Stuck prop. Suggestions?

Roadking Larry

Roadking Larry

.
Mar 30, 2013
700
Allied Seawind MK II 32' Oologah Lake, Oklahoma
I'm trying to pull the prop on my '76 Cal 2-27 prepatory to replacing the cutlass bearing but not having any success.
I made a prop puller ala Don Casey's big book but so far it isn't budging.
I've torqued down (out, Off?) on it all I can muster with a 9/16 box end wrench equally on all 3 bolts.
My next idea is to heat the prop. What kind of heat can I put on the prop without risk of damaging it? Hair dryer, heat gun or propane torch?
 
Rich Stidger

Rich Stidger

.
Feb 10, 2004
4,234
Hunter 40.5 Warwick, RI
Soak the shaft and prop liberally with PB Blaster. It may take a day or two. Lightly tap the side of the prop all around to get the PB Blaster to penetrate. Then, with the prop puller torqued up, and the nut on the shaft loose but not off, smack the side of the prop holding another hammer on the opposite side. Usually a couple good whacks will break it free.

You loosen the prop nut(s) but leave then on so that the prop doesn't come flying off and cause damage to itself or to you.

I would not use heat at all. If you can drive the shaft key out, that might help, but sometimes when trying to loosen the key you really end up tightening it. Fussing with the key would be something I would try last.
 
Manureva

Manureva

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Jan 14, 2011
243
tanzer tanzer 28 bathurst nb
Soak it with penetrating oil, get the puller on it, thigth it up, then tap the end of the puller nut, take slack, and repeat! Good luck
 
capta

capta

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Jun 4, 2009
5,074
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
If you have a bronze prop on a ss shaft you can use an oxy/acetyline or propane torch on the hub with no problems at all. Heat the hub evenly while the puller is under pressure and if the prop doesn't just pop off, whack the center bolt of the puller and that should do it. I wouldn't bother spraying it w/ anything, especially if you are going to heat it. It's not corrosion that is your problem here.
 
Sandy Stone

Sandy Stone

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Jun 2, 2007
404
Beneteau First 375 Slidell, LA
Just be careful about whacking the end of the shaft back towards the motor. The thrust bearings in a small engine/transmission are not made to withstand this and you might cause yourself some real problems. As Rich says, you want to hit the side of the prop hub, ideally with another hammer or other weight backing it up.
 
Ken Cross

Ken Cross

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Oct 24, 2010
2,405
Hunter 30 Everett, WA
If you can disconnect the engine coupling and get some gap in it, then you can tap forward on the shaft without risking drive train damage.
Ken
 
B

Benny17441

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May 24, 2004
7,213
CC 30 South Florida
Yes, disconnect the engine coupling and whack the end of the puller centered on the shaft. Heat and lubricants may help but it is the force of the impact that will break it free.
 
Maine Sail

Maine Sail

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Feb 6, 1998
11,759
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
I own a big mean & nasty prop puller and sometimes even with that, the prop won't come off. Load up the puller, use a heat gun on high to warm the prop hub, takes time, and all of a sudden it will go pop.. You will be amazed how well a little heat works.. Leave a nut on but loose so you don't get hit in the face with the prop.. Heat is the magic.. Whacking it with a hammer, can damage stuff.
 
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Roadking Larry

Roadking Larry

.
Mar 30, 2013
700
Allied Seawind MK II 32' Oologah Lake, Oklahoma
Got it loose this afternoon. Soaked it with PB Blaster re torqued the puller to 4 stars all the way around and with a little light tapping as above it popped loose. I had previously put the prop nut back on. Thanks for that heads up on that it detached from the taper with some "authority".
 
Roadking Larry

Roadking Larry

.
Mar 30, 2013
700
Allied Seawind MK II 32' Oologah Lake, Oklahoma
Actually it was a plan that came apart. :)

Now the trick will be getting the possibly original 38 year old cutlass bearing out o the strut. I'm leaning toward pulling the strut.
 
Rich Stidger

Rich Stidger

.
Feb 10, 2004
4,234
Hunter 40.5 Warwick, RI
Boatyards have a tool that will remove a bearing in a strut and press in a new one. My yard did my bearing for two hours of labor.
 
Roadking Larry

Roadking Larry

.
Mar 30, 2013
700
Allied Seawind MK II 32' Oologah Lake, Oklahoma
Having the marina crew change out the bearing is a possiblity but I'm not sure there is enough left of the old shell for a puller tool to work on it. What little of the shell I can actuall find just sort of crumbles when I put an pressure on it.
The bolts for the strut are pretty easy to access. Getting the alignment right going back would be the tricky part.
 
BobM

BobM

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Jun 10, 2004
3,269
S2 9.2A Winthrop, MA
Cutlass bearings are a piece of cake. Remove the set screws spray some more pub blaster in the holes then go to the hardware store for a length of threaded rod longer than the length of the bearing. Get two nuts a washer with an OD bigger than the strut tube and one that I'll fit inside on the bearing. After an epic prop battle of my own I had my bearing out in five minutes.
 
Rich Stidger

Rich Stidger

.
Feb 10, 2004
4,234
Hunter 40.5 Warwick, RI
BobM said:
Cutlass bearings are a piece of cake. Remove the set screws spray some more pub blaster in the holes then go to the hardware store for a length of threaded rod longer than the length of the bearing. Get two nuts a washer with an OD bigger than the strut tube and one that I'll fit inside on the bearing. After an epic prop battle of my own I had my bearing out in five minutes.
Click to expand
How does this work if the shaft is still installed?
 
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