The following information is based on our experience in the R/C industry and direct experience manufacturing this product line. We do not intend for this information to be considered a “Rule” or a “Law” of any kind, but rather a guideline and a glimpse into what we can do for you. We will be telling you HOW we do it and WHY we do it a particular way at Tru-Turn.
We offer an extremely High Quality product and we have one of the best Customer Service Departments you will experience anywhere, especially when it comes to Spinners in the R/C world. We have only one way to do something, and that is the Right Way. It’s the Right Way or No Way, because your Safety comes before anything else.
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What Adapter Kit do I need for my particular engine?
Probably the most frequently asked question of them all, and for a good reason… There is no “Standardization” for engines. Each individual manufacturer makes an engine drive the way they perceive it to be used in the RC market.
How do I find this information?
Browse our Website! We have listed all of the normal engines in our AdapterFinder™ online by the Brand Name and Size of your engine. When you select the item for each application, the retail price of each, along with some information about special modifications required will appear.
Watch for the Notes that go with some of these adapters, they will tell you if you need modifications to your Spinner Back Plate or Prop. This information will save you some time and money if you do not have to send your spinner back to us for additional work to make it fit your engine.
Tru-Turn Precision Model Products makes a Specific Adapter Kit for almost every production R/C engine on the market. Our design is based on the use of a Spinner and Prop that is normally best suited for the engine in question. If our Normal adapter kit does not work for you, let us try to help. All you need to do is give us a call.
We put Quality and Safety above anything else and we stand behind what we sell. You will find our Customer Service to be as good or better than our products.
What do I do if the Prop Slots are too big or too small for my prop?
Don’t try to do Spinner slotting on your own. It’s tedious, dangerous and voids your new product warranty.
We stock Big Spinners with big slots and we stock Small Spinners with small slots. In each product page, we have listed the most common size props for each spinner, and in most cases this will be in line with your project.
However, if you need a Smaller Spinner for a Bigger Prop, or a Bigger Spinner for a Smaller Prop, go to our “Special Slotting Options” link and it will tell you how to order precision spinner slotting directly from Tru-Turn.
The most important thing is to decide what Brand and Size Engine you are going to run and what Brand, Size and Pitch of Prop you will be using. From there, we can help you.
If you are not sure what you need, you can give us a call and we will help you. (We have seen a lot of Weird Stuff!)
Do you have a Spinner to fit a Three Blade or Four Blade prop?
You Bet! We stock Three and Four-Blade Spinners In just about every size and shape that we have available. We stock Big Spinners with big slots and we stock Small Spinners with small slots. We have listed the most common size props for each spinner, and in most cases this will be in line with your project.
However, if you need a Smaller Spinner for a Bigger Prop, or a Bigger Spinner for a Smaller Prop, go to our “Special Cuts” location and it will tell you what to do.
The most important thing is to decide what Brand and Size Engine you are going to run and what Brand, Size and Pitch Prop you will be using. If we don’t have this information we can’t help you. If you are not sure what you need, you can give us a call and we will help you. (We have seen a lot of Weird Stuff!)
What Shape looks best on my airplane?
Wow, that question will start a conversation that can last all day at the Flying Field. Everyone has an opinion on what looks best but it is not our airplane so it is very hard for us to answer this question fairly.
We do have some information on what many kit manufacturers state as the proper Spinner Shape and Size. This is an ongoing project, but we can help with your selection… However, we do not guarantee you that your friends will agree with us on this!
We don’t have these displayed on our Website just yet but we are still working on it. If you give us a call or E-Mail us, we will tell you what we know.
What can I do if my Engine Shaft is Too Short to mount a spinner?
This is not a major problem when using Tru-Turn Products, we make a Short Shaft Adapter Kit for just about every American and Metric thread used in the R/C industry.
Most of the time you can solve your dilemma by checking the AdapterFinder™ section of the Website to make sure that you are using the right Part Number for the engine. We are aware of many engines that fall into the Short Shaft category and we have assigned them a Short Shaft Adapter.
Each and every Adapter Nut that we make here at Tru-Turn is designed together with the proper washer and Bushing to make it correct for your Specific Engine. Adapter kits requiring special modifications to the back plate of your spinner or to the prop, usually have a note along with the kit telling you what you need to do. Sometimes you can do these modifications, and sometimes you need to have them done by Tru-Turn.
We strive to keep our adapter kits in line with all of the new products emerging daily. If you cannot find what you are looking for, or you are not quite sure what to order, just give us a call or E-Mail us and we will help you make the selection.
How much do I Tighten the Cone Retaining Screw.
This question has been asked many, many times since we started making Spinners back in 1986. It is a good question with a bad History, but we will do our best to give you some good guidelines to work with.
Historically, other Spinner brands have been made from Heavy Cast Aluminum and try as we may, we could not seem to keep them on our engines. The solution was to use better stronger screws and tightening them down as tight as possible, and in this case, more was better…. Or so we thought!
