Prop Fell Off

mfbutler · May 22, 2008

My prop just fell off. I was reversing, went to go forward and couldnt, lifted up my motor to find the prop missing. I was just wondering, what could cause this? Do I have more to worry about then just buying a new prop? I read through these forums and cant seem to find anyone who has had the same issue.

I have a 60hp 1986 Envinrude, but cant figure out the transom size (help here would be nice as well).

Thanks in advance.

Frank Acampora · May 22, 2008

Re: Prop Fell Off

OUCH!

Most of those evinrudes had a locking nut holding on the prop but some had a drilled shaft with a cotter holding the nut. You need to see if there is a hole in the shaft for a cotter and if there is, buy the correct nut and pin. You will also need a washer to go behind the nut whether you have a cotter or a nyloc nut.

The prop is on a splined shaft so it would have turned for a good bit while it was backing off. A blade may have hit the trim tab and knocked it off. SO, check the area just behind the prop (toward the back of the engine--away from the boat) to be sure the trim tab is still present.

mfbutler · May 22, 2008

Re: Prop Fell Off

Thanks Frank, the guy at the boat shop also said I may have lost a bunch of pieces that go in before the prop, but my boat is 3 hours away now and I cant check, what do you think the chances are that I lost all those little pieces? I dont want to have to buy them all if I dont need to.

And yes, there was a lock nut with a cotter pin holding the prop on, thats why I was worried that I may have a more serious issue than just a missing prop.

Dhadley · May 22, 2008

Re: Prop Fell Off

If the shaft is still there you got half the battle won. What happened is the nut wasn't there. Since you say you were backing up and it was going, that's when the nut was there. As the nut came off so did the prop. If you would have been in forward the prop would have stayed as long as you didn't slow down real fast or hit reverse.

There is a thrust washer in front of the prop (thrust washer goes on the shaft first), then the prop, then a splined washer, then the nut, then the cotter pin. The forward thrust washer may or may not still be there.

Look here on iboats and they'll have everything. There should be a kit with everything but the forward thrust washer and the thrust washer seperate. There may be a kit with the thrust washer included.

Silvertip · May 22, 2008

Re: Prop Fell Off

Is the prop shaft still there?

mfbutler · May 22, 2008

Re: Prop Fell Off

Yes the prop shaft is still there, I just figured I only lost the prop, nut, cotter pin and thrust washer so I never bothered looking any further. Its just the guy at the boat shop said I may be missing as many as 30 different pieces, so I'm kind of a little concerned. I'll go buy the prop and all the pieces you guys say I should need, if anything else is missing I'll have to bring it out next time I go.

jay_merrill · May 22, 2008

Re: Prop Fell Off

The only way you could be missing as many as 30 different pieces is if the seals, the prop shaft, the gears, the clutch dog and a bunch of other stuff came out!

mfbutler · May 22, 2008

Re: Prop Fell Off

Your right Jay, I just looked over a diagram and in order for me to lose close to that many parts my shaft would have had to come off. With the shaft, I could be missing 9 pieces altogether. So I'm just going to buy all 9 parts just in case I need them all, and return the ones that I dont.

Thanks for all your help guys.

jay_merrill · May 22, 2008

Re: Prop Fell Off

Why not wait to see what you are missing before spending a bunch of money?

walleyehed · May 22, 2008

Re: Prop Fell Off

Ditto on that....
At MOST, you would need the thrust washer, of course a prop, then aft splined washer, CASTELATED nut and cotter pin.

Dhadley · May 23, 2008

Re: Prop Fell Off

There's not room for 9 things on the shaft in back of the seals..............

NSBCraig · May 23, 2008

Re: Prop Fell Off

mfbutler said:
Its just the guy at the boat shop said I may be missing as many as 30 different pieces, so I'm kind of a little concerned..

I don't think I'd continue dealing with this guy.

I'm not by any means a outboard mech. but anybody that tells you some as ridiculous as that needs to avoided!

mfbutler · May 25, 2008

Re: Prop Fell Off

NSBCraig said:
I don't think I'd continue dealing with this guy.

I'm not by any means a outboard mech. but anybody that tells you some as ridiculous as that needs to avoided!

Yeah, I think this guy just wanted to sell me allot of crap I didnt need. All it took was a thrust washer, a prop, then the lock nut and pin. I wont be going back there, except to return some parts.

Thanks again for all the help.

DRIFTER_016 · May 25, 2008

Re: Prop Fell Off

The same thing happened to my buddy last weekend. He was at his cottage about 20 miles up the lake, popped the motor in reverse to backtroll for walleyes and it fell off.......DOH!!! He ended up coming part way back on the electric, until the battery died and eventually got a tow. He is on a secluded lake and there is not a lot of traffic on the far end of the lake. To top it off there were nasty cold fronts going through the area all weekend long, with wind, rain and crappy fishing.

Moral of the story: Check the cotter pin regularly and replace it when you put the boat away for the winter!!!!

Prop Fell Off

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