Anyone have leads on a PA-28-180 Spinner?

Bryan Archambeault

Bryan Archambeault

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Bryan Archambeault
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I'm in a 4-way partnership on a Piper Cherokee PA-28-180. One of the partners recently flew the plane to Lake Tahoe for a few days and on his way home, the spinner fell off. Thank God it didn't do any additional damage and he was able to get all the way back home. But, now we're trying to find a replacement and are not having good luck. Neither the front or rear bulkheads got damaged, so all we need is the spinner itself, but so far we have not been able to find one on it's own, only complete kits, which are outrageously expensive.

Does anyone here have any leads on a place that might have just the spinner?
 
I'm not a mechanic, nor did I stay in Holiday Inn Express last night. But, some folks have said the spinner they sell at Spruce will fit PA28. YMMV.

www.aircraftspruce.com

Piper Spinner Dome | Aircraft Spruce ®

Piper Spinner Dome Assembly for fixed pitch propellers serial numbers 2986-3691, and Spinner Components for 235 hp. with FA8452 Mcauley Propeller.
www.aircraftspruce.com www.aircraftspruce.com
 
What year? They can be very hard to find. Mine exploded on a post-annual flight a few years ago. Only option I could find was an aftermarket one for big $$. My A&P at that time fixed up a used one he found.

Here's one for about $3,300k
 
mjlennon said:
I'm not a mechanic, nor did I stay in Holiday Inn Express last night. But, some folks have said the spinner they sell at Spruce will fit PA28. YMMV.

www.aircraftspruce.com

Piper Spinner Dome | Aircraft Spruce ®

Piper Spinner Dome Assembly for fixed pitch propellers serial numbers 2986-3691, and Spinner Components for 235 hp. with FA8452 Mcauley Propeller.
www.aircraftspruce.com www.aircraftspruce.com
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thanks! i'll check it out!
 
Hang 4 said:
What year? They can be very hard to find. Mine exploded on a post-annual flight a few years ago. Only option I could find was an aftermarket one for big $$. My A&P at that time fixed up a used one he found.

Here's one for about $3,300k
Click to expand...

you didn't put a link there, but yeah, we've found full replacements for about that amount, which is insane.
 
Bryan Archambeault said:
Does anyone here have any leads on a place that might have just the spinner?
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Some salvage yards have spinners but they tend to need repair which is still cheaper than replacement. For repair talk to ASEI out of GA. They also may have a used spinner in stock for your aircraft. Just make sure you know which spinner part number by specific aircraft serial number.
 
Bell206 said:
Some salvage yards have spinners but they tend to need repair which is still cheaper than replacement. For repair talk to ASEI out of GA. They also may have a used spinner in stock for your aircraft. Just make sure you know which spinner part number by specific aircraft serial number.
Click to expand...

Nice. I hadn't found that place yet. I'll give them a shot. Thanks!
 
Hang 4 said:
What year? They can be very hard to find. Mine exploded on a post-annual flight a few years ago. Only option I could find was an aftermarket one for big $$. My A&P at that time fixed up a used one he found.

Here's one for about $3,300k
Click to expand...
$3.3 million is indeed pricey for a spinner!

:biggrin:
 
Bell206 said:
Some salvage yards have spinners but they tend to need repair which is still cheaper than replacement. For repair talk to ASEI out of GA. They also may have a used spinner in stock for your aircraft. Just make sure you know which spinner part number by specific aircraft serial number.
Click to expand...

I called ASEI and they were basically "Yeah, good luck man. I get 2 or 3 calls a month for that spinner.". It's not looking good for us...
 
Looking at your about, is this for the one in your linked YT? N2661T? Piper used a number of different spinner setups through the years, so knowing your year/SN pins down the PN you need. I didn't see it mentioned in the thread, unless I missed it. If that is the plane, you need P/N 65805-000 which is superseded to 65805-200. This is in stock at Aviall (Boeing now) for an arm and a leg ($7829.63), but they do have 6 in stock. Past that, I'd start calling every salvage yard I can find, or find someone who has access to ILS for searching inventory (there is a user 140B over on piperforum.com who often posts ILS searches in response to posts in the wanted area). TCB Composites used to be a great option, but they've been offline for years now due to a recertification effort after their previously approved materials process went EOL. Also note, that as per the TCDS (2A13, see note 11), for N2661T, you may operate the aircraft with the spinner dome removed, or the spinner dome and rear bulkhead removed. edit: Looking in DRS, I see that there is a newer player in the market (PMA'd in May of 2025) I hadn't seen before, Aero Tech Aviation Design, that has PMA for 65805-00. Looks like they only sell it as a complete assembly (forward/aft bulkheads and the spinner) P002-1247130-A011, but it's less than half of just the new spinner alone, (unless you can find one used, but they seem in extremely short supply).
 
