Anyone ever replaced a prop without a prop puller?

[jw1466]

I really don't want to pay the money for one, or pay someone to do it. I have an assortment of clamps and a flywheel puller. I'm pretty sure I can rig something up that will work and wont damage anything. Just curious if someone has a sure fire way to do it without a puller that could save me some frustration. It's an OJ 3 blade, replacing it with an ACME 541.

Thanks!

[gogger]

You will love the 541, I went ahead and bought the puller. I didn't want to take the chance. But I would think it could be done easily enough with if you can find a gear puller or flywheel puller that will fit. If you were closer I would loan you mine.

[jw1466]

You will love the 541, I went ahead and bought the puller. I didn't want to take the chance. But I would think it could be done easily enough with if you can find a gear puller or flywheel puller that will fit. If you were closer I would loan you mine.

I sure wish you did too! Thanks for the offer. I'm pretty certain I can get it done with the tools I have with some improvisation. There's a pretty good amount of room between the fins on a three blade to get something through there. Whenever I get around to doing it (the boat is stored out of town or I'd do it tonight) I will be sure to take some good pics so others wont be forced to buy a tool that they may only use once a year, if that. The cheapest one I've been able to find was around $80, which seems a bit steep for a modified $5 C clamp. But I sure am looking forward to having that 541 on there. I put a slight bend on the tip of one of the fins on the stock OJ, the difference that made was amazing, my 325hp monster turned into a 4 banger Tahoe in the blink of an eye. It will still get up to about 40, but it would do 55 easily before, and the wholeshot was greatly reduced, It's a completely different boat than when I bought it.

[haugy]

I borrowed one from a local boat shop with a $50 deposit that they returned when I returned the puller in tact. Call around to your local boat shops. They may pop it off for about $20 cash if you walk up to a shop monkey and hand him a $20 and see if they can pop it real quick.

You can do it without one, but it's a bitch. A lot of hammering, blocks of wood, more hammering, swear words, muscle strain, swear words, more hammering.....repeat.

[TitanTn]

Another vote of confidence for the 541. Love it.

I used a gear puller on mine and didn't really have any issues.

[wotan2525]

Leave the nut on and an oxy torch will cause it to pop right off.

If you don't have an oxy torch, use a propane torch... heat it up and then use a BFH (a big rubber one) to knock it off.

I've done it this way every time.

[jasun]

I was at a boat show and saw a big nut at a Prop guy's booth that he said you screw it on the end and whack it with a hammer and it will make it come loose.. anyone seen these?

[cadunkle]

I've pulled my original OJ cast 3 blade with a 3 jaw puller. Fit past hte blades and came off easily. I'll be pulling mine again this week as I just got a 541 too. Popular prop it seems!

[wotan2525]

http://www.nautiqueparts.com/acmeharmonicproppuller.aspx

They work great!

[kbckz]

An ex marina owner walked me through removal of mine without a prop puller. Just blocked the prop with a piece of wood against the hull and took it right off.

[crystal waters]

I borrowed one from a local boat shop with a $50 deposit that they returned when I returned the puller in tact. Call around to your local boat shops. They may pop it off for about $20 cash if you walk up to a shop monkey and hand him a $20 and see if they can pop it real quick.

You can do it without one, but it's a bitch. A lot of hammering, blocks of wood, more hammering, swear words, muscle strain, swear words, more hammering.....repeat.

----you didn't have enough swearing in your reply Haugy! I would add at least four more!!!!

[jzelt]

I did it with the torch and block of wood the first time. Tried it with a three arm puller. Then spent the 75 and got a puller designed for it. Can it be done without the right/designed tool? Yes. Do I want to build a kitchen cabinet with a scroll saw? A lot prob depends on when it was last taken off vs how secure it is in place.

[SquamInboards]

I did it with the torch and block of wood the first time. Tried it with a three arm puller. Then spent the 75 and got a puller designed for it. Can it be done without the right/designed tool? Yes. Do I want to build a kitchen cabinet with a scroll saw? A lot prob depends on when it was last taken off vs how secure it is in place.

Agreed, I have taken mine off a few times without the puller, it's just the way my prop mated to the shaft. One good whack with a 2x4 it's come right off several times. But many others have required a lot of force with the puller to break the two apart, on various other boats.

In any case, back the nut off but leave it on the threads, so that when the prop does pop off, it doesn't hit you, it can pop off with a lot of force. You will probably be fine with the tools you have for occasional use. Really each prop and shaft are a little different as far as how they mate together, therefore how hard they are to take apart.

[jw1466]

Thanks for all of the suggestions, guys!

[CornRickey]

If your going to use the old one as a spare, buy the puller. Torches don't work under water and your going to spend the cash in tips for the tow of shame back to the ramp and burn a day also. Carry swim goggles also.

[Ptownkid]

I have always taken mine off with a gear puller.

[jw1466]

Leave the nut on and an oxy torch will cause it to pop right off.

If you don't have an oxy torch, use a propane torch... heat it up and then use a BFH (a big rubber one) to knock it off.

I've done it this way every time.


9 months later and I have an update! I actually did this last July but never posted back on this thread. But the torch method worked great. I heated it up at the base with a butane torch for about 30 seconds, tapped it with a brass hammer and it popped right off! The 541 is a great prop btw, very pleased with it.

[TitanTn]

Thanks for the update. It's always good to hear the outcome.

[Zim]

A prop puller is a good investment, and good peace of mind to have in your boat. A prop puller, portable impact drill, and the correct size socket will make changing your prop a 5 minute ordeal. It will take more time replacing the cotter pin than the prop if you set yourself up with the correct tools for the job. Why smack your prop with a hammer or 2x4 and risk dinging it when you can just pull the trigger of a cordless drill and watch it fall off?

[chris young]

I'm pulling the shaft this weekend on my boat, since loosing my prop at the end of the season, I figure the key banging against a loose prop may have cracked the shaft so I don't want to loose a brand new 541 (yup, another one) to a broken shaft for the sake of a quick dye check. Plus, the prop should be lapped, and doing that under the boat would be a pain. I can't speak to this as an expert, only what I've researched, and I would never consider installing a prop without lapping it after watching an expert explain how it should work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ozh4JjoWm4

[Aaron187]

I went to Autozone and used their free loan program...did in their parking lot...

[smgperformance]

I went to Autozone and used their free loan program...did in their parking lot...

X2 most of my repairs are in that parking lot haha

[Smitty75]

I'm pulling the shaft this weekend on my boat, since loosing my prop at the end of the season, I figure the key banging against a loose prop may have cracked the shaft so I don't want to loose a brand new 541 (yup, another one) to a broken shaft for the sake of a quick dye check. Plus, the prop should be lapped, and doing that under the boat would be a pain. I can't speak to this as an expert, only what I've researched, and I would never consider installing a prop without lapping it after watching an expert explain how it should work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ozh4JjoWm4

I just went through this yesterday when installing my new prop, but did it under the boat as the shaft was still installed. Really only took about 20 mins. Followed the same video. Went from less than 50% contact to probably 90%.