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Author Topic:   Removing stuck prop

Martman posted 02-25-2004 08:48 AM ET (US)
I'm trying to remove an aluminum prop from my 88spl(1989) Evinrude. The prop will not budge. I'm trying to locate a puller, but thought I would ask if anyone had any tricks to remove this prop. Thanks for your time.
Marty

Clark Roberts posted 02-25-2004 11:10 AM ET (US)
Mart, the prop is attached to the hub (the internal splined piece) via a cylinder of rubber which shock mounts the prop and protects the prop and drive shafts on the engine. It's the splined hub which is frozen to the propn shaft and using a puller will most likey pull the prop off leaving the splined hub in place at which point you may be able to get a grip on the hub with the puller and get it off. You might have some success if you remove all nuts and washers and heat the prop shaft with a torch then place a piece of wood against prop and hit sharp blows with hammer. Good luck and happy Whalin'... Clark.. Spruce Creek Navy
Martman posted 02-25-2004 11:18 AM ET (US)
Thanks for the response Clark. I just didn't want to start with the torch for fear of heating/damaging a seal or something on the lower unit. I will try that approach tonight.
Marty
Tom W Clark posted 02-25-2004 11:35 AM ET (US)
Marty,
Try some penetrating oil on the splines first. I would especially recommend AeroKroil made Kano Laboratories, Inc. as a superior penetrating oil. Apply it and let it sit overnight.
If you can't find AeroKroil locally, do a Google search you will find numerous places to buy it from. I get mine from Tacoma Screw Products, Inc. here in Seattle, but I've seen in in the hardware stores around town too.
Jerry Townsend posted 02-25-2004 12:23 PM ET (US)
Marty - Be very careful with heat - as you can damage the prop, seals or the lower unit housing. As heat expands any object - the best place to put heat would be on the splined hub - which you can't get to. Heating the shaft only expands the prop shaft and tightens the shaft - splined hub contact.
As Tom mentions - use a penetrating fluid - and there are several out there - and then after a day or two (giving the penetrating fluid an opportunity to work) with pressure/force between the prop and lower unit, rap the shaft via a piece of hardwood. Don't use a hammer directly on the end of the prop shaft as you may damage the thread. ---- Jerry/Idaho
Bigshot posted 02-25-2004 01:39 PM ET (US)
BFH!
If that don't work..torch it but watch out. I have seen them fly before.
Dick posted 02-25-2004 08:05 PM ET (US)
Kind of after the fact and something you may not want to hear.
Pull the prop yearly and grease the splines.
Dick
jercdevil posted 02-25-2004 11:10 PM ET (US)
Martman had the same problem with my volvo dp. Use a little bit of muratic acid over the next couple days.
Whalerdan posted 02-26-2004 08:25 AM ET (US)
If this happened to me, I would try using my cutoff wheel from my air compressor to cut the prop off. I think you could control what your cutting better with it than a torch. If you can get access to one you might try it.
Danny
Martman posted 02-26-2004 09:44 AM ET (US)
Thanks for the replies. I'm in the process of using penetrating oil (then the rain came). So I will keep trying this for the next few days. If this doesn't work, I will probably try cutting off as Whalerdan suggested. This is a new to me boat/motor...prop maintenance is part of my yearly maintenance. Thanks again guys.
Marty
Bigshot posted 02-26-2004 03:08 PM ET (US)
You don't torch CUT it off...you heat it so the rubber hub seperates from the metal prop and then you use your cutting wheel to get the hub off. If prop is not worth saving then use a BFH and beat the snot out of it.
