it by having too much pitch.

Another interesting thing I have found, is lugging the engine usually results in more carbon build up in the engine. Better and cleaner to let her rev up to redline.

[Earthboundmisft]

He be trying to catch da 'Missfit' off in da distance....

[GyroRon]

something must be wrong with his gyro then if he has trouble keeping up with you.... a dominator with a pod should be able to hit 100 mph without problems, and should be able to cruise along at 65-70 mph easily.

[Earthboundmisft]

Haven't seen that kind of numbers on his. I tweeked mine and it's faster than ever.
Larry seems to be turnin too many revs.

[Penguin]

Well, both Art and I beat Mike to Wauchula but that's another story ...
But there is clearly a performance differential that should not be.

It's clear I don't have quite the oompf that I should.
Engine temps are within Rotax specs.
Climbs out well.
I can cruise comfortably at 75 mph.
I'm turning about 6500 rpm at WOT which seems about right.
But the seat of my pants is telling me that my prop needs more bite.

My strategy is to first check for equal pitch on all prop blades.
Assuming that looks good, I'll then add perhaps 1deg and see how it feels.
Then adjust from there.

IMO, part of the gyro fun is tuning and testing.

[scottessex]

Add about 1 degree at a time, You will be able to tell if you are lugging the engine with too much pitch, because your water temps will go UP and your EGT will go DOWN.
I had mine pitched for 6200 on the ground, and would easily see 6500 in flight.