Welcome to the New World of Tru-Turn Precision Aluminum Spinners. They are lighter, stronger and more precision than anyone has ever seen before. All of this has come about through rapidly improving technology, the same technology that is bringing you the wonderful new powerhouse engines. So, on your new Precision Tru-Turn Spinner, tighter is not better, but just the opposite, you will destroy your spinner.
“THE TWO FINGER RULE”
We have a Rule we like to stress, called the “Two Finger Rule”. No, it’s not a joke, It works quite well when applied properly. We do not have a Torque Value to give you to use on each and every spinner shape and size, just a guideline that will get you to the same place.
Never use more than two fingers on any of the Hex Driver tools you might have. Whether it be a Hex Key or a “T” Handle Driver, two fingers is enough to tighten the screw adequately. Yes, even for those running four stroke motors AND anyone using an electric starter – this value is tight enough.
A Tru-Turn Spinner is very precision and the locking tab design feature at the base of the cone will grip the ridge of the back plate and hold the cone properly, even when using the Electric Starter. If you Over tighten this screw, the assembly components start to bend and distort and the locking tab is no longer effective. This “Two Finger Rule” is especially important when you are using a Light Backing plate, obviously it is lighter and will bend easier, then things will begin to misalign and not fit properly.
It may sound funny but the “Two Finger Rule” works!
How tight do I tighten the Prop Nut and/or Jam Nut of my adapter?
The best rule, of course is tight, very tight, but getting the nut tight is sometimes a problem. We have found that the tool used to tighten a Prop Nut is sometimes based on convenience or availability, not which tool is best for the job.
It is distressing to watch someone at the flying field grab a pair of pliers, or a Glow Plug “T” Wrench to tighten the prop nut. When you use a lesser tool to torque the prop nut, it feels tight because you are using a tool that does not fit the application. It might feel tight but it probably isn’t, and you are headed for trouble.
We like to use a Box End Wrench that fits the nut properly. Some brands prop nuts are Metric and some are American sizes, but Tru-Turn Adapters are all Standard American Hex sizes. Having the right wrench for each of these is somewhat of a problem, but the results of using the Proper Tool is well worth the extra effort.
Some of the newer engines now come with a Double Jam Nut adapter assembly and it is a very good safety device if used properly. The Primary Nut (The one that goes on first.) should be tightened as described above, tight, very tight. The Jam nut (Second nut to go on the shaft.) is not any different, it needs to be tight. The theory behind the Double nut is that it will back off sometimes if the engine should backfire, but it should Never come all the way off. For this safety nut to do it’s job right, it must be tight.
Note that if a double jam nut assembly has been in a backfire, prop slippage, crash or pre-detonation event, the assembly should be carefully examined (along with the spinner backplate) and replaced if any damage, galling or wear are visible.
The final thing to watch out for is Thread Interference, if the prop nut is too long or too short or you run out of threaded area, it will feel like you are tightening up the Prop but you are not. In fact, you will be tightening the nut but not crushing (clamping) the prop and you are again headed for disaster.
Contact Tru-Turn for guidance
How do I get the optional Drive Pin Holes In my backplate?
We have information on almost every R/C engine on the market today and we can do these modifications when you order your spinner.
We are not saying you can’t do it, we are saying we want it done correctly, and if you don’t have the correct tools it won’t be right.
You already have the spinner and now you don’t know how to get the modifications done? As long as it is a Tru-Turn Product, we will be glad to modify it for you, new or used.
If you’ve purchased our products from a retailer and found a modification note in your Tru-Turn Adapter Kit, or if you simply find that your Backing Plate needs modification we will try to help you.
Modifications Rule #1: If it is not done correctly you will have problems with your spinner. The Drive Pin Holes must be exactly 180 apart, the correct size and on the proper Bolt Circle.
Modification Rule #2: Never make the holes for the drive pins tight, they are not intended to locate the Spinner Back Plate. Drill them approximately double the pin size and let the crankshaft do the alignment work.
Modification Rule #3: Go back and read the first Paragraph. Let us do it for you!
Do I have to drill the Six Bolt in my backplate?
We have information on almost every R/C engine on the market today and you can have us do the multi bolt modifications to your backplate when you order your spinner.
We are not saying you can’t do it, we are saying we want it done correctly, and if you don’t have the correct tools it won’t be right.
Some Engine designs use these holes to guide the backing plate, as some engines do not have a pilot shaft. This is not a good situation, but a good example why you want to make sure these holes are located properly.
Modification Rule #1: If it is not done correctly you will have problems with your spinner. These Holes must be exactly in location and the correct size, or your spinner is going to runout.
Modification Rule #2: Never transfer drill from the Engine Drive Hub, you will probably damage the drive hub. Never use a Prop Drill Jig to drill the backing plate, it is not accurate enough for this job.
