Bent prop or bent shaft?

[mochosla]

Hi guys,

Yesterday as I'm coming back from Catalina island and once inside the harbor my outboard (Honda BF150 4stroke) started making an odd noise and vibrating. This was at very low RPMs and 5 mph. When I flushed the motor I asked my friend to put it in gear and noticed that the prop was wobbling a bit. I took the prop off the motor and run it and the shaft seems to turn straight. The issue is that the prop also seems to be straight with absolutely no nicks or dings. Before I send it in to be fixed, do you have any advise? Could it be spun? Or just a bad hub? The boat was very heavy with 4 guys with spearfishing and scuba gear but like I said, the problems started to happen at very low speeds and I never heard any noises that would indicate hitting something. Maybe something got wrapped on the prop and spun the hub?

I can upload a video if needed.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Sea Rider]

Re: Bent prop or bent shaft?

If it's a hub issue, buy new prop, hubs are not repairable, nor props eternal...

Happy Boating

 

[mochosla]

Re: Bent prop or bent shaft?

Hubs are not repairable but they are replaceable. Am I incorrect?

 

[pvanv]

Re: Bent prop or bent shaft?

The rubber prop hub is the "fuse", and if bad, does not get repaired. You replace the prop, or have a new hub pressed into it.

 

[Sea Rider]

Re: Bent prop or bent shaft?

Having a new pressed hub would be a temporal repair, in the short run at high rpm prop will slip, hubs are secured to prop by vulcanization process, that is, pressurized injected rubber is placed between hub exterior splines and prop wall so to internally adhere to form a one piece body. Pressed hubs just works fine at idle to 1/2 throttle as to push, forget all about hole shot or wot applications.

Had this client that liked to "repair" hubs on his own, always complaining about high end performance with loaded sib, so finally decided to "try" a new prop, Aleluya, what speed and sib behaviour difference!! New props costs, but it's the way to go...

Happy Boating