Lost Spinner Cone aq231A????

[LegacyT]

Just yesterday I replaced my prop on an AQ231A volvo. Tightened the cone as hard as I could and the allen bolt. Went for a run, beached the boat and noticed its gone so had to limp back to the dock. I'm wondering how this could happen??? Any ideas

 

[LegacyT]

Re: Lost Spinner Cone aq231A????

I put it on in the water as well if that has to do anything with it?

 

[wellcraft19]

Re: Lost Spinner Cone aq231A????

Operator error...

I put on a new prop in October, went for a long run, and when coming back to dock in the evening, slowing down, heard a "clunk". Putting into forward gear, nothing. Looking over the stern props gone (as well as the trim fin).

Simple, I (obviously) did not tighten neither cone or looking bolt (allen screw) enough!

I was lucky it was a calm day, that it happened where it happened, etc. That I did not need to engage "reverse" to avoid obstacles.

 

[am_dew]

Re: Lost Spinner Cone aq231A????

Sorry to hear you lost your prop. If I were you, next time I would use some loctite on the long bolt's threads and/or use a tabbed lock washer under the spinner cone.

 

[wellcraft19]

Re: Lost Spinner Cone aq231A????

Thanks am_dew,

Anyone actually used a lock washer under the locking (allen) bolt? Sometimes wonder why Volvo did not spec that out. Guess there is a reason. Just not been able to figure it out.

Me also wonder if my RH prop could have at least help create the "disaster". A LH prop at least in theory will keep the prop cone (more) in place, should the locking bolt go bye-bye.

In this sad case, I had had a small damage to my (normal, 14x19) prop a few weekends before when taking a neighbor out. This day, mid-week I was just taking the boat out to "run it through" before winterizing the following day. Before leaving home, I did put on a brand new 19x21 RH which I only tested a few times, determining the pitch is a tad too high. Tightened the cone, the locking bolt, loaded the dog, and we headed down to the ramp.

Crossed Lake Washington, headed in to Lake Union, stopped at the Farmers Market, toured the houseboats for a while, back out through the Montlake Cut. Took some wonderful shots of a M:t Rainier in the red sunset, before "gunning it" back home across the lake. At full speed (rarely used), we did close to 42 knots, and getting closer to the marina on the other side, since there were no other boats out, I did ran "at speed" a tad longer than normal and then just pulled back. "Clunk"...

 

[am_dew]

Re: Lost Spinner Cone aq231A????

If I were you I would surely use the tabbed lock washer...I can't see how it would do any harm.

In order to use this, you will need to also use the cone spacer, which has the indentations on it which you bend the tabs on the washer into -- OR -- you would need to find an old style spinner cone that has the indentations already in it. Check eBay.