Modification Rule #3: Go back and read the first Paragraph. Let us do it for you!
Also Note that new backplates can be purchased separately and modified to your order requests.
Can you repair my Bent Spinner?
This is one of the worst questions that we have to answer from time to time. A person has had an encounter with the ground while flying or even a door jam while loading the car… I does not matter, a bent spinner, is a bent spinner.
When you bend a spinner, no matter how slight, you have stretched the material at the bend and you will never get it to go back like it was. What’s worse, the naked eye can not detect the cracking that has started in this area. The safety factor in your spinner has been exceeded and it is not worth the risk of an accident.
Spinners and backplates should not be repaired by anyone after damage. For your safety, these damaged items should be replaced and you can contact us direct for individual replacement items.
Sorry, but “NO”, we do not straighten or repair spinners, it’s not worth it!
Do I need to Balance my spinner?
The most direct answer we can give you is “NO”. We make Tru-Turn Spinners as precision as possible when we are manufacturing them and this brings the balance into a tolerance that exceeds anything you will need.
This is, by far, the most complicated of all of the questions we have to deal with and the Technical Answer that follows is very Longwinded, but makes for some great reading. Remember, you asked for it!
It is only natural to want everything balanced and running smooth but knowing when, where and how to balance is vary important. I have found that if you use a Magnetic Balancing Stand like the ones offered today, you will SEE more than you need to see, and it will tend to make you want to do a lot of things that you don’t need to do! Even a real good bearing type balancer will show some error because nothing is “Perfectly Balanced”. Is any of this making any sense?
Anyway, a Tru-Turn spinner is much – much more precision than it needs to be. The next thing is that you probably do not have a Dynamic Balancing Machine, so you really will not know for sure what to do in order to balance the spinner better than it was when purchased. Let us explain!
Let’s say you put the backing plate on the cone (after you had balanced the back plate by itself) and when you put it on this Super Magnetic Balancer, it shows some variances or an out of balance Condition. First question that came to your mind was How much is it out of balance, and how can I remove material properly to get it corrected. These are good responses but the most important one was overlooked and it is the KEY to everything about balancing.
“WHERE IS IT OUT OF BALANCE?” FRONT OR REAR?
If you cannot determine this, you’re in for some real trouble if you guess wrong. If you are removing material on the heavy side, but on the back instead of the front or visa-versa, you are actually increasing the out of balance condition of this spinner when it is running.
Imagine having a perfectly balanced cylinder about 6″ long. Now imagine putting an exact One-Ounce Weight on the outside diameter of this cylinder and almost all the way out to one end. Now imagine that you can do this Exact! Put another weight on the other end of the cylinder that is exactly the same and located exactly the same distance from the end. BUT, put it on the outside diameter at 180 degrees from the other one. Looking at it from the side, you will have one weight on the top left and one weight on the lower right of this cylinder and everything is exact!
Your ‘STATIC” balancer will not detect these weights because they are perfectly opposing each other! It will look perfect on the static balancer, but when you try to rotate this cylinder, at any speed, the opposing weight forces will generate Kinetic Energy and become a “Dynamic Imbalance” and you will have what is known as a “Vibrator”! The same thing is happening when you do not know where the imbalance is on a spinner. This is why the old time “Bubble Balancer” used to balance automotive tires many years ago didn’t work very well.
OK! If this hasn’t confused you to the max, Let’s add one more thing.
“DO YOU REALLY NEED TO DO THIS?”
The answer is simple, NO you do not need to do this and here’s how you prove it: If you will get a small piece of masking tape and use it for an internal weight and put about a 1/4″ Sq. piece on the light side you will be able to see how small an amount of “Out-Of Balance” this spinner might be! Very Little is usually what we find! Very, very little. 1/4 to 1/2 Gram!!!! Now remember, we are talking about a Tru-Turn Spinner, not Brand “X” or Brand “Y”.
Balance your new Tru-Turn Spinner? You can if you want to, but, “It Does Not Need It” and if you do it wrong, you are in more trouble than when you started. Sometimes you can beat the odds and with some good Trial & Error you can actually improve the balance. If it’s a Tru-Turn spinner and it is causing vibration that was not there before you put it on, you need to contact our Customer Service”, something is wrong. Mounting? Modifications? Other Factors?
We make these spinners the most precision way possible. We hold exacting tolerances of .001 thousandths of an inch on the wall thickness of the cone, the concentricity of the backing plate and the two pieces united. This, coupled with the fact that they are made as light as possible, will minimize the vibration produced by the spinner when turned at High Speeds.
We hope this has helped you some on the subject of “Balancing A Spinner”. Everyone will have some of his or her own opinions about all of this. If you have anything you would like to add to this article or contradict it, please feel free to
Can I Modify my Prop Slots just a little bit?
Don’t try to do Spinner slotting on your own. It’s tedious, dangerous and voids your new product warranty.
