bent prop/shaft??
 

I was running back to the launch the other day and I hit a trap marker that had its cap off…( Looked like a piece of rebar that was sticking out the water about an inch or two. They had two before this one with pvc caps marking them. I thought I went past them enough before I turned but apparently not…) I hit hard, knocked the tiller out of my hand and picked the motor up. I picked up my motor and everything seemed to be alright, the prop looked ok as well. I didn’t feel much of a vibration on the way back to the launch. However, when I got back to the home and started looking at it I noticed that the prop wobbles now. Do y’all think it’s the shaft, prop, or both? Thanks!


The motor is a 2 stroke 25 Merc.

im no mechanic by any means

but could it be the nut on the prop was knocked loose?

It can be either one or both. It is possible for the rubber hub inside the prop to get crooked from impact. But it can also be a bent prop shaft. If you are running a stainless steel propeller,it probably bent the shaft.

It did seem pretty loose when I took off the prop. How tight to I do I need to make it, just snug or actually tight? Should I use a torque wrench?

It's an aluminum prop.

Thanks!

Kellen

What I did on my old boat is I took a long flat head screwdriver, and held it on the nut in the center of the prop. Then I took a marker put me a black mark further up on the screwdriver. Then I slowly turned the prop with my hand, and If I seen the black mark moving up and down then I knew I had a bent prop shaft. This may not be an official way to tell, but it worked for me. I took the prop shaft to some machine shop on HWY 90 in Sulphur, and they straightened it for me for free. They said they couldn't get it perfectly straight, but they got it very very close. After they straightened it, I did the same test with the screwdriver, and the black mark didn't move anymore.

Thanks y'all,
I'll have to try that! Do you happen to remember the shops name? (I live in Sulphur)

Kellen

It's been a while, but I think it was a place called UTEC. Looked online and this is their address. 3092 East Napoleon Street
Sulphur, LA 70663-3709

UTEC is a commercial truck parts store.

Bent shaft test
 

Take the prop off.

Take a phillips screwdriver and put it in the gap where the shaft meets the lower unit housing. The "X" of the screwdriver should be flat against the shaft kinda like this. _X_

Turn the shaft by hand.

If your screwdriver wobbles any, your shaft is bent.

Well if I remember correctly, they had a store, and then right next to that they had a shop. I brought it to the guys in the shop.

Talkin about Hawes and Son???

UTEC on Hwy 90 also has a machine shop in the old building next door, it is fairly primative but a machine shop none the less. You should be able to spin the prop and tell if it is bent. 25 hp prop shaft should not be that hard to find used. Dad just had one straightened but It will never be back to original tolerances. Just don't price a new one if you have a weak heart $$$$$$.

creole steel??

No, there used to be a convienence store there and they moved some machines in and Wala and machine shop!;)

Bam!! Dats how we do it in Sulphur son!!!