Steve Leone posted 02-27-2004 01:48 AM ET (US)
Torch It !!! I have been torching them for 30 years now. You need a plumbers torch or oxy-acetelene and a rubber mallet. You need to get it real hot BUT be carefull. Bash it with the mallet closest to the leading edge of the prop as you can get. Rotae it while you are doing this. It will shoot off like a rocket like Big says. Molten rubber can also give a nasty scar not to mention the pain involved. AFTER the prop is off douse the work with water. This will make the rubber hard again. Cut the rubber off with a sharp razor knife, scoring it in sections and cutting it from the sleeve. When you are down to the sleeve get a GOOD coal chisel and start hammering down a spline corridor. Do one side , then flop it to do the other. At this point you should be able to pry it loose and off. The only other way is dynomite or a very thin long drill bit. I did the latter a few times with limited sucess. You end up drilling the prop shaft splines, thus weakening the splines. The importance of using the RIGHT grease on a prop spline....Steve
Martman posted 02-27-2004 12:11 PM ET (US)
Looks like I will be heating it up w/ plumber's torch this weekend. The weather finally looks like a nice weekend. Thanks Nick, but I wasn't going to torch cut it off. Hard to get much done this week...cold rain(least it's not snowing here)...wife flew out to Ft. Lauderdale for a cruise to Mexico late Wednesday and left me with the girls (2 and 3 yr)....and work. Anyway...nuf bitching..Thanks for the help.
Marty
JoeH posted 02-28-2004 01:00 AM ET (US)
If you are already going to have the torch out, try melting some bees wax on the prop shaft. If you can get the hub warm enough without melting the rubber run a chunk of bees wax around the end of the prop shaft. It will turn liquid and wick up the shaft, try to remove while warm. I have seen this work on screws, studs, bolts, etc that penatrating oil didn't touch. Joe
Gene in NC posted 02-29-2004 10:10 AM ET (US)
What happened to backing of the nut about 1/4", reseting the cotter pin and operating the boat fwd aft until it breaks the bond. Doesn't that work anymore?
Martman posted 03-08-2004 08:46 AM ET (US)
Well it's finally off. I tried penetrating oil/heating/beating/backing the nut off 1/4" like Gene suggested with no luck. So I had to us a gear puller and pulled the prop off (of course leaving the hub like Tom said) then I used a puller and hooked around the thrust washer, heated, and it finally gave way. Thanks for all the help and suggestions.
Marty
Chuck Tribolet posted 03-08-2004 03:49 PM ET (US)
There's a message here: Part of annual mainteance, esp. on a
saltwater boat, should be to pull the prop, grease the
splines, and reassmble with a new cotter pin.

Chuck

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Author	Topic: Removing stuck prop
Martman	posted 02-25-2004 08:48 AM ET (US) I'm trying to remove an aluminum prop from my 88spl(1989) Evinrude. The prop will not budge. I'm trying to locate a puller, but thought I would ask if anyone had any tricks to remove this prop. Thanks for your time. Marty
Clark Roberts	posted 02-25-2004 11:10 AM ET (US) Mart, the prop is attached to the hub (the internal splined piece) via a cylinder of rubber which shock mounts the prop and protects the prop and drive shafts on the engine. It's the splined hub which is frozen to the propn shaft and using a puller will most likey pull the prop off leaving the splined hub in place at which point you may be able to get a grip on the hub with the puller and get it off. You might have some success if you remove all nuts and washers and heat the prop shaft with a torch then place a piece of wood against prop and hit sharp blows with hammer. Good luck and happy Whalin'... Clark.. Spruce Creek Navy
Martman	posted 02-25-2004 11:18 AM ET (US) Thanks for the response Clark. I just didn't want to start with the torch for fear of heating/damaging a seal or something on the lower unit. I will try that approach tonight. Marty
Tom W Clark	posted 02-25-2004 11:35 AM ET (US) Marty, Try some penetrating oil on the splines first. I would especially recommend AeroKroil made Kano Laboratories, Inc. as a superior penetrating oil. Apply it and let it sit overnight. If you can't find AeroKroil locally, do a Google search you will find numerous places to buy it from. I get mine from Tacoma Screw Products, Inc. here in Seattle, but I've seen in in the hardware stores around town too.
Jerry Townsend	posted 02-25-2004 12:23 PM ET (US) Marty - Be very careful with heat - as you can damage the prop, seals or the lower unit housing. As heat expands any object - the best place to put heat would be on the splined hub - which you can't get to. Heating the shaft only expands the prop shaft and tightens the shaft - splined hub contact. As Tom mentions - use a penetrating fluid - and there are several out there - and then after a day or two (giving the penetrating fluid an opportunity to work) with pressure/force between the prop and lower unit, rap the shaft via a piece of hardwood. Don't use a hammer directly on the end of the prop shaft as you may damage the thread. ---- Jerry/Idaho
Bigshot	posted 02-25-2004 01:39 PM ET (US) BFH! If that don't work..torch it but watch out. I have seen them fly before.
