Classic Australian Wooden Power Boat Association

Another way to do it is to pull the propshaft out and use a piece of heavy tube which is a comfortable fit over the propshaft and about a meter long. Loosen the prop nut off and leave it so that it protects the propshaft thread and the end of the propshaft, using a piece of hardwood on the ground put the propshaft propellor end down on the hardwood and use the heavy tube as a slide hammer to knock the prop off. Its a lot more accurate than using hammers and wont damage the blades of the prop or the propshaft. Just make sure that the ends the of tube are machined with a nice flat end so that they contact the back of the prop hub evenly.

This eliminates the need for fancy pullers and the fact that they generally dont hang onto the hub of a prop that well anyway. Trust me when you use a puller it will let go a couple of times before it actually pulls the prop off, it does let go with some force. Also when you use a puller and it eventually does pull the prop off it comes off like a bullet and will hit you in the guts because you are behind it winding the puller nut with a spanner. So if you persist with a puller leave the propshaft nut on the shaft after you loosen it.

Just one more thing when you put any prop onto a propshaft and run the boat. For the first couple of days out on the water always check that the propshaft nut is properly tightened at the end of the day. I use nyloc propshaft nuts, thread lube and a rattle gun to tighten them, but a propeller hub, despite its inherent toughness, will stretch and move up the propshaft a bit when it is used for the first couple of times. That's why they are so hard to get off.


Spook

Hi spook,

I lost it laughing when you wrote "it comes off like a bullet and will hit you in the guts", because I remember the first time I removed a prop and managed to shoot the shaft from the garage through the bedroom wall (double layered gyprock).

Well I got my prop off with very little amount of bad language. I gave in and bought a puller and it worked as well as they said it should. When i received it I thought that I would have to get another u shaped plate made up because the clearance between the prop and skeg was only a few mm then I realised that if I loosened the nuts on the coupling that bolts on to the back of the gearbox that the shaft would slide back enough for the puller to fit. I have sent the prop off to get it shaped to 13 degrees so I am keen to see what difference that makes. Thanks Brain for sending through your pictures of your puller I thought it was easier to buy one.
Cheers Chris

I'd be interested in seeing a picture of this puller. Can you put one up on here?

Spook

I reciently purchased one from Rolco Marine .
It is made from hard bronze and is very easy to use .
And at $110 its good value .
I had to wait for them to have them cast up,but it wasnt long .
Its a great tool and saves nerves /knuckles /shafts/etc...
Ric...

Take a look at this - the best quality prop puller on the market. It is an ACME 228S - SS casting from the US and $90 in Melbourne. http://www.originalpropshop.com.au/ It is about 2/3 of the way down the page. The on-line price in the US is a few cents under $90 USD.

This is the prop puller that I use and I swear by it - it looks the same as the one listed above. Well done to the Prop Shop in Melbourne by charging a fair price for an imported product. Phone them on 03 9761 0699.

Bob

I bought the one that "chuckle" posted for $87 it's not as flash others. I sent my prop via post on Friday and austral phoned today to say it's done and in the post. That's great service. Cheers Chris