We stock Big Spinners with big slots and we stock Small Spinners with small slots. In each product page, we have listed the most common size props for each spinner, and in most cases this will be in line with your project.
However, if you need a Smaller Spinner for a Bigger Prop, or a Bigger Spinner for a Smaller Prop, go to our “Special Slotting Options” link and it will tell you how to order precision spinner slotting directly from Tru-Turn.
The most important thing is to decide what Brand and Size Engine you are going to run and what Brand, Size and Pitch of Prop you will be using. From there, we can help you.
If you are not sure what you need, you can give us a call and we will help you. (We have seen a lot of Weird Stuff!)
Can I Paint my spinner? If so, what do I need to do?
Yes, you can paint your spinner and it can be done properly without a lot of special equipment.
The main thing is to Be Sure you get the spinner Clean. We like to call it a Water-Break-Free-Surface, just like when painting a car. You have to be sure that all of the oil is off, all of it! The best way to do this is to wash your spinner in a good mild solution of dishwashing liquid like Joy or something. Use something that does not have a lot of spot removers, all you want to do is clean it.
You can use Zinc Chromate Primer (or even an automotive epoxy primer like DP-40) if you really want to get technical but it is not necessary. With the plastic paints that are available today, almost anyone can paint. After cleaning it you can not wait too long like tonight or tomorrow, the aluminum will start to oxidize almost immediately when there is no oil on it. Put a light starter coat on and give it plenty of time to dry, then put on light, even coats till you get the luster you require.
Some people like to sand the spinner prior to painting, thinking the paint will peal off the slick surface of the aluminum, but this just is not the case. If your paint peals off, you did not have it clean before you put on the first light coat. It will not hurt to sand it if you want but you still need to wash it good and let it dry before spraying or brushing.
It should be noted that paint buildup can affect balance –and- some care must be used in masking the Tru-Turn locking tab feature where the cone and backplate meet. This is important to the performance of you Tru-Turn Spinner.
Keep it simple, it will work just fine.
Can I purchase another Cone Screw or Bushing?
Everything we sell at Tru-Turn Precision Model Products is backed by our very strong Customer Service Policy. We will sell you any part of the spinner or adapter kit that you might need.
What’s even better, it will not cost you more to purchase the Backing Plate or the Cone separately than it did when you bought them together. The Cone is roughly 80% of the MAP price and the Backing Plate is 20% of the price. The screw comes with the cone. If you need just the screw, it is available separately also.
If you lost your bushing (and that isn’t hard to do) we have them in stock. You can purchase one or save some money and purchase them in a 6-Pack.
Contact Tru-Turn for help on individual items you need and our staff will help you all the way.
Can I use Another brand of Adapter or Hardware Screw?
We recommend using only Tru-Turn Hardware whenever possible. Our precision hardware is specifically designed for use with Precision Tru-Turn Spinners and Prop-Hubs and will not only perform better, but will be much safer and simpler for you.
We make an adapter kit to fit every production engine in the R/C market today
There is nothing on a Tru-Turn Spinner that is Store Bought, nothing!
Demand Tru-Turn brand products from your Hobby Supplier, and if they don’t have them, call us for the parts you need. Fast
Why won’t my adapter nut fit my engine shaft threads?
There can only be a couple of answers to this problem. The first one would probably be that you have gotten the wrong adapter.
Not what you wanted to hear, is it?
Or, the other reason could be that there is something wrong with your engine. This is also not what you wanted to hear, is it?
Let’s address the most likely problem first. Check out our AdapterFinder™ We make over 125 different adapter kits and you can be sure which one is right for you.
The most common problem is the Pitch of the thread. You have heard it called Fine Threads or Coarse Threads, meaning more threads per inch is a finer thread. This same thing happens in Metric Threads but it’s measured differently. They’re both the same basis: More threads in a certain length means it’s a finer thread and less threads would mean it is a coarser thread.
It is sometimes very difficult to visually distinguish an American thread from a Metric. Take for example the 5/16-24 American thread and the 8×1.0 Millimeter Thread. There are only a couple of thousandths of an inch difference in them and in some cases they will screw onto each other, albeit incorrectly.
A: You probably don’t have the right adapter so call us, we are here to help you. We have a lot of information to work with, we think the adapter is a very important part of you spinner, it must be mounted properly.
Yet another possibility is that the motor shaft has been damaged in a crash or a handling incident which may have resulted in thread damage that may or may not be repairable by the engine supplier.
Can you make a Heavier Spinner or Prop Hub?
This would be going against everything that Tru-Turn and Airplanes are all about. We have gone to great length to find a material and machining system that will make the strongest spinner possible at the lowest practical weight.
NO we do not make heavy Spinners or Prop Hubs, the engine crankshaft is not the place to put extra weight. Yes, it is the farthest point out in front of the airplane but it is also the Rotating component of your motor. This weight becomes kinetic energy.
