How hard to change a prop?

[Jim Marshall]

I have an old '88 Tracker V-17 w/ a 45 HP Merc. Way past time to change the prop. I believe it has the exhaust thru the hub. How hard is it to do this?



Also, this motor has suddenly become hard to start. I run it every month, and the last couple of times it's cranked and cranked, but finally turned over. What would be the most common causes of this?



Thanks for any help...



Jim

 

[Rick Cohoon]

Prop changing is easier the launching your boat. Take you five minutes tops, and that is even if you have never done it before. Colder temps.

 

[Larry Harp]

Get a 1X4 or something similar to hold the prop and a big wrench. I don't remember exactally what size...something big like a 3/4 or 7/8 and remove the nut and washers. You might have to give it a little tug if it's never been off before. Coat the shaft with some white litium grease before you put the prop back on.



Hope that helps.



Harpo

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

Make sure you tighten up the nut and put the cotter pin in after you put the new one on. I didn't and there is a beautiful SST prop out in my river somewhere.



Uncle Billy

 

[chris jeroue]

concerning your starting issue, when was the last time you changed your cranking battery? Do you keep it charged? If it has been more than 5 years I would invest in a new battery. If you have just had the battery replaced then I would look to have the motor tuned up and have your starter checked also.



arthritic minnow.

 

[TrepMan]

Prop is easy, idealy get a prop-wrench with the right sized end, if not i've used on my old Tracker a large channel lock, and as Harpo said a 1x4 or 1x1 is fine to wedge between the prop blade and the lower unit so you can have leverage.



On Starting, i'm with Minnow, I didn't realize that the reason my 115 Merc late last fall kept getting hard to start was the battery, eventualy left me dead on the water 1 mile from shore, luckily I had a full deep cycle battery and just took a few min's to reconnect and get home. New battery from walmart and BAM she fires right up!!