Help. Prop drive pin stuck

H

h20_hooked

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Sep 26, 2007
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1974 Century Raven 200, 307ci OMC I/O,

Want to replace my propeller but the drive pin (3/8" dia?) will not come out.
The drive pin is pressed through a collar into the propeller shaft retaining the thrust washer, propeller.... Looks simple enough to replace ther prop but the drive pin has been kicking my butt!

I've tried tapping it out with a steel rod, but don't want to damage anything else by hammering too hard.
Also heated the collar/shaft (other than the pin), but that didn't help.
Been spraying with a 'knock out' agent (forgot the brand name) to loosen, but pin is rusted pretty bad.

Anyone know the proper way to remove the drive pin?
Ideas or suggestions are greatly appreciated?
 
wire2

wire2

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Re: Help. Prop drive pin stuck

The problem with using heat, is that steel shrinks when it cools, so if you don't get it apart hot, it's even tighter now.

Try a BIG C-clamp, with a short piece of pipe over one end of the pin, (slightly longer than the pin) and press on the other end. A bench vise will be even stronger.

If you've been striking the pin with a punch or hammer, there will be a slight mushroom on the pin, slightly grind it to a taper before it gets to the shaft.
 
H

h20_hooked

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Re: Help. Prop drive pin stuck

Thanks, I'll give that a try this weekend.

Good call on the mushrooming of the pin...that's when I knew it wasn't going anywhere.
 
MikDee

MikDee

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Re: Help. Prop drive pin stuck

Just a suggestion, get a hardened pin, piece of rod (usually black colored) that is almost that size, and try hitting that against it, it will not absorb the shock as a softer metal rod would, and give you more driving power!
 
H

h20_hooked

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Re: Help. Prop drive pin stuck

So now I'm a little nervous.

I put my bench vise with a short pipe on the pin and broke the crank (it's a cheap harbor freight unit).
Was able to twist some more with a 1/2" wrench, but that didn't last long.

Is it really that difficult to remove this pin?
Will get a quality vise tomorrow and try again, but I'm afraid it will cause more problems.

Can the pressed-pin propeller retaining system be upgraded/swapped for the type I've seen with a large nut or other means?
 
MikDee

MikDee

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Re: Help. Prop drive pin stuck

As I said you need a hardened steel pin to drive out the crank pin, and you have to jar it by hitting it, not slow pressure like a vise.
 
H

h20_hooked

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Re: Help. Prop drive pin stuck

MikDee said:
As I said you need a hardened steel pin to drive out the crank pin, and you have to jar it by hitting it, not slow pressure like a vise.
Click to expand...

I started out using a steel rod (striking it with a hammer), but it mushroomed the pin. The rod indented some, but not as much as the pin musroomed out. The rod is clearly of harder mat'l than the pin.

Don't want to keep hitting it because I'm afraid it might damage something else. I could take a sledge hammer to it, but that will be pointless if I have to repair the whole lower end.

Other suggestions?
 
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