Need help: How to change or repair a prop yourself?

[PAX]

I need some help with my prop. Saturday I was going across Cape Cod bay in choppy water. I was looking at a landmark on the shore to guide me and did not see a lobster bouy. There are so many of them that boating in CC bay is sometimes like slaloming. Anyway, my prop hit the bouy and cut it in half. It slowed me down a bit a first but I got back to the ramp OK. Once the boat was out of the water I noticed that all three blades on my Suzuki 140HP were bent. Two slightly and one has more damaged. I have two options: replace the prop, repair that one and keep it as a backup or just repair that one. I have never changed a prop but would like to do it myself. How easy is it? Would you do it yourself or have it done by a shop? Is it just a matter or unscrewing the nut or is there more to it? How long does it take to do the job yourself?

In my quest for information I found this interesting link:

Guide to prop repair (http://www.in-fisherman.com/walleye_insider/articles/wi1406_Props/)

Thanks in advance for your help.

[DaleH]

Pat:

Easy to do yourself. Take it off and and look at the washers and thrust washers used and make note of their specific installation sequence. Then bring the prop to your nearest West Marine, you'll get it back in a week. They use New England Props and they are the BEST prop people around from my experience.

When you go to put it back on, use a new cotter pin, and make sure the castleated nut is tight. Also make sure the prop shaft is greased with a good waterproof synthetic grease like OMC/Bombardier "Triple Guard" grease (blue in color). I'm sure Suzi sells an equivalent grease.

[Telliedog]

My experience is it all depends on how much they are "bent" and if it is aluminum or stinless steel. My understanding is that you can bend back the aluminum ones on your own within reason but it adds to to the metal fatigue. I hit a rock and bent a stainless steel one - sent it back and it took three weeks and $150 to get it retuned. I ended up keeping it as a spare on the boat after shelling out for a new one so I could keep fishing. Aluminum props arent too expensive - could be worth buying a new one and banging your old one back into shape and keeping it as a spare, depending on how old it is already. Bending back the edges is easy. If it needs to be retuned that is more difficult. Sounds like your damage is minor. Otherwise you would have noticed the bend impact the engine performance when running.

A buddy of mine has a house on the rocky Maine coastline. He has a great collection of bent aluminum props hanging from the rafters of his cottage.

[PAX]

Thanks for your input. I will perform the "surgery" tomorrow. I will let you know how it went.

[Nauti Buoy]

Changing out a prop is easy to do. If the damage is VERY slight, you can probably re-shape the blades. BUT, again depending upon the severity of damage, there is always the possibility that a prop repaired using the "home remedy" approach could be out of balance, causing vibration to the gearing in the lower unit. Generally, your better off having it done by pros (NEP) that have the right equipment.

[PAX]

You guys were right, changing the prop is very easy. One cotter pin, one nut, two washers and you are done. The tought part for me was to find the same prop 3*14*17. West Marine had the 3*13 1/4*17. NE prop had one in .... Plymouth. Just could not find the prop closr to home so I decided to go with the repair. The prop was slightly damaged and it came out pretty nice. Fished Vineyard sound the next day See Ray's Bone Head Move report (http://reel-time.com/forum/showthread.php?p=130109#post130109) and the boat did great. I will get a new prop and keep the current one on the boat with a prop wrench just in case.

Now a couple of things surprised me:

1) The nut was not tighten. I was able to unscrew the nut by hand (?????)
2) There was close to no grease on the shaft (????????)

Weird knowing that the engine has less than 40 hours and just came back from maintenance.

Anyway thanks for all your help.