Change prop on boat lift ?

[SkiTundra]

The prop on my 2010 211 got bent so time for the spare. It's on a lift and I can get it up high enough for all of the prop to be out of the water and which is also a relatively good stand up working height. Any reason I shouldn't change it on the lift vs pull it out on to a trailer?

I'm guessing there's a risk of dropping the puller in the lake when the prop breaks loose but I'm not sure that's a very great risk?

Also how critical to lap it w/ valve compound?

Thanks,

[hal2814]

I don’t see why you couldn’t as long as you tie a rope to the puller and prop but I’ve never tried. I’d have a spare nut and key handy just in case. And if you can get the prop off you can probably also lap it. I wouldn’t skip that step.

[oldsmobiledriver]

I learned the long way that lapping pays off! Went many years of switching props and repairing them and still having some strange feelings in the floor here and there and just accepted it until this past winter I lapped it and the drivetrain feels to run smoother. Each time I took the prop off I could see the high spots fading away. I put an end wrench on the coupler nut and spun the shaft until the wrench hit the floor to hold the shaft from spinning and I did 20 firm rotations 3 times switching direction each time and came out clean looking!


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[charlesml3]

Sure, I change props with the boat on the lift! No problem at all. Mine is actually a bit trickier than your's because my water is way too deep to stand. I have to sit in a tube to do it. No biggie. Just be careful. Have someone on the dock to hand you tools and be deliberate in your hand-off. Make sure they have it before you let go or you'll be fishing tools off the bottom of the lake. Ask me how I know....

As far as the lapping goes, I've never done it. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with it and if it makes you feel better about it then by all means, go for it. I just never have, my dealer doesn't do it and neither does the factory. I'd think if there was some big benefit then surely Nautique would have picked up the practice by now.

-Charles

[SkiTundra]

Thanks all. It's kind of stormy this morning but hopefully I can give it a shot this afternoon.

[scottb7]

Yeah, i have changed prop a few times while boat is on left. I wedged a net under the prop between the boat and the cradle so if i dropped anything it would fall in the net.

[mpost]

I know it is a low probability, but have you ever had a cable break on you lift? When I worked under my SN last summer I put 4X4 blocking between the frame and the cradle settled the cradle on that while working.

[charlesml3]

I know it is a low probability, but have you ever had a cable break on you lift? When I worked under my SN last summer I put 4X4 blocking between the frame and the cradle settled the cradle on that while working.

No. I've had a cable break but not while I was under it. And even with that cable, it was my own fault. The lift company told me I should replace the cables every 5 years and I was out past 10 years....

-Charles

[SkiTundra]

A bit late with my reply... I was able to change it on the lift successfully. The ACME prop puller was too big to work normally (as others have found out) but fortunately when I stuck it behind the prop and gave it a moderate wack with a hammer the prop came off. Got the new prop lapped (thanks for that tip) and mounted. Much happier!

Thanks for everyone's help on this.