snipped

BTW I just talked with Tracy Saylor and he now claims well over 200 HP.
He has made some improvements in his engine and will run in next years Sun 100
at Sun&Fun. He is also replacing the tail on his RV6 as it is a mass of cracks.
Dave Anders has been through two tails on his RV4 so far. Some say it only happens
with a constant speed metal prop and other say it is higher HP on the O and IO 360
engines running over 2700 RPM and or airplanes going well over Van's VNE specs.

With four smaller power pulse per prop rev rather than just two  we are in
much better shape vibration wise than the O and IO 360 four cylinder engines.

Paul Lamar

Charlie and Tupper England wrote:

My O-320/160 hp wood prop -4  (~500 hrs) has them at almost every
stiffener. The longer it flies, the more cracks I have.

Recommended prevention is to put a bead of RTV in the trailing edge of
the rudder to prevent flexing at the last rivet on the stiffener, since
there are no ribs connecting the 2 sides of the rudder.

Most early RV-4's get these cracks, at least on the rudder. Going faster
may make it worse, but I've not heard anyone blame it on horsepower
before.

Question for Tracy: Do you have the RTV in your rudder, & if not, do you
have cracks?

Charlie

(purchased) flying -4

 
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