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How to Balance Nylon RC Airplane Props

Nylon and reinforced nylon propellers provide the force needed to propel a radio controlled airplane. An improperly balanced prop causes the engine and electronic system of the airplane to vibrate. Excessive vibration damages the engine mounts, causes cracks in electrical circuits and leads to gas frothing. The damage can build and cause you to lose control of the RC airplane and crash, causing serious or irreparable damage to the aircraft. Taking the time to balance a nylon prop will save your aircraft and money.

Things You'll Need

Prop balancer
Marker
220-grit sandpaper

Instructions

- 1
  Loosen the nuts of a prop balancer. Pull the loosened nuts apart to separate the balancer.
- 2
  Slide a nylon prop on the shaft exposed when you separated the nuts. Reassemble the prop balancer.
- 3
  Hold the prop balancer between two fingers or set it in a balancer stand. Align the sides of the prop to sit parallel to the ground. Place a marker mark on the back of the side of the prop that falls toward the ground. Set the prop -- still in the balancer -- on a firm surface.
- 4
  Sand the marked back of the prop with 220-grit sandpaper, near the middle of the prop. Sand the prop around the center; do not sand near the tip of the prop.
- 5
  Hold the prop balancer between two fingers. Repeat the marking and sanding of the prop until it remains parallel to the ground while in the balancer.
- 6
  Remove the balanced prop from the prop balancer.

Aviation