I just wanted to share my experience removing a stubborn seized propeller on a Volvo Penta Duo Prop. I bought a 1999 boat 5 months ago and seems like the previous owner did not take the time to remove and apply prop shaft lube to prevent the propeller from corroding and getting stuck in place. As many of you know, on DP-SM lower units, to change the oil, the props have to come out. I tried every trick to get these props out without damaging them without luck ($1200 for the F5 set). Then, searching the internet, I found a Volvo Penta Propeller Puller Tool (P/N: 3888918) for around $220 rb2rb2rb2@gr5tgr5tgr5t local dealer. The problem was that the tool has a maximum not to exceed torque ratting of 150lb/ft (and there is no guarantee of the prop coming out according to the manual). So I decided not to buy it and try something different. Here is the technique I used to remove the props.
There is a usable gap at the back of each prop vane that allows to feed a Вј" steel stranded wire from the inside of the hub (were the exhaust gases exit), through the back of the vane, up the next hole. I fed the Вј" steel wire through each of the three vanes to make loops to attach to a gear puller. To feed the wire I used a regular string with a nut attached at the tip (for weight) and a piece of wire to fish the nut out of the prop hub on the other side of the vane. The string was taped to the steel stranded wire and used to pull/feed through the back of the vanes. Sounds complicated, but took 5 minutes.
Now was the time for the puller, I'm not sure if any regular puller will work. I decided to buy a hydraulic 5 ton puller from harbor freight ($49.99). This puller does the trick without using a wrench or ratchet, just pump it! It comes with three yaw that are not needed since the steel wire was attached to where the yaws attach at the puller. The last step was to clamp each steel wire loop with two forge cable clamps each and start pumping the puller jack (make sure every loop is the same size or the puller will not be align with the prop shaft.
The tension on the wires is applied exactly on the inside of the hub against the prop shaft, so all the force is pulling the hub out of the shaft. This propeller was badly stuck but removed without torching, cutting, heating, etc. The prop made a really loud noise every time it moved. It started coming out in steps of 1/16" at the beginning.
This procedure saved me a lot of money and I hope will help some of you guys to get the props out without damaging them.
There is a usable gap at the back of each prop vane that allows to feed a Вј" steel stranded wire from the inside of the hub (were the exhaust gases exit), through the back of the vane, up the next hole. I fed the Вј" steel wire through each of the three vanes to make loops to attach to a gear puller. To feed the wire I used a regular string with a nut attached at the tip (for weight) and a piece of wire to fish the nut out of the prop hub on the other side of the vane. The string was taped to the steel stranded wire and used to pull/feed through the back of the vanes. Sounds complicated, but took 5 minutes.
Now was the time for the puller, I'm not sure if any regular puller will work. I decided to buy a hydraulic 5 ton puller from harbor freight ($49.99). This puller does the trick without using a wrench or ratchet, just pump it! It comes with three yaw that are not needed since the steel wire was attached to where the yaws attach at the puller. The last step was to clamp each steel wire loop with two forge cable clamps each and start pumping the puller jack (make sure every loop is the same size or the puller will not be align with the prop shaft.
The tension on the wires is applied exactly on the inside of the hub against the prop shaft, so all the force is pulling the hub out of the shaft. This propeller was badly stuck but removed without torching, cutting, heating, etc. The prop made a really loud noise every time it moved. It started coming out in steps of 1/16" at the beginning.
This procedure saved me a lot of money and I hope will help some of you guys to get the props out without damaging them.
