New to me Kolb Firestar that came with a new unmounted Hirth 2702 engine. Recreational Power Engineering had just fabricated the mounting adaptor plate to match the Kolb frame.
Mounted the engine with the spacers provided then mounted the prop. Prop does not clear the frame by 1/2". 30.5" centerline of pully to top of frame, 62" 3 blade warp drive prop.
Kolb advised me to invert the redrive. Looking at the redrive mount, I see no reason this couldn't be done and also lower the motor an inch. But..I don't see any way to loosen the tension on the drive belts.
Contacted RPE and they advise the redrive can't be inverted and to add more spacers or trim the prop.
Don't you just love conflicting instructions?
So...from a flight dynamic point of view: which is better, engine weight lower and thrust higher or engine weight higher and thrust lower?
2nd: how much clearance do I need for the prop to account for engine / frame flex or prop centrifugal growth if any? Somewhere I remember reading I need 2.5" to safely account for engine/frame flex. That would mean I'd need 3" additional spacers, something I'm leery of.
Mounted the engine with the spacers provided then mounted the prop. Prop does not clear the frame by 1/2". 30.5" centerline of pully to top of frame, 62" 3 blade warp drive prop.
Kolb advised me to invert the redrive. Looking at the redrive mount, I see no reason this couldn't be done and also lower the motor an inch. But..I don't see any way to loosen the tension on the drive belts.
Contacted RPE and they advise the redrive can't be inverted and to add more spacers or trim the prop.
Don't you just love conflicting instructions?
So...from a flight dynamic point of view: which is better, engine weight lower and thrust higher or engine weight higher and thrust lower?
2nd: how much clearance do I need for the prop to account for engine / frame flex or prop centrifugal growth if any? Somewhere I remember reading I need 2.5" to safely account for engine/frame flex. That would mean I'd need 3" additional spacers, something I'm leery of.
