Prop removal

[Kirk Garner]

I tried to pull the propeller off the shaft this morning using a mechanical puller in order to R&R the Cutlass Bearing but it would not budge? My experience so far is that if I start swinging a hammer the cost goes up exponentially! I am having some technical issues accessing Tech Notes so this topic may be in there but I can't get in and am stuck! Any help/idea's would be greatly appreciated! The meter is running....

Thanks, Kirk

[tonywright]

First we should ask what kind of propellor that you have?  Is it a standard two or three blade, or feathering/folding of some kind?

I assume it has a threaded nut holding it on which you have removed?  (OK, not completely removed - see safety warnings in following messages!)

Have you tried heat, PB Blaster, wd40?

Tony

[chuck53]

I'd spray it liberally with PB Blaster and let it sit for a day.  Wouldn't hurt to tap it with a hammer some as the vibrations will help the PB penetrate even better.

[Kirk Garner]

It's a standard 3 blade prop, threaded nut on shaft. I did spray several times with PB Blaster over the course of a few days but will go down tomorrow and try tapping with a hammer and spray again. Didn't think to try heat but will use my heatgun and see if that helps.

Thanks, Kirk

[Ken Juul]

They get stuck.  Apply pressure with the puller.  Then using a 1x1 or 2x2 piece of wood to get around the strut, give the front side of the prop base (not the blades) a good whack with a big hammer.  It should pop right off.  The wood acts as a cushion so you don't dent the prop.

[mainesail]

PLEASE be very, very careful using a hammer on your prop shaft. Remember your prop shaft is connected to your gear box. The gear box bearings are NOT made for, nor designed for impact blows. You can rather easily brinell/dimple the bearings or races. I have seen a number of cases of brinnelled bearings in gear boxes and the resulting cost to repair. Sharp impact blows can ruin your gear box bearings requiring a tear down and re-build. Many a yard monkey has destroyed good gear boxes using slide hammers or by pounding on a shaft or coupling as have many DIY's.

For an inexpensive prop puller use a standard two/three jaw gear heavy duty puller and tighten it down hard. Then heat the prop hub lightly with a blow torch, LIGHTLY!! This will expand the prop ever so slightly and 9 out of ten times they just pop right off. If it does not simply employ an impact driver and either the jaw puller or the prop will give. Some props refuse to budge and a real prop puller like the scissor style Algonac pullers may be needed. My Algonac puller is on the bottom of Casco Bay but I have since pulled over 40 props with my two/three jaw puller. I think I paid about $60.00 for it. When it breaks I'll buy another Algonac.

Always leave a prop nut on the shaft but loosened. You can easily lose teeth if you take the nut completely off cause when they let go, they LET GO. Watched a guy, an hourly seasonal boatyard monkey, wind up in the hospital because they never showed him the proper procedure for pulling a prop. Took an Algonac prop puller to the face, really hard and damaged his eye...

Wrong way (no nut):


Right way (nut on but loose):


Also, the big nut goes on last and the thin nut first:


When you put the prop back on it is a good idea to lap fit it to the shaft:

Lap Fitting A Prop To A Shaft
http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/fitting_a_prop

[bclery]

My 3-blade prop was on the original shaft and never off I believe.  I tried MAPP gas, PB Blaster, huge gear pullers, serious hammering, nothing would remove it.

I finally decided the shaft was history - took out the sawz-all and removed the prop and shaft in parts.

At home after a week of PB Blaster and setting the prop on concrete over a hole (used an old coupling), I beat the nut end of the old shaft and it came off.

This winterization I removed the prop only to insure it was not sticking on there again.

[Ron Hill]

Guys : mainesail is correct, make sure that the prop nut is still threaded onto the the shaft.  When the prop finally releases, it will POP off with some force.  Even if you are not directly behind it, your prop and the puller will go "sailing".  It may not hurt you, but the fall could dent the prop!  The nut keeps it all (key & prop) on the shaft.

As mentioned, watch the hammer use.  Beside being hard on the transmission innards you could raise hell with the strut bedding or BOTH !!

You can purchase a cheap 6" gear puller at Harbor Freight for about $7.  Yard people always frown when I put some light water resistant grease on my shaft when I annually reinstall my prop.  However, I can crank it back on in the spring and always get it off in the fall.     

[chuck53]

When I mentioned using a hammer, the key word was tap.  Just light tapping will create vibration that will help products like PB Blaster soak in better.

[Kirk Garner]

Thanks for all the great advice. I did use a combination of PB Blaster over several days, heat and a better fitting gear puller tool rented for $6. Came right off.

Thanks again to all!
Kirk