Prop Removal

[Stinkpot]

What's the best way to remove the prop off of a 2" shaft? The first time I did it, I asked the finisher how I should go about it and he said, "here, borrow my prop removal tool." This consisted of a 4" round, 3/4" thick plate with a nut welded to it; simply thread this onto the shaft (after removing the prop nuts) until it bottoms out against the plate and then keep whacking it with a sledge hammer, axially, toward the prop until the prop is jarred loose, then pull it off.

It worked, but I couldn't help think that I was doing some damage, either to the transmission, PSS or something. I can't use a wheel puller since I don't have any way to attach it to the prop. I thought of havng a few holes drilled & tapped in the hub into which I can thread eyebolts and use a wheel puller, but until then is this slugging method a common, accepted means of loosening a prop from the tapered shaft?

If this is a reasonable approach, I'll probably make my own 'tool' for future use. What do you guys do?

 

[Eslang]

What's the best way to remove the prop off of a 2" shaft? The first time I did it, I asked the finisher how I should go about it and he said, "here, borrow my prop removal tool." This consisted of a 4" round, 3/4" thick plate with a nut welded to it; simply thread this onto the shaft (after removing the prop nuts) until it bottoms out against the plate and then keep whacking it with a sledge hammer, axially, toward the prop until the prop is jarred loose, then pull it off.

It worked, but I couldn't help think that I was doing some damage, either to the transmission, PSS or something. I can't use a wheel puller since I don't have any way to attach it to the prop. I thought of havng a few holes drilled & tapped in the hub into which I can thread eyebolts and use a wheel puller, but until then is this slugging method a common, accepted means of loosening a prop from the tapered shaft?

If this is a reasonable approach, I'll probably make my own 'tool' for future use. What do you guys do?

Buy a prop puller. It looks like a big c clamp with jaws on the fixed end. The jaws go behind the wheel. Tighten it against the shaft and prop pulls off. On newer wheels they drill & tap 3 holes in the back of the wheel hub. Then attach a round collar to the back of the wheel. The collar is threaded in the middle. A large bolt screws in & presses against the back of the shaft to press off the wheel. Hope info helps

 

[F/V First Team]

I use my propeller puller, I don't have a photo right now but it looks something like so:

This one is set up for a tiny little 3 blade, the one I have works on 3 blades and 4 blades, never tried it on a 5 blade but it might work. The end with the hollow center goes on the forward side of the propeller hub where the portion with the centering ring goes onto the end of the shaft. Be sure to wind the big nut back onto the shaft so that when the propeller finally lets go it will prevent the propeller from flying off and slicing off a finger or toe (damned gravity). You just tighten the nuts up on the puller which draws the hub plate down towards the end of the shaft, if it is going a bit dry, whack the end of the shaft plate in the center with a dead blow hammer (or a BFH, whichever you prefer) once or twice, resume tightening. An impact wrench has been used before.

There is an alternative method, have a flange made with 3 5/16 bolts arranged in a equilateral triangle and in the center a 1" threaded hole. Have a 1" bolt machined so that it has a centering point. Have your propeller drilled and tapped for 3 - 5/16 holes in a triangle. The next time to pull your propeller take the nuts off, slip on an old nut that you've modified with a grinder so that it looks a little like a triangle (or if you're really good with a grinder, make a round one) so that the propeller doesn't come flying off, center your 1" bolt in the dimple of your shaft, pass the 5/16" bolts through the flange and tighten them into your propeller. Tighten the 1" bolt until the propeller slides off. I had one of these made up and my racing propeller modified to accept it. This puller has not worked for me yet... and the 1" bolt has had the point destroyed on it. Guess I put the propellers on too good. Tight is right after all.

Always use a smooth jaw wrench on your propeller nuts, none of this pipe/monkey wrench crap.

And a piece of soft wood to stop your propeller from turning as you twist the nuts.

