Aluminum Prop $125, Stainless prop $2600

[SeaHorse]

That's a difference of $2475 extra for the stainless prop. Here's the breakdown:<br />Stainless prop $350<br />New lower unit $2250<br />Total $ 2600<br /><br />Before going to stainless, a new prop (aluminum) only cost me about $150. The stainless prop cost $2600. I'll be going back to aluminum for good. A marine mechanic told me the best aluminums are the ones with the plastic core thing that snaps when you hit a rock then chances are you only need to fix that, unlike the stainless prop that takes out the shafts and gears of your lower unit. Supposedly, the pressed in rubber hub will slip but that's a joke played on the unsuspecting outboard owner--it doesn't. <br /> I'm currently looking for a used replacement lower unit since the rebuild costs are astronomical. Use those stainless props at your own risk.

 

[quantumleap]

Re: Aluminum Prop $125, Stainless prop $2600

In certain circumstances the stainless can be a little more risky to the lower end than a two piece hub aluminum. But I wouild say that it happens that often. If you're interested, Michigan Wheel now makes the stainless Rapture prop whith the same type 2 piece hub as a factory Merc prop. No more risk.

 

[JB]

Re: Aluminum Prop $125, Stainless prop $2600

I think your case was very unusual, Seahorse. How did you smack a rock that hard with the prop without smacking it with your skeg?<br /><br />The idea persists in some that a rubber hub in a SS prop wont break loose as quickly as in an AL prop. We hear this regularly. My opinion is that it will break loose faster.<br /><br />I think it is also true that if you hit a rock going fast enough a sponge rubber prop wont save your driveline. Neither would an AL prop.<br /><br />I don't know what axe your wrench had to grind, but he seems to confuse opinions with facts. Blaming your misfortune on a SS prop is unethical.

 

[SeaHorse]

Re: Aluminum Prop $125, Stainless prop $2600

I'm not saying SS props are always bad. I loved the performance of mine and it was great in sand and mud bottom lakes. However, if you take your boat to a rocky area and you explore areas other than the safe, well marked channels, you should put on your old, aluminum or plastic backup prop. Many remote areas, e.g. Georgian Bay in NE Lake Huron are not well marked and in some cases are marked wrong and could be costly to your pocketbook and your boating time when your gearbox is taken out. I left my nice, shiny stainless prop on and it cost me. <br /> I don't mind losing a prop or two, that's the price you pay for having the vulnerable prop instead of a jet but I don't like my lower unit trashed. It's kind of like the SUV tire blowouts: I don't mind an occasional blowout, but when the truck rolls over I get concerned.

 

[rickdb1boat]

Re: Aluminum Prop $125, Stainless prop $2600

SeaHorse<br /><br />They both have rubber hubs and I doubt that your problem would have been any different using an aluminum prop...

 

[Johnshan1]

Re: Aluminum Prop $125, Stainless prop $2600

Aluminum Blades will bend and break much easier than the stainless thereby reducing the forces on the lower unit.<br /><br />I will not use a stainless prop as the rocky coast of maine seems to like to ding up my prop once a year

 

[sundog]

Re: Aluminum Prop $125, Stainless prop $2600

some venerable names advocateing the stainless here...but I agree with the op. Ive had both, and hit rocks/coral at slow speeds with both (slow enough to barely chip my skeg). the stainless just wouldnt shear quickly enough and cost me a lower unit. the aluminum chewed itself to bits, and saved my gearbox. I think on a log, or something that the stainless could bite into and shear, youd be OK, but in rocks/coral I prefer the aluminium.

 

[sledhead041]

Re: Aluminum Prop $125, Stainless prop $2600

The plastic insert you refer to is also available in many ss props…. In fact the same one that is in Merc alum props is the same one you can use in the ss props from Merc. There right….. you had to hit something just right to cause damage like that and it would have happened no matter what prop you use.

 

[Bass Runner]

Re: Aluminum Prop $125, Stainless prop $2600

Seahorse what was you tring to do cut wood with your motor, chainsaw is a lot cheaper.

 

[walleyehed]

Re: Aluminum Prop $125, Stainless prop $2600

Above, JB mentioned the fact (and it IS fact) that the hub in an SS prop breaks loose much quicker than in an aluminum prop.<br />Most instances of lower unit damage occur when the object strikes the L.U. directly...the prop holds no blame for that.<br />If a stainless blade strikes an object and blows the gears before the rubber hub slips, there were issues with the lower unit before the strike.<br />Aluminum has it's place, and that is where only general use, or standard performance and life are expected.