A heavy hub or spinner will vibrate and damage your plane and your motor. Add necessary weight on your airplane somewhere that will be static, or mounted to a non-moving part.
We make High Quality, Light Weight Spinners.
Why does my cone bulge at the top of the Prop Slots? (see #6)
When you purchased a Tru-Turn spinner, you paid for a High Quality Spinner and that’s exactly what you got. It is very lightweight and it is a very precision-machined part. There’s a great deal of design work into making a Tru-Turn and it does not have to be tightened down as tight as some of the spinners you have had in the past.
Have you Modified your spinner?
It could be the problem.
Let us try to help you. Let’s take a look at “Question # 2, on modifying prop slots.
You say you did not Modify your slots?
Well then let’s take a look at something else that might be causing the problem, overtightening the cone screw.
Go to “Question # 6” for the best explanation of this problem. We call it the “Two Finger Rule” and it will help you with an over-torque problem. Try it – it works.
None of the above?
Four Stroke pre-detonation can cause a cone to buckle or bulge. The cone, backplate and Engine Drive hub must be inspected for damage, galling and slippage and should be replaced accordingly. (use only double jam nut hardware with Tru-Turn on 4-stroke motors)
We do not recommend running a spinner that shows any evidence of bulging or other stress damage. At a minimum, the cone itself should be replaced.
Can you “Lighten” my spinner?
We make Lite Backplates as an option for almost every Tru-Turn Spinner. We make every Tru-Turn cone as light as possible during our distinct Manufacturing process.
The Tru-Turn Cone is as light as possible when it’s manufactured. This is by design and cannot be lightened.
Tru-Turn Lite Backplates are designed and tested in RC use and are an option for almost any Spinner size we offer.
We offer the lite backplate option as a precision option you can purchase during the process of ordering a new spinner, or anytime in the future you see the need.
(We do not modify Customer Backplates)
Before you decide to DIY, think about all of the problems that you can cause if this is not done properly. Tru-Turn Lite Backplates are a precision engineered and tested product which are inherently balanced and made of high quality materials.
A Tru-Turn Lite Backplate will reduce the weight relative to the size and we have some specifications for all of the different sizes on the Website called “Lite Backing Plates”. Weights shown are estimates, but they are very realistic and will give you basic information. (You can expect estimated savings of 1/2 the weight of a standard solid Tru-Turn Backplate.)
We make the spinner cone as light as possible for the RPM that it is designed to withstand. Never modify your cone. If you need mods done to a cone or backplate, contact Tru-Turn for guidance.
Can I order a Special Shape for my special project?
We will try to answer your question on “SPECIALS” as briefly as possible without abruptly answering with a “NO”, but it is a complicated situation and an option that we do not offer. The main thing to remember is that the cost/benefit analysis is a real factor, and good management requires that we regard this.
We manufacture a standard line of spinners that are cut for the standard size of prop in two, three, and four blade. But, we do not drop our customer off at this point. We also offer a lot of special services such as “SPECIAL SIZE” slots, “LEFT HAND” slots for pushers, as well as other configurations.
The way that we manufacture a spinner is very unique and there are NO SHORT CUTS to making a Tru-Turn spinner.
While many of our shape and size offerings are similar to some full-scale aircraft, we do not offer “scale” spinners and prop-hubs. (See our FAQ regarding Scale Spinners) The system that we incorporate to make our spinners requires Special Tooling for each size and shape. This means that any new shape or size is cost prohibitive
Please Note: We do not make exclusives for anyone, as this tends to cause problems. If we make a new shape or size, we will eventually add it to our regular line and it will become available to everyone who requests it. We also require anyone selling our products to sell them as “TRU-TURN” products in the original “TRU-TURN” package.
Thank you for your interest in TRU-TURN Products and I hope we can make your flying time just a little better this year.
Does Tru-Turn supply Bushings For Props with odd holes?
No, we do not make Prop Bushings, we think that Propeller Manufacturers are better suited and responsible for this fitment.
We make over 125 adapter kits to mount a Tru-Turn Spinner backplate to your motor, see our AdapterFinder™
Do you Sell Props?
No, we do not sell props, but we make a really nice cover for them! We are a manufacturing facility and we sell what we make. At this time we are not a supplier.
We have hundreds of props in our shop for checking the fitment of prop slots in spinners. These sample props cannot be sold as new and are meant for internal processes only.
Will you Modify my Brand X spinner for me?
NO…. We modify only Tru-Turn Spinners in new condition.
We do not mind telling you that there are a lot of other spinners out there that are of poor, to downright dangerous quality. Tru-Turn does not offer inferior products.
Try a Tru-Turn Spinner, you will get a lot of Customer Service and also support products… like over 125 Adapter Kits in stock. We make a specific adapter kit most every Production R/C engine on the market. We will make all necessary modifications to your spinner for any R/C engine being produced.
