frozen prop removal

[jmhc]

I am having trouble removing the prop from an old 35hp motor -- have had liquid wrench working its magic for days but still stuck -- I was thinking about heating the prop with a torch and then try and pry off -- any suggests welcome, thank you

 

[emckelvy]

Re: frozen prop removal

Unless you can devise some type of puller which will pull the prop off the rubber hub, you'd either have to cut the prop off or 'burn out' the rubber hub.<br /><br />Then you have to cut off the remnants and cut/split off the center metal splined insert.<br /><br />Be very careful when heating the prop, the rubber will lite on fire, and if you don't have a prop nut loosly on the end of the prop shaft, the prop can potentially 'launch' itself, aflame off the lower unit! Very spectacular and also messy.<br /><br />If the prop is still in good shape you can get it re-hubbed, otherwise it's probably not worth getting both the blades repaired and a re-hub too. Plenty of props available cheap on eBay or get a Comp Prop as they are quite inexpensive compared to alum ones.<br /><br />BTW try to concentrate the heat on the prop, and off the lower unit as much as possible, as you can heat the oil up, overpressurize and blow oil out the seals.<br /><br />Also be careful about prying between the prop and lower unit, as you can easily break that area of the lower unit. <br /><br />If you get the prop hot enough, it'll come off quite handily by itself!! A MAPP torch would have plenty of heat, you could use propane but it'll take a bit longer. <br /><br />I picked up a real nice Bernzomatic MAPP torch set from Lowes for under $35.<br /><br />HTH........ed

 

[gss036]

Re: frozen prop removal

I would think that a torch on a prop would be the VERY LAST resort. Try to get a can of PB BLaster. Shucks Auto, etc carries it, it works a little better than Liquid wrench. A gear puller will work with a litte inovation to get something to hook on the back rim of the prop, if you can get pressure on it and let it sit w/PB Blaster soaking in.

 

[dajohnson53]

Re: frozen prop removal

I had to rent an appropriate sized gear puller (see my thread named "9.8 stuck prop adventure"). What I would do, based on that experience is: find out how much a new prop will cost. Then decide if the old prop is worth salvaging at all. At the very least, if you use heat or a puller, you will have to have it re-hubbed. You might find that the difference in cost between a new prop and getting the old one re-hubbed is not worth the effort of trying to save the old one. In that case, just carefully cut the old one off. The aluminum prop is ver easy to cut with a dremmel tool cut-off blade. Then you'd cut the rubber part with a sharp knife, then carefully cut the inner (probably brass) hub off the prop shaft. The shaft is stainless, a lot harder than the brass -therefore easy to cut the brass off carefully without damaging the shaft. Just my experience - good luck.

 

[ronmold]

Re: frozen prop removal

You can make a "ring" around the base of the prop with 1/8" aircraft cable and fasten it with several cable clamps to make something the puller jaws can get a grip on. If you can reverse the jaws so they point outward it will grip better. I've used a small hydraulic jack in place of a puller to free the merc bearing carrier.<br />good luck!

 

[timmathis]

Re: frozen prop removal

Seafoam's deep-creep may help also. Good luck