Rotor Strap Bolts

Mike Jackson

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2004
Messages
408
Location
Cave Creek, AZ (Phoenix area)
Aircraft
none presently
I recently purchased a modified Bensen autogyro with Dragon Wing blades. The previous owner used AN 4-15A bolts ( with nylock nuts) in the rotor straps - six on each side. I question the practice. I have always used drilled bolts with castle bolts and safety pins and have always considered this “best practice”. Cost is not an object here. Any thoughts out there on the relative safety of each method in this circumstance?

Thanks, Mike
 
Are you planning on taking the rotor blades off and on the hub bar? If not, the nylock nuts should be fine. pretty much all of the newer two place machines I see use nylock nuts.
If you are going to disassemble the rotor offen, I would use a castle nut with pins, or keep a stash of new nylock nuts to use when putting it back together.
 
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Are you planning on taking the rotor blades off and on the hub bar? If not, the nylock nuts should be fine. pretty much all of the newer two place machines I see use nylock nuts.
If you are going to disassemble the rotor offen, I would use a castle nut with pins, or keep a stash of new nylock nuts to use when putting it back together.
Thanks for the response ACP. I have not yet installed the blades. Still in box to be installed when I take it to hanger. Hope to not have to take off anytime soon. Will most likely use nylock bolts..
 
The Dragon Wings use An 4-15A bolts with nylocks nuts, that's what my Dragon Wings came with, that's what Ernie calls for in the assembly manual.
 
That is what is in my Dragon Wings. As a common practice when I was packing my blades for roadtrips, when I put the blades back together. If the nylon locking feature was easier to turn, I would just replace the nut. And during the Condition inspection, I would replace the nut and bolt.
Now, I have a 28' tray on the inside of my trailer and the only bolt I pull is the Teeter bolt and lay the rotor as a single unit in the tray.
 
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