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My '63 180 had a TCB composite spinner. That may have only been available for early models however
 
Ryan Klems said:
Looking at your about, is this for the one in your linked YT? N2661T? Piper used a number of different spinner setups through the years, so knowing your year/SN pins down the PN you need. I didn't see it mentioned in the thread, unless I missed it. If that is the plane, you need P/N 65805-000 which is superseded to 65805-200. This is in stock at Aviall (Boeing now) for an arm and a leg ($7829.63), but they do have 6 in stock. Past that, I'd start calling every salvage yard I can find, or find someone who has access to ILS for searching inventory (there is a user 140B over on piperforum.com who often posts ILS searches in response to posts in the wanted area). TCB Composites used to be a great option, but they've been offline for years now due to a recertification effort after their previously approved materials process went EOL. Also note, that as per the TCDS (2A13, see note 11), for N2661T, you may operate the aircraft with the spinner dome removed, or the spinner dome and rear bulkhead removed. edit: Looking in DRS, I see that there is a newer player in the market (PMA'd in May of 2025) I hadn't seen before, Aero Tech Aviation Design, that has PMA for 65805-00. Looks like they only sell it as a complete assembly (forward/aft bulkheads and the spinner) P002-1247130-A011, but it's less than half of just the new spinner alone, (unless you can find one used, but they seem in extremely short supply).
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Yes, N2661T is correct. And, yes, our managing partner has called and talked with Aero Tech and that's probably what we're going to end up getting, since Aviall is an absolute joke, and we're striking out at every other place, salvage yards included. Seems like the spinners on these 55 year old planes are all failing at the same time.

And, yes, I see in the TCDS note 11 that we can operate it with the spinner and bulkhead removed, so that may be an option for us as well. Thanks!
 
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i have had multiple spinners made by a small Canadian company for some custom props for a c172 project that would likely make one for u. it would be a composite. however, you would likely need to send him an actual spinner (even damaged) to copy, or at least mounting plate., as the holes are most difficult to line up without it. you could likely send in a good drawing for overall shape and then drill holes yourself. look up UHS props in canada ..if you can't find contact info PM me and I can get his phone #.

can also maybe help hook you up with a 3D printer that can laser trace an existing spinner and 3D print it. I am doing just that now for a new design on my c172 spinner... I want to try to increase airflow energy into cooling hole inlets as it's cooled by 2 radiators which are more restrictive than OE engine cooling fins so more flow speed is more cooling. I am concerned, though, what effect direct sun heating may do in potentially softening material and possibly deforming shape and balance under the centrifugal force... but I am told by printer there are plenty of materials now that have temperature thresholds well over 180f, including metallic, so won't be an issue. Won't know until I try heating it up with heat gun and doing ground runs than performing balancing static and dynamic checks. Easy enough to do.

but here's the rub for you. my plane is exp so it's easy to try new things, but you would have to get an A&P or field approval (or just don't say anything to anyone) if you go in this direction. with wider FAA allowances for vintage planes, it might not be that difficult as you can't find a suitable replacement. I'm sure some AMT's could chime in with some guidance. When I did DER work, we basically came up with a test plan to demonstrate a part was safe for application, you could do same to argue the case. You could do same with some homework, or drop me a line if you need advice, or maybe ask some A&Ps or DARs or even prop repair stations what would satisfy them.

this is likely the path of least resistance for you.

I feel your pain as keeping my 1970 c172 airframe flying is getting expensive and sick of spending big bucks for old parts that would cost 1/10 if it were a car.

good luck.
 
Maybe someone should STC a 180hp Cessna spinner?

Piper with a “Witch Hat”!
 
Pretty sure spinners have to be PMA’d or OEM. Can’t print one out of plastic, mold it out of resin, etc. Tremendous centrifugal forces with potential knock on effects if it fails. Can’t even weld the things.

Basically end up taking it off at the rate of these price increases.

Got quoted 10k recently for a new prop that was 2500 eight years ago. Circling the drain.
 
Steamflyer said:
Pretty sure spinners have to be PMA’d or OEM. Can’t print one out of plastic, mold it out of resin, etc. Tremendous centrifugal forces with potential knock on effects if it fails. Can’t even weld the things.

Basically end up taking it off at the rate of these price increases.

Got quoted 10k recently for a new prop that was 2500 eight years ago. Circling the drain.
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Fwiw, my aluminum sheet, plate, and tubing costs are roughly triple what they were a few years ago.
 
IIRC both 180 hp upgrades use the O-360A4M which is engine the Archer uses. Possibly the same Sensenich prop which is slightly thicker than original
Cessna 150 or 160 hp prop. So forward of the firewall it’s mostly Piper.

It may look odd and still not cheap but it is a proven combination.

Then again; I put a 59 Chevy grill in a 52 Ford.
 
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