Prop Stuck on Shaft

Aug 15, 2013
193
Hunter 35.5 Legend 003 San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico
After great pains and exhausting all manner of contraptions I finally cut the nuts off my prop shaft. I tried everything, PB Blaster, salt away, days & days of PB blaster. Anyway, looks to me like the prop was jammed onto the shaft by overly tight nuts and the key is firmly corroded on to the prop. Given the keyway on the shaft is not flat but is tapered it appears any manner of pulling the prop results in a jammed key. I have tried moving the prop each direction, I have tried pushing the key in to get it to move - not luck.

Anybody have a great idea? What about heat - such as in a propane plumber's torch on the prop body itself?. Will heating cause damage to the bronze?

I did do some tapping - not the wind-up type, on the end of the shaft to get the key to move by sliding another key in the slot hoping it might move back and not jam on the tapering of the keyway slot. Now I am worried about possibly hurting my transmission in this process. How sensitive is this? Anyone ever damage their transmission by whacking the end of the prop shaft with a 3 Lb sledge (3-5 wind-up).

Anybody have recommendations or ideas on how t6o resolve this issue?
 
Feb 6, 1998
11,665
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
You just need the proper tool, a prop puller.. You can definitely damage the gear by whacking on it. It can actually create flat spots in bearings & races which is called Brinelling...

Props are supposed to fit extremely tight, the key is not supposed to be relied upon to take the load, the taper to taper does this job, so getting one off just requires the right tool for the job. Heat can help but starting with the right tool is the best approach..
 
Jun 11, 2011
1,243
Hunter 41 Lewes
Listen to Main Sail, get a good prop puller. I usually put a good load on the puller and heat the hub of the prop, it will eventually just “pop” loose.
 
Dec 14, 2003
1,393
Hunter 34 Lake of Two Mountains, QC, Can
Ditto Maine sail and uncledom but will add that you should put a nut back on the prop before putting a lot of pressure on the prop puller and heating and tapping lightly on the side once heated and under pressure. When it finally releases it will be under a tremendous amount of force and will fly off. The nut will prevent that dangerous release.
 
May 24, 2004
7,129
CC 30 South Florida
Put a puller to it, with patience and working in gradual increments load the puller with tension lightly and tap a few times with a heavy hammer, repeat by tightening and tapping as many times as it takes.
 
Dec 19, 2006
5,809
Hunter 36 Punta Gorda
I had to pull my prop a few years back and the yard helped by using a prop puller tool.
Nick
 
Jun 11, 2011
1,243
Hunter 41 Lewes
If I think I require a little vibration to help with the process, I use the smallest ball peen hammer I have just to tap the side of the shaft and the hub of the prop. This is to set up a vibration and is not to apply force in an manner.
 

bletso

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Aug 20, 2013
106
Globe 38 PCB
A puller is really needed. I made my own. proppull and as uncledum said vibration can be a big help whilst the puller is under tension.
 
Aug 15, 2013
193
Hunter 35.5 Legend 003 San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico
The key is stuck/corroded onto the prop body. I have a Strut Pro, it won't move it. With the key stuck, when the prop moved the key will self-jam on the shaft because the keyway tapers to the outside instead of being a straight end slot. Not sure how to get that key moving. Sprayed PB Blaster for 3 days on it. Bottom line is they keyway jamming the key. Anybody have that problem?
 
Feb 10, 2004
3,917
Hunter 40.5 Warwick, RI
Not seeing your prop and shaft, I have to ask why you are certain that the keyway is tapered to the outside instead of being a straight cut.
Now I would believe that the key is stuck on either the prop or the shaft and any attempted movement is a problem due to the friction. However, I really can't believe the keyway tapers for a couple of reasons. First, it would be a much more difficult keyway to machine. Secondly, a taper the way you describe would cause great difficulty in assembly of the prop onto the shaft.
PB Blaster is the best way to go in my opinion. Have you tried tapping the end of the key with a pin drift to drive it toward the shaft? If the taper is as you say, that would cause the key to become looser in the keyway.
Shaft keys are not meant to hold a part to a shaft; they are only meant to lock the parts together so that rotational motion is transmitted. The nut keeps the prop on the shaft and it should cover the keyway so the key can't work its way out, and the locking nut keeps the nut from backing off.
If the key is really causing the jamming, I'll bet that when you finally get it off that you will find that the key has been torqued and that it is damaged. I had a small engine flywheel that damaged the key when the running motor shaft was suddenly stopped and the flywheel torqued the key and created a burr on the side of the key. Your issue sounds very similar.
In theory, all you need t do is back off the nut a few turns, install a prop puller, put a load on the prop with the puller, and then tap on the sides of the prop hub all around. Given enough load on the prop by the puller and enough tapping on the hub (back up the opposite side with another hammer - a 2# hand sledge works nicely, and the prop will suddenly come loose.
 
Oct 2, 2008
3,807
Pearson/ 530 Strafford, NH
Can you get any ice or dry ice, maybe going cold first might give you an advantage. I did what is suggested with a prop puller, then I placed a piece of wood ahead of the prop to dampen the hits with a 3 pound hammer. Two heavy taps and it popped back to the nut that I left at the end of the shaft.
 
Dec 19, 2006
5,809
Hunter 36 Punta Gorda
When I installed a new cutless bearing I stored in freezer and carried to boat in ice and went on
like butter so try some kind of cold spray on than puller or after cold attempt than try heat.
When I took the coupler off my shaft at the tranny I used heat and some hitting with hammer.
Nick
 
Feb 26, 2011
1,428
Achilles SD-130 Alameda, CA
The proper tools are required. A prop puller and a torch to heat the hub. There is no prop that can't be coaxed to come off.
 
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Jun 11, 2011
1,243
Hunter 41 Lewes
The proper tools are required. A prop puller and a torch to heat the hub. There is no prop that can't be coaxed to come off.
:plus: Even though he wears a mask and could be either a hero or a villain I agree with Fast Bottoms :biggrin: