Prop stuck

[New Guy]

Ok has anybody ever had there prop stuck on the driveshaft? The p/o had a stainless prop on the boat and I assume it has been on there forever. I have a puller on it, heated the prop with a torch and hit it with a brass punch. I cannot get the thing to budge. Right now I am soaking it with penetrating oil. Any other ideas??

[Boonejeepin]

I think you have the options covered.

[New Guy]

That's not what I wanted to hear.

[bergermaister]

Options
1) Get a bigger hammer...
2) Go find a submerged rock or log at about 10-20mph.

Seriously - if it's stainless it should stand up to a few good hammer blows way better than brass.

Tried tapping/hitting around the sides vs. just on the end?

[KSmith]

Being stainless it might take more heat applied to get it to swell any. Let the penetrating oil sit for awhile and keep at it, keep pressure applied to the puller and tap in different spots around the base of the prop. I used a 1 inch diameter hardwood dowel and a rubber mallet to hit the back of the prop hub when I swapped my prop out after buggering up the stock OJ...

[mmandley]

Do as the above say, but get a chunk of 2x4 and a 5lb hammer. Then tap it lightly, all around the edges. The 5lb will make the hits more centered and carry the force right threw the prop.

once you remove it, use a little stainless anti seize on the drive shaft.

[New Guy]

Thanks guys I have been running home throughout the day to get some more penetrating oil on it. I was definitely using a large enough hammer (ax) with a 1" brass punch. I'm going to give it a try tonight and I'll let you know.

[NCSUmoomba]

Maybe try heating just the shaft? Just a thought.

[New Guy]

^Heating the shaft will make it expand making things worse. Stainless really sucks because it transfers heat so well so it is transferring it into the shaft. UGG I wish this would just pop.

[DOCDRS]

Wrap the shaft with a wet cloth you take from the freezer after you heat the prop....... :)

[wolfeman131]

plasma cutter?

[KSmith]

I guess you've tried just about everything except harmonics. Start singing to it, different pitches. Any Led Zeppelin should work I'd think, or maybe yellow submarine.

Or you might try something like this if it'd fit...
http://www.nautiqueparts.com/acmeharmonicproppuller.aspx

[New Guy]

Haha awesome guys! I was finally able to get the prop off last night but I am worried about my clearance to the trailer. I have about 1/2" to the prop gaurd. Everything else is great but this concerns me. What to guys do in this situation or is it fine?

[DOCDRS]

what finally did the trick?

[New Guy]

http://youtu.be/qE0B5rYdy8I

But seriously I soaked it in penetrating oil for a day and with pressure on it I hit the side of the prop with a hammer and brass punch over the key way then I finally used a steel punch and 5lbs hammer and hit the backside of the prop. It was kind of a last ditch effort but it finally popped.

[New Guy]

Should be quite the improvement:
http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo121/2005r6rider/2012-06-26173423.jpg
http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo121/2005r6rider/2012-06-26173752.jpg

[KSmith]

Haha awesome guys! I was finally able to get the prop off last night but I am worried about my clearance to the trailer. I have about 1/2" to the prop gaurd. Everything else is great but this concerns me. What to guys do in this situation or is it fine?

If you have clearance you should be fine. When launching the boat will float off the back of the trailer some increasing the clearance. Should be good to go.

Edit: It was really his singing Iron Butterfly In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida that caused the prop to fall off

[squeeg333]

Mark, which prop is that you just put on?? I finally was able to get out and use my new ACME 1847 - it's an amazing difference. You'll love it. As Kraig said above, you will be just fine with 1/2". That's roughly what I have, but a half inch is a mile when you're loading/unloading. I don't power load the last 2 feet either, so nothing is spinning, but when you launch and load, the back of the boat should still be floating, even when you're all the way on the trailer.

Just don't back the boat onto the trailer, and you'll be fine!

[bergermaister]

I was curious what prop you've got there too. Yesterday was my first run with the 1847. I wish I had been able to run the stock 13.7x17.5 a little, then swap to the 1847 to get a more apples-to-apples comparison. It seemed to pull harder, had kind of a weird almost rumble when coming off the throttle, like back pressure on a V8 shifting down when slowing down.

I can say it was a noticeable improvement in holeshot when I was loaded down with roughly 2800lbs ballast and 5 people and hammered down. Wasn't pulling a rider but got up to speed almost as quickly as when empty. This was strictly seat of the pants feel - no stopwatches or anything. Also seemed to hold speed better in the turns without as much throttle. PP wasn't flashing at me all the time like it was last summer.

[New Guy]

I'm coming from the 14x18 stainless to the 1847. We are heading north for the week so I plan on giving it a thorough run down. I'm hoping it helps my pp out because it always struggled when we were running loaded down.

[bergermaister]

Bet you it will! If I recall i had the same stainless on my boat before destroying it. Consistent speed was always a trick. Was a little better with the 13.7x17.5 that replaced the stainless but PP was always talking to me in the corners. Didn't do that even once with the 1847 and I typically don't let it have much more throttle than it needs for PP to engage.

[New Guy]

Nice that's good to hear. I have been chasing problems with my PP and I am hoping that 90% of it was the prop.

[rdlangston13]

I had the stock OJ wakeboard prop and it was super noisy and i just put the 1847 on and the noise while greatly reduced is still there a little. The more weight in the boat the worse it is, I guess it is just cavitation or something??

[bergermaister]

I dunno - the more weight I'm carrying I tend to make funny noises and growl too...

[New Guy]

Anybody else running this prop notice the boat porpoising alot more? I'm having to run front ballast to keep it from happening.

[KSmith]

Anybody else running this prop notice the boat porpoising alot more? I'm having to run front ballast to keep it from happening.

No issues with mine, we have the same prop (1847) but my hull is different. So you can't adjust out the porpoising with the wake plate? It's got a ton more torque than the old 18 pitch you took off which can lift the nose higher but I'd have though the wakeplate could take care of it.

[New Guy]

I'm having some problems with the wake plate right now that I need to get worked out. I have been just filling the front ballast which helps but I can't run over 32 without an issue.

[KSmith]

Ak okay. Well I suspect if my wakeplate were out of commission I'd have the same issue, I run about 30 with the wakeplate around 1/2 up and it works great. If it is really smooth I can run about 3/4 wakeplate up but if I encounter wakes or windy chop I have to drop it down again to get it to settle in.