Dick	posted 02-25-2004 08:05 PM ET (US) Kind of after the fact and something you may not want to hear. Pull the prop yearly and grease the splines. Dick
jercdevil	posted 02-25-2004 11:10 PM ET (US) Martman had the same problem with my volvo dp. Use a little bit of muratic acid over the next couple days.
Whalerdan	posted 02-26-2004 08:25 AM ET (US) If this happened to me, I would try using my cutoff wheel from my air compressor to cut the prop off. I think you could control what your cutting better with it than a torch. If you can get access to one you might try it. Danny
Martman	posted 02-26-2004 09:44 AM ET (US) Thanks for the replies. I'm in the process of using penetrating oil (then the rain came). So I will keep trying this for the next few days. If this doesn't work, I will probably try cutting off as Whalerdan suggested. This is a new to me boat/motor...prop maintenance is part of my yearly maintenance. Thanks again guys. Marty
Bigshot	posted 02-26-2004 03:08 PM ET (US) You don't torch CUT it off...you heat it so the rubber hub seperates from the metal prop and then you use your cutting wheel to get the hub off. If prop is not worth saving then use a BFH and beat the snot out of it.
Steve Leone	posted 02-27-2004 01:48 AM ET (US) Torch It !!! I have been torching them for 30 years now. You need a plumbers torch or oxy-acetelene and a rubber mallet. You need to get it real hot BUT be carefull. Bash it with the mallet closest to the leading edge of the prop as you can get. Rotae it while you are doing this. It will shoot off like a rocket like Big says. Molten rubber can also give a nasty scar not to mention the pain involved. AFTER the prop is off douse the work with water. This will make the rubber hard again. Cut the rubber off with a sharp razor knife, scoring it in sections and cutting it from the sleeve. When you are down to the sleeve get a GOOD coal chisel and start hammering down a spline corridor. Do one side , then flop it to do the other. At this point you should be able to pry it loose and off. The only other way is dynomite or a very thin long drill bit. I did the latter a few times with limited sucess. You end up drilling the prop shaft splines, thus weakening the splines. The importance of using the RIGHT grease on a prop spline....Steve
Martman	posted 02-27-2004 12:11 PM ET (US) Looks like I will be heating it up w/ plumber's torch this weekend. The weather finally looks like a nice weekend. Thanks Nick, but I wasn't going to torch cut it off. Hard to get much done this week...cold rain(least it's not snowing here)...wife flew out to Ft. Lauderdale for a cruise to Mexico late Wednesday and left me with the girls (2 and 3 yr)....and work. Anyway...nuf bitching..Thanks for the help. Marty
JoeH	posted 02-28-2004 01:00 AM ET (US) If you are already going to have the torch out, try melting some bees wax on the prop shaft. If you can get the hub warm enough without melting the rubber run a chunk of bees wax around the end of the prop shaft. It will turn liquid and wick up the shaft, try to remove while warm. I have seen this work on screws, studs, bolts, etc that penatrating oil didn't touch. Joe
Gene in NC	posted 02-29-2004 10:10 AM ET (US) What happened to backing of the nut about 1/4", reseting the cotter pin and operating the boat fwd aft until it breaks the bond. Doesn't that work anymore?
Martman	posted 03-08-2004 08:46 AM ET (US) Well it's finally off. I tried penetrating oil/heating/beating/backing the nut off 1/4" like Gene suggested with no luck. So I had to us a gear puller and pulled the prop off (of course leaving the hub like Tom said) then I used a puller and hooked around the thrust washer, heated, and it finally gave way. Thanks for all the help and suggestions. Marty
Chuck Tribolet	posted 03-08-2004 03:49 PM ET (US) There's a message here: Part of annual mainteance, esp. on a saltwater boat, should be to pull the prop, grease the splines, and reassmble with a new cotter pin. Chuck