And if you put never-seez on your propeller shaft so that it's easy the next time you want to take it off, you're an idiot. Seen way too many propellers that have been galvanically welded in place because of that stuff.

 

[Hurdy Gurdy]

you can make that puller yourself.All you need is is some steel plate,four threaded rod and a couple of nuts.Have someone cut the one plate for the shaft.
Speaking of pipe and monkey wrenches,I saw this guy put his prop on with one and and he bent the handle on it using a pipe for leverage.Took him about 2 hours to get it on nice and tight.He almost cut the log that locked the wheel in half! All I could say is poor prop.Whats even better is,he had to get his coupling off because the bolts were rotten.So out comes a 10 ton hydraulic puller a torch and a hammer.@ hours later its off.Gets the work done on the coupling and once again the pipewrench and pipe.Boat yards are fun!

 

[Pedlyr]

And if you put never-seez on your propeller shaft so that it's easy the next time you want to take it off, you're an idiot. Seen way too many propellers that have been galvanically welded in place because of that stuff.[/QUOTE]




Yes sir! Anything like that including grease makes for a PIA when it comes time to take it off. It just jams it on the tapered shaft more.

Some guys will use a lapping compound and "dry" fit first. IMHO that is a little extreme.

 

[starrfish]

i once borrowed the yards hydraulic puller, made a pattern of the flanges that fit my 2" shaft.. done.. then got to thinking about the whole thing, and bought a hydraulic puck and hand pump from northern hyd. for about 120 bucks..
put the puck between the end flange and shaft, bolts through gaps in the prop to the slotted flange on the backside of the prop.. couple pumps, 'pop' props off.. always be sure to leave the propnut on the shaft loosely.

 

[Stinkpot]

Okay, so far it sounds like the "slugging plate" method isn't the prefered means to loosen the screw, maybe I won't make one afterall.

I like the prop puller idea, but the blades on my four-blade prop sort of overlap each other as they approach the hub when viewed axially, so I can't pass a straight bolt (or standard wheel puller fingers) between the blades to reach the back side, so that's out.

I think next winter, I'll have H&H Prop drill & tap the three holes in the aft face of the hub for me and then I can fabricate the puller to match. But, of course I'll have to remove the prop somehow first to take it to them... If I do this, I assume that I should put some matching NIBRAL threaded plugs into the tapped holes until I actually have to use the puller to keep crap from building up inside these holes?

I have a 2-3/8: combination wrench that I use to install & remove nuts, along with my calibrated 4"x4" hunk of wood. And never seez would never have entered my mind here. But thanks, can't take anything for granted.

 

[F/V First Team]

I really like that hydraulic pump idea, I might look into that a little bit more.

Fun times. Nothing seems to grow in the holes that were tapped in my wheel, but hey if you want to do that, go ahead. You could always just poke a stick in there and clean them out quickly.

 

[starrfish]

thats it F/V F T.. that puck only needs to expand about 3/8" ..
and stinkpot, my wheel is also a 4 blade, and you should be able to get 3 bolts/threaded rod through there..it might look wierd, but it works

 

[captainlarry84]

Dry fit is the only way to go. Any lube or liquid will assist in isolating the propeller from the bonding system. On the initial fit valve grinding compound is a good idea. To lap the propeller in place so it gets 100% shaft contact. It is important that you clean all the compound off with acetone.
One done and you slide the wheel on it will be very hard to remove it even before the nuts go on.
I always use a knock off and hammer. The banding on the knock off does no damage to the gear or stuffing box. You get much more stress on the running gear going in and out of gear and direction than that sledge hammer does.

 

[tunafishhkg]

Some people think that its the woodrift key that stops the prop from spinning. Its the taper contact area that holds the prop from spinning on the shaft not the Key way so thats why its a good thing to lap the prop in.

 

[MDI45]

Stinkpot,iam not a fan of prop knockers...here is a pic if a home made prop puller made with half inch steel....very easy