Use our AdapterFinder™ online for suggested hardware and backplate modifications.
Be sure to note the motor brand and size in the comment section of your order and our staff can verify a fit.
Also note the propeller brand-size&pitch in the comment section of your order and our staff can verify a fit.
Why wasn’t there an Adapter Kit in my Spinner packaging?
Tru-Turn Adapters are sold separately.
We manufacture over 125 adapter kits, each one is specifically designed to make a Tru-Turn Spinner fit a Specific R/C engine. There isn’t a universal adapter for all motors.
RC Engines and Electric motor manufacturers and importers are constantly adapting and evolving to the RC marketplace, airframes, popular flying styles and the ever-evolving manufacturing processes.
See our Adapter-Finder™ online and you will see what we mean about Customer Service. If you don’t see what you need there, contact us and we’ll assist. We have the correct adapter kit for most any production R/C engine.
Do you Polish Spinners?
Tru-Turn Spinners are packaged in the as-machined state of the aluminum. No we do not polish spinners at Tru-Turn, it just takes too much time and we don’t want YOU to miss out on all the Fun! However, we can tell you the best and safest way to do it. Put your dirty clothes on and follow me!
HE ONE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER ABOUT POLISHING A SPINNER IS THAT IT DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY POWER TOOLS! TRYING TO POLISH A SPINNER IN A LATHE, OR WORSE YET, IN A DRILL PRESS OR MOUNTED TO A HAND DRILL IS “JUST PLAIN SUICIDE“.
THE ENTIRE JOB OF POLISHING AN ALUMINUM SPINNER CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED WITH YOUR HANDS, BUT YOU BETTER DO IT OUTSIDE, OR IN THE BASEMENT SINK. THE BLACK COMPOUND THAT COMES OFF OF THE SPINNER IS ALUMINUM OXIDE AND DOES NOT WASH OUT OF ANYTHING VERY WELL.
THE BEST WAY WE HAVE FOUND IS BY USING WET-OR-DRY SAND PAPER. YOU CAN GET THIS PAPER AT MOST HARDWARE AND AUTOMOTIVE STORES. YOU WILL NEED SOME 320, 400, AND 600 GRIT TO START. (YOU MAY ALSO WANT SOME 1000 & 1500 GRIT DISCUSSED LATER) ONE SHEET OF EACH WILL DO THE JOB AND YOU WILL HAVE SOME LEFT OVER FOR THE NEXT TIME. WE LIKE TO START WITH “320 GRIT” AND WORK DOWN THE MAJOR AMOUNT OF TOOL MARKS AND THEN PROGRESS TO THE FINER GRITS.
THE BASIC THEORY OF THIS TASK IS TO REMOVE THE RIDGES MADE WHILE MACHINING THE SPINNER. THERE IS A MICROSCOPIC RADIAL GROOVE CREATED BY THE TURNING TOOL, MUCH LIKE AN OLD PHONOGRAPH RECORD. THE BEST WAY TO SMOOTH OUT SOMETHING LIKE THIS IS TO SAND ACROSS THE RIDGES INSTEAD OF ALONG THE RIDGES. “PERPENDICULAR NOT PARALLEL”
THIS IS BEST ACCOMPLISHED BY “WET SANDING” THE SPINNER WITH A MOTION FROM THE POINT TO BACKING PLATE. “FRONT TO BACK” IF YOU WILL, NOT RADIAL. THIS IS, OF COURSE, DONE WITH THE BACKING PLATE SNAPPED IN PLACE TO KEEP FROM ROUNDING OFF THE PARTING LINE. A LITTLE EXTRA “ELBOW GREASE” WILL BE NECESSARY IN THE AREA OF THE SLOTS.
THE SPINNER WILL DEVELOP A NICE SILVER SATIN LOOKING FINISH ALL OVER AND THE AREAS THAT YOU HAVE MISSED WILL SHOW UP READILY. KEEP THE SANDPAPER WET, OR IT’LL LOAD UP WITH ALUMINUM AND SCRATCH THE SPINNER INSTEAD OF SMOOTHING IT. A SLIGHT AMOUNT OF CRISSCROSSING MOTION IS ALSO GOOD TO KEEP THINGS UNIFORM.
WHEN YOU HAVE REACHED THE SATIN FINISH ALL OVER AND YOU CAN NOT SEE THE TOOL MARKS ANYMORE, IT IS TIME TO PROGRESS TO A FINER GRIT.
WE USUALLY GO IN STAGES OF “320 GRIT” FOR ROUGH, “400 GRIT” TO SEMI FINISH, AND “600 GRIT” TO REALLY SMOOTH IT OUT FOR THE POLISH. YOU CAN EVEN GO ONE STEP FURTHER AND USE “1000 GRIT” OR HIGHER IF AVAILABLE IN YOUR AREA, BUT 600 WILL DO THE JOB JUST FINE.