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: Aluminum Prop $125, Stainless prop $2600

I've seen complete blades sheared off on aluminum props and the gearcase survived. I've seen dings in stainless props and the gearcase guts turned to mush. The rubber hubs aren't there so much to save the gearcase from impact damage as to absorb the shock of shifting.

 

[walleyehed]

Re: Aluminum Prop $125, Stainless prop $2600

Willy, you've never run a solid hub prop, have you......<br />On high HP situations they exclude the hub (SS only, aluminum won't take the stress) because they just spin the hub...<br />Has nothing to do with shifting...the fact the prop is in a fluid is your shock absorber.<br />I've seen aluminum props with just a bent blade that sheared a gear and on tuesday, a group down here mapping the lake bottom sheared 1/3 of 1 blade off of a LazerII, and all it did was slipped the hub..actually didn't shear it clear off, but tore 3/4 of the way thru...<br />Bottom line..Stainless props will NOT hurt your gearcase...lack of PROPER maintenance will.

 

[Bass Runner]

Re: Aluminum Prop $125, Stainless prop $2600

Hi Kenny get my E-mail? How do you wire the old airguide tach, 2 wire (yellow and black) control wires (yellow and gray)? Dave

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Aluminum Prop $125, Stainless prop $2600

hello<br />i have heard the debate both ways. i really dont think it matters i have seen gear cases trashed with both.the rubber prop hup has nothing to do with impact or shock or anything else other than its cheap to manufacture.kinda like a freeze plug has nothing to do with freeze protection.<br /> the prop is a lot cheaper to make if you insert the splines on a self aligning rubber hub rather than trying to machine the splines in the correct plane of the prop blades. the hub is strictly a manufactuing device. its kinda like the "drive saver" coupler that Volvo uses/. by the time the "drive saver" blows the unit is trash.<br /> good luck and sorry to hear of a gearcase problem

 

[Hooty]

Re: Aluminum Prop $125, Stainless prop $2600

Boating in the rocks is like partying nekkid in Mexico. S**t's gonna happen! <br /><br />c/6<br />Hooty

 

[walleyehed]

Re: Aluminum Prop $125, Stainless prop $2600

Roger 40-10 on that Hooty!!!

 

[seahorse5]

Re: Aluminum Prop $125, Stainless prop $2600

I'm with Rodbolt's belief. On some counter rotating motors, you can only get stainless steel props, by the way.<br /><br />The whole situation is like the tilt latches that allow the motor to kick up when you hit something. At a high enough speed, if you hit a solid object with the gearcase, inertia does not allow the motor to tilt up and the gearcase is severely damaged. This happens even if you leave the latch "loose".<br /><br />Just to avoid confusion, I am a different seahorse than the original poster. I see that he spells his handle differently.

 

[Dhadley]

Re: Aluminum Prop $125, Stainless prop $2600

I've hit solid bottom hard enough to fold over a blade on a SS prop and never hurt the gears. I've had a gear tear up and not had a ding on the prop. <br /><br />I believe that if SS props even came close to hurting a gearcase the OE's wouldnt sell them (think about the costs to supply a new lower unit on a motor under factory warranty) and the SS aftermarket companies would all be long gone. <br /><br />I was riding with a buddy and we hit hard enough to shear the piviot shaft in his 200. Never hurt the gears.<br /><br />Food for thought -- there are gears on the market that are less than acceptable. One OE company (just before they left the scene) was using some cheap inferior gears. In an effort to "cut costs" they had the vendor skip a process or two in the manufacturing process. <br /><br />One aftermarket supplier I know brought in some gears from overseas and had a 100% failure rate. It had nothing to do with props.

 

[walleyehed]

Re: Aluminum Prop $125, Stainless prop $2600

 

[jimmbo]

Re: Aluminum Prop $125, Stainless prop $2600

The rubber hub is really only there to cushion the trauma to the gears when 20 pounds of Stainless is instantly accellerated from zero rpm to 300 - 500 rpm(depending on gear ratio). worst still going from forward to reverse while boat in motion.<br /><br />I bent a propshaft while using my stainless and the skeg was barely touched.<br />

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