Prop nut, cotter pin issue

[blackwaterstout]

My '79 Johnson has a cotter pin that holds a cone shaped prop nut in place. I removed the prop yesterday to grease the shaft and assembly and it came off quite easy. My problem now is that when I tighten the nut back up against the prop the cotter pin hole does not line up. The only way to get the cotter pin hole to line up to to have the prop nut slightly loose. Is this acceptable? Seems like a poor design to me.

 

[Dhadley]

Re: Prop nut, cotter pin issue

Thats fine. You dont even need the nut while youre in forward. The only time you'd miss it was if you slowed down real quick or shifted into reverse.

 

[blackwaterstout]

Re: Prop nut, cotter pin issue

Cool. Was beginning to think I had a problem on my hands. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Dhadley]

Re: Prop nut, cotter pin issue

Youre good to go. <br /><br />Just curious though -- how may props have you lost on that motor since 1979?<br /><br />BTW -- congrats on greasing the shaft. Youd be surprised how many folks dont do that. Then the prop wont come off even if the nut is gone!

 

[umblecumbuz]

Re: Prop nut, cotter pin issue

Dhadley - I'm no expert on props, but I've seen loose nuts before (er - prop nuts, that is) where they have slowly worn through the cotter pin. Sounds to me just a matter of time before someone loses a prop this way.<br /><br />Wouldn't it be better if this prop nut was tightened - even if that meant facing the washer a little - so that BWS can get the nut to the next hole?

 

[Dhadley]

Re: Prop nut, cotter pin issue

Thats true but it would take a very very long time to wear thru a ss pin. Thats why I mentioned that its good hes greasing the shaft. By doing so hes also looking at the condition of the pin. Kind of a side benifit.<br /><br />With those old castle nuts I've always been able to tighten the nut slightly past the holes and then back up so the nut is still tight but the holes line up. The new cap and standard nut solves this problem but theres nothing wrong with the old stle nut.

 

[blackwaterstout]

Re: Prop nut, cotter pin issue

Never lost a prop I've only had the motor for about a month now. lol