Prop/Shaft problems!!!!!

If your using an impact gun on a puller you'll probably break it every time. Mine was stuck a few years back. I put a puller on it, cranked it down tight with a socket (not impact). Tapped on the end bolt with a hammer, tightened a bit more, tapped with a hammer, and it eventually came off after doing this several times. Heating the prop once the puller is installed will help. Just be prepared for when it pops off. It'll startle you.

used the impact on 1 puller, tightened the crap out of the other one, even used heat while under tension, no luck, now i have to wait until new puller arrives, and i have done screwed up the prop, guess it is time to pull the sawzall out and remove the prop! i got spring break next week and the kids really want to kneeboard, bummer, i guess i messed that up. any suggestions while i wait on the puller?

nuttyskier, that was my next plan, i have a 500 ton pess at work,i WILL get it off, or break it! i notice you have a centurion, i also have an '87 centurion i purchased for 800.00 , i seem to like it, how do you like yours?

Hi gregr1971,
My Ski Centurion is a fine boat for the money. The steering is a bit stiff, but I've heard this is common with these boats. Also, it rides very rough in anything but smooth water. Other than that, it's a great boat and is very well built,...very solid. No problems yet with flooring or stringers. Did you mean to say you bought yours for $8,000? I paid $6900 for mine 4 years ago with 490 hours on it. Since then I've done numerous upgrades. Be glad to share these with you if you are interested.

I thought mine was never going to come off this fall. Cranked the hell out of the puller while heating all around the hub and banging with the hammer. I was just about to give up and decided to just heat the bejeebers out of it...suddenly, bloink! There it was, i think it was a real lot of heat that did it. Sent the prop to Delta to be recondidtioned, came back looking real pretty, can't wait to try it out. Still way cold here in PA.

the rudder shouldn't be inline with the strut. Try hitting the prop on the side in between the blades and against the hub area towards the back end, use a zip gun if you have one, and do this on both sides and while the puller is under load. Tighten pull by hand and don't use an impact on it.

You can melt the strut bushings if use to much heat and get the shaft hot, which isn't going to help you, you only want to heat the prop. You will get some heat transfer to shaft but not enough to worry about so pay attaintion to where you are heating and make sure it's as even as possible all around the prop in other words don't heat it in one spot only, keep the torch moving around the prop's hub area and as much of the flame off of the shaft as possible.

I was careful to just heat the prop hub. I was using a little bernzomatic torch, maybe that's why it took so long!?

a plumber's torch isn't going to produce the heat needed you need a O2, acteline set-up to get-r-done.

   Absolute worst case where your prop is trash anyway is to cut off a blade from the prop, and use a thin grinding wheel on edge to cut a slit in the prop where the keyway is so you wont nick the shaft.

                             Jeff....

yea, i could cut it, but i'm sure someone might need one to get back on the water, and good ole' Greg could come to their rescue, gonna try and hook up with 882001 and get it off,if not, gonna pull the shaft and rudder, and take it to work, heat the crap out of it, and put the 500 ton press on it, i might go ahead and do that as to not damage the prop any further, it is a federal 13x13x1 cup, i have an acme and an oj, i beleive both of these are better than the federal??

you guy's will not believe this!   i got my puller today, went out to my boat was putting the puller on, and i bumped the prop while putting it on, the da** prop popped loose, now this is some crap, i fought for 3 days trying to get it off, and then just when i am about to give up..... it falls off????

Karma. BKH

too late!!!   just kiding!