Gear puller / prop puller

[Peter]

I'm looking to remove the prop on my c27 in a week or two. I keep seeing on these posts that I can get a gear puller to use to remove the prop. These gear pullers come in different sizes, sizes that I don't quite understand. Can somebody help me to determine what size gear puller I need?Peter

 

[John]

Pulled mine a couple a weeks ago, in the water.

I found a puller for $19.95 at a auto parts store. Worked great. but beware that when it breaks loose, it comes flying off. Mine traveled about 4' with the prop, underwater. Took a lot of tork to get it loose. Buy a good one, I don't think the cheap ones are strong enough.

 

[Pete]

gear puller/wrong tool

You are using the wrong tool, you are pulling a prop not a gear. Use the right tool for the job and pulling the prop is a easy job. Comes off in less then a 30 seconds with a prop puller. You MAY get a gear puller to work but you could also damage the prop or shaft never mind hurt yourself (as the in the other post said) The prop comes off with TONS of force.If it ever hit you it could kill you !With a prop puller you leave the nut on the shaft to prevent the prop from flying off. You can not do that with gear pullers. This is not worth getting hurt over ! Get the yard to pull it if you don't want to buy one or maybe you could get a few of your sailing buddies to go in on a "community owned " prop puller.It is well worth the yard bill or cost of a puller.Use the right tool for the right job and it will go alot easier !

 

[Kevin]

Here's my experience

Peter, I have only used a gear puller once to pull my prop so I'm not an expert but here's some info. I seem to recall that gear pullers are sized in inches. Measure from the end of the shaft to the forward end of the prop hub. When fully extended the gear puller should be at least the same length. Contrary to one of the other posts I was able to leave the castle nut on the shaft. And its a good idea to unfasten the nut so the aft end is flush with the end of the shaft, so the gear puller can't slip off the shaft end as easily.In my case we couldn't get the prop off with a puller....this is after trying a couple of pullers and having the help of a couple of guys who had done it before. The arms kept sliding off the prop hub when we torqued the puller (yse we tried heat, oil etc.) We had to "shock" it off with a 2 lb. hammer and a big brass drift.Now I take my prop off each season to make sure it doesn't weld itself on again.Kevin