WHILE RUBBING IT WITH THE 600 AND 1000 GRIT, YOU WILL BEGIN TO SEE A SHINE TO THE METAL BUT DO NOT GET IN A HURRY. THE BETTER JOB YOU DO WITH THE SANDPAPER, THE EASIER IT WILL BE TO POLISH THE SPINNER. IF YOU HAVE SCRATCHES, EVEN VERY SMALL ONES, THEY WILL SHOW UP “BIG” WHEN YOU PUT THE FINAL SHINE TO IT, AND YOU WILL HAVE TO DO THE WHOLE THING ALL OVER AGAIN.
ALL THIS TIME YOU ARE THINKING, “WHERE IS ALL OF THIS METAL GOING THAT I AM SANDING OFF OF THIS SPINNER?” AM I GETTING IT OUT OF BALANCE OR SOMETHING? IT LOOKED BETTER BEFORE I STARTED, WILL IT EVER BE SHINY AGAIN? ALL IS O.K. WITH YOUR SPINNER. WHAT YOU NEED TO BE WORRYING ABOUT IS THE MESS OF A TOWEL YOU’VE CREATED.
YOU HAVE SEEN A LOT OF BLACK COMPOUND BUT WHAT YOU HAVE REMOVED FROM THE SPINNER IS SO SMALL IT IS HARD TO MEASURE. YOU HAVE ONLY SANDED OFF APPROXIMATELY TWO TO THREE TEN-THOUSANDTHS OF AN INCH.
TOO MUCH OF ANYTHING IS NOT GOOD, SO KNOWING WHEN TO STOP OR GO TO THE NEXT STAGE IS IMPORTANT. IF YOU GIVE A LITTLE ATTENTION TO UNIFORMITY OF YOUR MOVES YOU WILL NOTICE THAT THE FINISH WILL TELL YOU WHERE TO GO AND WHAT TO DO! WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF TESTING AND WE HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED ANY IMBALANCE FROM POLISHING A SPINNER.
“WE ARE CLOSE BUT NO SHINE YET”
THE NEXT THING YOU WILL NEED IS GOING TO BE A COMBINATION OF CHOICE AND CHANCE. YOU NEED A POLISHING COMPOUND. THIS COMPOUND SHOULD BE LOW COST, AND SHOULD BE A CREAM BASE POLISHING “COMPOUND“, NOT A CLEANER.
TO NAME A FEW, SUCH AS “MOTHER’S”, “NEW MAG”, “MAG-BRIGHT”, AND MANY OTHERS, BUT WE DO NOT SUGGEST THAT ONE IS ANY BETTER THAN THE OTHER. MOST OF THESE COMPOUNDS WORK GOOD AND MOST ARE AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL AUTO PARTS STORE AS WHEEL POLISH PRODUCTS. SOME WORK BETTER THAN OTHERS AND YOU’LL JUST HAVE TO PICK ONE AND TRY IT.
LETS GO TO WORK, PUT A LITTLE POLISHING COMPOUND ON A SOFT CLOTH AND BEGIN TO RUB THE SPINNER ALL OVER. PLEASE REMEMBER WHAT WE SAID EARLIER, YOUR TOWELS WILL NEVER BE THE SAME. THE CLOTH MUST BE SOFT COTTON AND MUST BE VERY CLEAN, AS IT WILL NOT TAKE MUCH TO SCRATCH THE SPINNER AT THIS POINT.
THIS IS THE EASIEST PART OF THE JOB AND IT GOES PRETTY FAST. AS THE COMPOUND POLISHES, IT STARTS DRYING AND “UP COMES THE SHINE“. THE MORE YOU POLISH, THE BETTER IT GETS, BUT ALL SPINNERS ARE NOT ALIKE. SOME SPINNER BRANDS WILL SHINE BETTER AND EASIER THAN OTHERS. THE MAIN REASON FOR THIS IS THE TYPE OF RAW MATERIAL USED TO MANUFACTURE THEM. (Tru-Turn is the best way to go!!)
PRESERVING YOUR SHINE: We use a light lemon oil film wipe over our products in packaging to preserve the as-machined aluminum finish. Do this with yours to keep your work looking new without staining adjacent coverings or paintwork.
That’s what we do.
SUPPLIES NEEDED:
WET OR DRY SANDPAPER
SURGICAL OR MECHANICS GLOVES
ALUMINUM WHEEL POLISHING COMPOUND
OLD TOWELS
PATIENCE
Why is double jam nut hardware important when running 4 stroke engines?
4-Stroke motors can sometimes backfire.
Pre-detonation or a Lean fuel-air mixture condition can cause a 4-stroke motor to backfire or kickback.
Engine Break-in conditions can sometimes lead to backfire.
Running out of fuel can also cause a backfire condition on a 4-stroke.
