Re: Questions on mounting prop
When you replace the prop first on is the bronze thrust washer properly oriented (conical inside of the washer fits, is matched to, the conical part of the prop shaft. I think the engine side of that washer is smooth and the prop side has a raised area where it contacts the prop.
Then on with the grease, If nothing else, Lubriplate, the white grease, is pretty much waterproof and great for marine applications. Reason for the grease is so that when you are ready to remove the prop it will slide off the shaft.
Prop next, then locking fingered washer and then the nylon inserted ss prop nut. The front of the prop nut needs to fit inside the hex detent in the washer which will lock the washer to the nut and once the tabs (mentioned in the next para.) are pushed down, the nut can't back off. It's a 2 handed operation to tighten the nut and keep the it in the washers grooves as you tighten.
Like stated 50-55 ft-lbs is what my owners manual says for a similar lower unit....what's that (if you don't have a torque wrench)? Put a 2x4 block of wood between a prop blade and the flat plate above the pro (anti-ventilation plate). Get a 1/2" breakover bar (preferably) with suitable socket and tighten until you start getting enough resistance where you have to start putting some muscle into it; don't put it on with all your strength. That's pretty close. In deciding where to stop turning, look at the locking tabs on the washer and line up 3 of the 6 tabs with 3 slots in the back of the prop and stop there. You are finished with the wood.
Then take a hammer and screwdriver/ punch, or whatever and bend the 3 tabs of the washer down and into the groves in the back of the prop that match.
Rotate the prop and observe the clearance between the blade and the bottom of the anti-vent plate and then the blade tip and the zinc trim tab. The numbers Bond-O gave you is what I use on both measurements. If you can't get the desired clearance on the trim tab, take a file and cut the tab, not the prop, till you get the desired clearance, or Merc makes zinc trim tabs that are made for high pitched props, but they have less blade area and as a result have less effect on trim offset control.
Then, when you think you "got-er-done", spin the prop and ensure that it spins freely.
I realize that other posters told you the same thing; I just added some more detail which sometimes helps if you never did this before.
HTH
Mark
