prop and shaft wedded

margitchris · Post by **margitchris** » Sun Apr 22, 2007 8:08 pm

OK, I'm not cool. I bought the $100 prop puller. I confidently marched out to the backyard and fitted the puller onto the prop shaft and tightened the bolts. Nothing. I fired up my MAPP gas torch and heated the prop hub. Nothing. I even, against some people's advice, gave a few whacks with a carpentry hammer to the puller tool. Nothing.
I've tried this process four times since Friday, suirting the shaft several times a day with PB Blaster.
Now, the question. Is there any point to playing the patience game and simply repeating the above process until the prop lets go, or should I cut the shaft, and plan on buying new everything? It's not the first time I've bought an expensive tool not to have it work.
Thank you,
Chris Miller
Seafarer 31 yawl
Lloyd, Florida

Figment · Post by **Figment** » Sun Apr 22, 2007 8:18 pm

out of curiosity, which $100 tool did you buy?

Unless you're in an awful hurry, I'd keep it up for another week at least.

margitchris · Post by **margitchris** » Sun Apr 22, 2007 8:34 pm

I bought the Walter "Safe Way" puller. It is the typw that has a steel disc that fits around the shaft behind the prop. Three bolts extend from the disc between the prop blades to another steel disc that fits over the prop nut. I tried to fabricate one of my own, but oak wasn' up to the task. I've tightened the bolts as tight as I can get them without using extra force like breaker bars, stc. I have the time. I'll repeat the squirt and heat process for a while longer.

Post by **Tim** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 10:42 am

Take your time. Keep tightening the bolts. Keep applying the PB Blaster or whatever. Props have a way of suddenly springing off when you least expect it, even after a hard fight.

JonnyBoats · Post by **JonnyBoats** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 12:36 pm

Another thing to try is to give the end of the prop shaft a solid whack with a sledge hammer. The vibration this causes can often cause the prop to pop loose from the shaft. Before you do this put a sacrificial nut on the end of the shaft (or something) so it is the nut and not the shaft you actually hit.

Before cutting the shaft you may want to price a new one, they are not cheap!

Shoalcove · Post by **Shoalcove** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 8:54 pm

Last time I removed my prop I asked the yard to borrow their prop puller. They handed me a sledge hammer and a big bronze drift! "Place drift on back of prop, apply persuasion" said they. Worked fine. I later discovered that the same tool also removes chainplates but that is another story.
Best regards'
David

bcooke · Post by **bcooke** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 9:17 pm

Hammers are very useful tools. But if you have a bronze shaft just keep in mind that bronze is pretty soft and easily distorted.

I agree that time is your ally. You might think nothing is happening but time and a little penetrating oil can be real magic. A little shock from the hammer often helps the magic but keep in mind my first piece of advice that I earned the hard way.

-Britton

margitchris · Post by **margitchris** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 7:43 am

Just for the benefit of the lurkers, today is Sunday, more than a week after I began my efforts to remove the prop. I have squirter penetrating oil on the shaft on both sides of the prop at least twice a day. I have kept the puller's three bolts as tight as I can get them without using extra mechanical force. I have heated the prop hub for incrementally longer periods of time, stopping when the stainless steel shaft felt warm to the touch. I have also whacked the end of the shaft with a hammer to try and shock the prop free. The prop is still wedded, but I will continue the process. Sometimes I simply will the molecules to unbind themselves. Maybe I can get my Cherokee Indian friend to come lay his hands on it!

JonnyBoats · Post by **JonnyBoats** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 12:12 pm

You do have another option _if_ you can take the shaft out of the boat with the prop still on it. If so, take the shaft with the prop on it to a shop with a hydraulic press and they will press the prop off without any damage.

richfriend · Post by **richfriend** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 11:05 pm

Can't be any worse than mine. I couldn't get the prop nut off after months of PBlaster, Tabasco Sauce, heat, impact, more Tabasco, more heat etc. Eventually I just used a bigger wrench and sheared off the threaded end of the shaft. I still had to resort to a borrowed prop puller (looked like a heavy duty taper jig for a table saw) which did the trick on the prop.

Wickford Marine Consigment has quite a few good used prop shafts, most of which are reasonable. I got a monel shaft and had it cut to length and rekeyed for less than $100.00.

If you end up looking for a shaft, talk to Sam there or let me know the specs and i will see what they have the next time I am there. (It is only about 5 mi.)

Jason K · Post by **Jason K** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 10:33 am

I was watching Deadliest Catch last night and they were attempting to replace a prop on one of the crab boats. The used an explosive charge to knock the prop loose when all other means failed (this was done with the boat in the water).

I'm not saying you should do this. But if you do, be sure to videotape it.

margitchris · Post by **margitchris** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 11:36 am

Thanks for all the ideas. The skeg-hung rudder makes pulling the whole shaft impossible. It will have to be pulled from inside the hull with the engine at least moved off its mounts, making an excellent opportunity to repleace motor mounts and put a good, clean coat of Bilgecoat on the engine beds. I plan to expoxy in a new figerglass stuffing tube, fit a new cutless bearing, and an internal stuffing box. ( I still need to post a picture of the external one before I pull it off. I'll try a good dose of Tabasco.

Chris Miller

Figment · Post by **Figment** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 11:44 am

Stainless or bronze shaft?

margitchris · Post by **margitchris** » Tue May 01, 2007 11:39 am

The shaft is stainless.

margitchris · Post by **margitchris** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 4:38 pm

Today is Sunday, February 3, 2008. I decided a few weeks ago that it was time to give up hoping that the prop would come off and simply cut the shaft. Today, however, I tried the nuts on the puller one more time and was surprised to notice they were loose. all three took at least a full turn and still acted like they could go tighter. I used an old stanchion as a breaker bar and really leaned on the wrench. Suddenlt there was a loud pop and something whacked the palm of my hand. I was sure I had broken a bolt, but the bolts were whole. With a quizical heart I peeked at the prop hub and, sure enough, it had sprung. I'm glad I left the prop nut on!
Here endeth the thread!

Chris Miller
Seafarer 31 yawl #210
Lloyd, Florida

Shoalcove · Post by **Shoalcove** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 5:01 pm

Congratulations! A hard earned victory from the sounds of it. Best of luck with the rest of the job.