While our Double Jam Nut hardware won’t eliminate your tuning problems, it’s designed to safely allow you to get the engine stopped for further inspection.
During a 4-stroke engine backfire or kickback, the prop will tend to keep turning while the motor shaft abruptly stops, causing damage to the engine drive hub (thrust washer) and Spinner, and propeller, as well as the actual adapter kit hardware.
Double Jam Nuts are tapered and have a sort of locking feature to them that essentially tightens during an abrupt stop like a backfire.
NOTE: Our hardware won’t stop and engine backfire and should not be used as a comprehensive solution to 4-stroke engine tuning issues. Our double jam nut hardware is a bit of added safety
Double Jam Nut hardware should be inspected and torque checked often on any 4-stroke motor.
ALWAYS inspect your Spinner Backplate, Engine Thrust Washer, Propeller and Adapter Kit for damage after any backfire.
Typically, damage done to the Spinner Backplate in a 4-stroke backfire is equal to the damage done to the engine drive hub, and both must be replaced before the next use. If your backplate has a circular torn look or galded look to the surface, your engine drive hub is also damaged and neither are repairable to a safe running condition. (contact your engine supplier for a new drive hub, contact your Tru-Turn Dealer for a new Spinner Assembly.)
Similarly, be sure that your spinner cone isn’t bent or wrinkled from a prop-strike after a backfire, as this is also a non-repairable condition.
Lastly, confirm the double jam nut hardware is in good condition after a backfire. If the tapered area is worn or allows the 2 hex nuts to tighten to a point that the tapered area is no longer visible, then the adapter must be taken out of operation and replaced.
Damage resulting from engine backfire is not covered under warranty.
Never operate your plane with a damaged, propeller, spinner, or adapter hardware as this creates an unsafe condition.
Tru-Turn Adapters are sold separately.
We manufacture over 125 adapter kits, each one is specifically designed to make a Tru-Turn Spinner fit a Specific R/C engine. There isn’t a universal adapter for all motors.
RC Engines and Electric motor manufacturers and importers are constantly adapting and evolving to the RC marketplace, airframes, popular flying styles and the ever-evolving manufacturing processes.
See our Adapter-Finder™ online and you will see what we mean about Customer Service. If you don’t see what you need there, contact us and we’ll assist. We have the correct adapter kit for most any production R/C engine.
What is the difference in Prop Nuts and Prop Hubs?
The Difference between Prop Nuts and Prop Hubs:
Prop Nuts are thread-on items meant for 2stroke glow and some electric motors.
Prop Hubs are larger hollow items used when a 4 stroke glow motor or a gas motor is chosen.
Both Prop Nuts and Prop Hubs mount in front of your propeller against the front face of the prop hub.
Both allow for the use of your electric starter.
Tru-Turn Prop Nuts require no extra mounting hardware and all Prop Nuts include a prop nut wrench.
Prop Nut dimensioning:
Tru-Turn Prop Nuts are named by their shape and diameter.
A” Style Prop Nuts represent somewhat of an acorn shape and each has a flange that generally makes an “A”-style prop nut 3/16” larger than their front diameter from which they get their name.
For Example, a ¾” A-Style Prop Nut is actually 15/16” Diameter base.
“C” Style Prop Nuts represent a cone shape (even though they’re solid thread-on items). Each “C” style prop nut is named in relation to its aft diameter where it seats against your prop.
For Example, a ¾” C-Style Prop Nut is just under ¾” Diameter base.
Tru Turn Prop Hubs are hollow inside and come with a backplate (washer) built into the aft side of the Hub and are designed for versatile use on all motors from 4 stroke glow, to Gas and Electric motors.
For Example, a 1-3/4” A-Style Prop Hub is actually just under 2”Dia base.
Prop Hubs require a separate adapter kit for mounting.
** Optional Hub Backplates are available for certain Gas engine applications.
Always use double jam nut hardware when running 4 stroke motors.
How Do I Determine Prop Hub and/or Prop Nut Size?
Measure the propeller hub face directly across the center hole. The proper Tru-Turn Nut or Hub size is that measurement or slightly smaller.
We suggest never choosing a Prop Hub or Prop Nut that’s larger in diameter than the face of the propeller where they meet.
Tru-Turn Prop Hubs are named by their diameter measured at the front area of the Prop Hub.
“A” Style Prop Hubs have a flange that generally makes an “A”-style prop hub 3/16” to ¼” larger than their front diameter from which they get their name.
For Example, a 1-3/4” A-Style Prop Hub is actually just under 2”Dia base.
“B” Style Prop Hubs are a straight turned diameter and named according to this diameter.
“A” Style Hub Backplates are optional but fall under the same dimensioning system. A-style Hub backplates are needed when running Tru-Turn Prop Hubs on larger Gas Motors with Multi Bolt Prop Drives AND these A-Style Hub backplates can also be added to B-Style Prop Hubs for a specific look/appearance.