Trouble pulling prop

[thedude]

Put your prop puller on and tighten with the nut backed off just a bit. Let it sit for a 30 min, come back and tighten a little more, let sit for 30 min, repeat, repeat. This has worked for me on stubborn props that have been on for years.

[jsta281]

Put your prop puller on and tighten with the nut backed off just a bit. Let it sit for a 30 min, come back and tighten a little more, let sit for 30 min, repeat, repeat. This has worked for me on stubborn props that have been on for years.

This is my suggestion as well. I have used this method in several applications. I guess if you tighten the puller really tight, and then let it sit for 30 min or so and come back and it won't tighten anymore (not even the slightest amount) you can resort to other measures. If you let it sit, and you can tighten it at all then it is working.

My prop was not hard coming off at all, but I none the less did this method when after tightening it did not immediately just "pop off" I let it sit, (only a couple min) and every time I went back it tighten a bit more and them popped right off.

I don't mean to suggest that will for sure happen for you, it sounds like yours is really stuck on there, but I would try that before all the heating scenerios, I find heating things to get them loose to be a "delicate" proceedure that usually takes some experience to know what is hot enough but not to hot.

Note to self, take the prop off every now and again to avoid the prop that won't come off.

[Riverdweller]

I've tried it all, in fact I left my C-clamp on last night and tried tightening it up a bit this morning but it hasn't budged. Going to give it one more shot with heat tonight and if that doesn't work I'm breaking out the grinder and cutting the **** thing off!! lol...I've spent way too much time on this already. Thanks to everyone for all the great advice!

[Quinner]

Try using ATF-Acetone (1/2 & 1/2), best penetrating oil you can use. With the clamp on and tight, let it soak as long as possible

If that does not do it why not take it to your local prop shop as suggested earlier, C-Clamp works but there are better pullers??

[crobi2]

Well no luck!! I put PB Blaster on it, heated it on on side, banged on it and nothing!! I'm at a loss except to just to cut it off. Anyone ever heard of a prop that would not come off? On a side note, I notice I have some play on in the strut. How much play is acceptable? I'm guessing I have about 1/16 to 1/8' in of play. I'm sure the bushing/bearing probably needs to be replaced since it never has and it's a 2001.

If your shaft is really banging around in the cutless bearing you probably need to replace that too. And you thought getting the prop off was a pain....

[TRBenj]

If that prop is installed on the taper properly (and it sure sounds like it is!) then penetrating oil of any flavor is going to do little to no good at all. There is just nowhere for the lube to go (unlike a threaded connection).

There are better pullers out there than the c-clamp style, but Ive yet to come across a prop I couldnt take off with my Acme c-clamp. Tighten, tap on the back (towards the front of the boat) of the puller with a decent sized hammer, retighten, repeat. I have taken off a LOT of props, some of which were undoubtedly on the boats for decades. Never needed heat or anything fancy... most of the time, Im doing it in the water while the boat is on a lift. Some need a little more persuasion than others, just keep at it.

[Riverdweller]

@crobi2...I haven't noticed the shaft banging around, I just noticed while tightening the C-clamp that there is a little play in the shaft. I'm sure it's fine for a few more years at least, just was wondering how much play is acceptable which I guess is ok until it starts banging around. lol

@TRBenj...I'll keep at it, just don't want to get overly aggresive and do some transmission damage...

[crobi2]

I'm sorry, I mis-spoke. What I meant is that if you have 1/16 - 1/8" of space between the shaft and cutless when you shove the shaft against the edge, you probably need to replace the cutless. And that the job is really tough because the coupler is a heat shrink fit. In fact, if you are going to do it yourself, you will probably just go ahead and replace the shaft with an A.R.E. dual taper shaft like the newer boats have (it's hard to imagine mounting a 450-500 degree F coupler onto the shaft UNDER the v-drive.

If you do have to cut the prop off with a cutoff saw, see if you can cut where the slot for the key way goes so you don't score your shaft. I have had my best luck with the heat method when using a c-style puller.

Good luck!

[TRBenj]

Cutting the prop off is just crazy talk.

Dont be afraid to hit the puller HARD. You wont damage the transmission. Sounds like youre being too gentle.

[Zach@n3]

Got a new one for you Tim. We had a prop we had to cut off yesterday. It was on an 01 prostar 205V. The prop was hit and pushed so far up the taper that when the nut was installed and threaded all the way to the taper it had around 1/2" between the nut and the prop. The strut was also bent. There was no visible damage to the prop blades.

[Riverdweller]

Success!! Took a 5lb sledge hammer and about 20 good cracks and it finally popped off. Both the key and prop keyway were really rounded, I think the prop was partially wedged onto the key. Luckily the shaft looks good. Thanks for all the advice!!!

[Zach@n3]

Good job!

[jsta281]

When all else fails go with the BFH technique. Good job.

[AirTool]

Sorry I've been out of town for 6 days and mostly computer-less. Here are some comments I'd like to add for the future:

1. I believe a c-clamp can generally be tightened to some reasonable limit. At some point, they just started flexing then yielding....especially the bronze ones...and especially the bronze ones that have been ground down to fit a 4 blade prop (no, it wasn't me)

2. Hammering reasonably on the shaft is okay. Huge hits should be minimized. But if one smack is going to do it, great. After 2 or more,...more won't help.

3. During any process in addition to the clamp (especially the heating), leave the clamp tightened up tighter than an antique clock. If you get pissed off or sweating to death on your boat barn and decide to leave it for the week, leave the clamp on.

4. The first time I pulled my prop, the boat had about 125 hours and the prop was stuck. I tightened the crap out of the clamp and hammered (which didn't work). Then what I did was get a big rubber mallet and hit the back side of each blade one by one as I spun it around. This worked after about 6 hits but I don't know it that is on the tranny. I didn't really it it that hard. I think it was more of a vibration/moment on the taper. The next time I swapped props (test 422 vs three blade), it came right off with the puller. It had only been on about 40 to 50 hours or so.

5. The last time I pulled it off, It was stuck like crazy and I used the heat trick instead of all the banging. I think riverdweller just needed more heat but maybe the key was the problem. (and during heating, the clamp needs to be wound up tight.) I don't think it was the key because the puller should pull that off easy even if the key is half sheared. I thing the problem was taper (seated nicely like TRB said).

6. When installing a prop, people generally overtighten the nut (bad). I think the spec is 30 ft lbs (please check me). People say block the prop with a 2x4 and tighten the !@#$(%#* out of it. On time, I put on leather gloves and held the prop with one hand and tightened with a 12" crescent. Then I checked it with a torque wrench and it was right near 30. Now, having said that, >100 hours later, it took heat to get it off. Which confirms how the taper works.

Good thread.

PS - never remove the rudder and shaft just to get the prop off.