Prop removal

[NYSail]

So I am taking my props off to have it serviced.doesn’t appear to ha e ever been removed. yesterday got the nut off so today I am going back to get the prop. I have a gear puller I am going to use mixed with heat and a hammer. However when I was there yesterday a mechanic at the yard offered me their “prop knocker”. Screw it to shaft and smack it on the end.... inward.. He said the vibration will loosen it which sounds reasonable. However I have always heard never hit the end of the shaft inward as you can damage the transmission.
Feel better with heat and hitting it sideways.....

Comments?

Thanks
Greg

 

[31seahorse]

Hello Greg, I would never choose to hit, tap, or bash the prop or shaft toward or away from the engine. Too many expensive things to bend or otherwise damage. Have you considered any of the liquids like Deep Creep that might soak into the area that is tight? If you choose to tap sideways with a hammer put a heavier hammer against the opposite side from your tapping location. That will help protect the parts that might become damaged by lateral whacking. That method has worked for me.

 

[duality]

leave the nut on the end, just loosen it all the way. dont ask my how i know

 

[dlochner]

The good news is the prop is on tight.

Is the shaft bronze or SS? Lots of PB Blaster, Liquid Wrench, might help. If the shaft is bronze, the two might have become corroded together which make for a more challenging endeavor.

When the prop finally comes off, it will do so with some force. There will be a lot of tension in the arms that will be released quickly, don't stand behind it.

 

[NYSail]

31seahorse..... I agree totally and yes I have a block of wood on the opposite side, however I do t I tend to hit overly hard.....

Duality.... yep hear the prop can fly off otherwise.

Thanks

 

[NYSail]

Shaft is stainless.... nut is bronze and came off nicely. Feel if I heat the prop and tap with hammer it will break free.... tension with the puller will help. I’m optimistic!

But again the thought of sacking it just doesn’t seem right.

Buck Algonquin Buck Algonquin 00PK100 Prop Knockers

Buck Algonquin 00PK100 Prop Knockers on sale.

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Greg

 

[dlochner]

Greg, the almost affordable prop knocker is only a ¾" thread. About double that for a 1" shaft.

Patience and heat is the way to go.

If you end up pulling the shaft (or may need to in the future) get one of these affordable tools, I have on on the way.

Marine Flange Puller | Deep Blue Yacht Supply

Buck Algonquin Flange Puller available at Deep Blue Yacht Supply. All Flange Puller are made in the U.S.A, are are backed by Buck Algonquin's limited warranty. Cast gray iron - Complete w/ 3/4" bolt - Sold each

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[sesmith]

I don't think I'd do anything that requires beating the shaft or slide hammering the prop. I'd worry about possible transmission damage. What has worked for me is to use a beefy puller (not a cheap one), leave the nut loose but threaded in place. Get the puller tight and put heat in one spot of the prop with a propane torch. Be patient, and it will bang and come off from the heat.

 

[sesmith]

FWIW, the "Walter puller" looks like just the ticket. Not cheap, but neither is my Snap-on bar type puller. That worked on my 2 blade prop, but wasn't any help with the 3 blade prop on our Catalina. Duh, don't know why I didn't think about that, at the time. I ended up trying a cheap 3 jaw puller that I bought in a pinch. It was as useless as I thought it would probably be. That was the case of a bronze prop on a bronze shaft. Had to cut the shaft anyway for that job, so took the prop off the shaft on a 30 ton press later. It even came off hard with that. Cheap pullers suck.

 

[DougM]

I had good luck pulling the prop (fresh water boat). Loosening the nut, soaking the shaft on both ends of the prop and then putting a minimal amount of tension on the prop with a gear puller. I would leave it set for an hour or so, then put about a half turn on the gear puller. The prop would just pop off with very minimal compression force on the shaft.

 

[NYSail]

Heat in this case was my friend....... little light tapping on side and came right off

 

[dlochner]

 

[capta]

I've removed hundreds of props by putting the puller under stress and hitting the bolt on the puller with a hammer. It's not like you are using a 20# sledge, is it? Just a regular old hammer. It is the puller under stress that does the work. Most of the time it takes only one blow.
Use heat if that doesn't work, but I'm pretty sure it will.

 

[rpell1@msn.com]

Last year, I made my own puller for my 3-blade prop. I used two 1/4" thick x 4"x4" steel plates and three 8" long 3/8" threaded rods with 6 nuts and 3 washers. Total cost $28.00. It took all of 3 hours to complete the build and IT WORKS GREAT!! On one plate, I set the dead center point and scribed a 1 1/8" circle and extended the lines down to one side of the plate. Using various size drill bits and steel file, I removed all of the material, leaving a 11/8" slot. I then placed an old 3 blade prop I have onto the center of the plate and marked a hole between each of the 3 blades. I drilled three 7/16" holes. I placed the second (still blank) plate over the first and transferred the hole locations, drilled the 3 holes and completed the job by marking both plates for hole alignment. I also started an indentation (barely 1/8" deep) in the dead center of the inside of the blank plate with a 1" drill bit just to give the shaft end a plate to center itself. After rounding off all sharp edges to prevent possible injury. I now have an invaluable tool that I can use over and over.

I tried it out on the boat. First, remove the cotter pin and back off the castle nut to almost the end of the shaft. Leave the nut on the shaft to prevent the prop from popping off violently.
The slotted plate is placed on the shaft between the strut and the prop. Rods are then inserted, the nuts attached and the second plate is slid over them. Put the three remaining nuts on finger tight, being careful to maintain the rig "squareness" to the prop and shaft. Slowly tighten each nut, maintaining the squareness until you attain "wrist-tight" on all three. If the prop hasn't already popped loose, a few LIGHT taps on back nuts will do the trick.

 

[uncledom]

A wheel puller, heat, and light irregular tapping on the end of the puller, the prop or the shaft right behind the prop. You are trying to send vibrations through the assembly not to actually apply a real hammer hit. I use a really small ball peen hammer but you could use near anything that will set up a vibration. It has always worked and not just on props.