Hustler Prop restriction...

[Caddpro]

I just went out and bought a Hustler prop 13-1/4x17 and put it on the motor. There is very little room for the exhaust thru the hub now, but they drilled holes in front of the blades. Are they suppose to allow excess gases to escape? Am I going to hurt the engine by creating so much backpressure? Are there other side effects to the restrictive exhuast outlet? I am going to test the boat out in an hour or so and will post the results when I get home. i just want to make sure I am not going to hurt my motor. Thank you for any input.

 

[imported_JD__]

Re: Hustler Prop restriction...

Caddpro,<br />Can't say about the other questions but the holes in the prop hub ahead of the blades are to allow some of the exhaust to travel over the blades, partially ventilating the prop. This causes your prop to spin/slip, allowing your engine to build RPM's and improve hole shot. Once you pick up ground speed the water rushing by seals the holes.<br />JD

 

[chadchurchill]

Re: Hustler Prop restriction...

I put the same prop on my Merc 75hp a few weeks ago and am very happy with the prop. Actually gained 2 mph over the original prop of the same 17 pitch, although the original was pretty old and pitted. i liked that they are inexpensive to replace if damaged.

 

[Caddpro]

Re: Hustler Prop restriction...

I just got back from testing the new prop. I was very impressed by the holeshot and the topend feels faster to both me and my buddy (I am getting a speedometer soon). Now I am in a fix, with my old stainless steel prop (swept blade) was a 13x19 which @ WOT gave me ~5500 rpm. My new prop is a 13-1/4x17 (cupped blade) and @ WOT I am now ~5000 rpm. Should I have gotten a 15P? I want to put Smart Tabs on the boat also, will this help increase the rpm? I only want another 400-500 more. Also when I throttle up the prop slips and the rpm go up to ~5600 then when the boat planes it feels like it shifted gears (my buddy laughed and said he had seen it all- a boat that shifts) and the rpm drop to ~5000. I must say I love the new prop, just want to make sure I run the engine in the right rpm band. Thanks again for all your help.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Hustler Prop restriction...

If you Plug a few of those Holes in the hub,<br />It'll cut down on the Slip(hole-Shot) you're experincing......

 

[Caddpro]

Re: Hustler Prop restriction...

What could I use to plug the holes that won't come out under pressure (centrifical and exhaust)?

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Hustler Prop restriction...

Caddpro, I used flat head stainless steel screws, lock washers and nuts to plug the holes in my ventilated SS prop. The screw heads just fit the countersink part of the holes, and I cut them to length, slipped the washer and nut on using a needlenose plier and tighten them up. No issues in 4 years.

 

[Caddpro]

Re: Hustler Prop restriction...

I went out and bought the 15 pitch prop and tested it out this afternoon. I was very disappointed. There was no gain in RPM over the 17 pitch I already had (~5000). The only difference was that it jumped on plane with very little slipping. So I am back ot the original topic- Are the Hustler props too restrictive on the exhaust gases? I had my original prop rehubbed ($60) and tried it out just for giggles and low and behold the RPMs where @ ~5700. The bad thing is that is blows out in a turn almost everytime and it takes a good while to plane out. The old prop is pretty well worn out. The prop shop told me almost half my blade surface was gone, but it would make a nice back-up. I appreciate all of the help I have received from this forum and its members. Any more suggestions? I have a call in to Turning Point Propellers the manufacturer's of Hustler props. Will post what they say if they return my call.

 

[Caddpro]

Re: Hustler Prop restriction...

Well apparently they have issues with Yammies having this problem. They told me that I was the first Johnny with this problem. Thier response was to have me return them to Boaters World for a refund. So now to my next question. What prop do you guys recommend for me? I have ~$200 to spend, but would like to get a good deal.<br /><br />Thanks again for listening to me ramble on.

 

[Northern Eclipse]

Re: Hustler Prop restriction...

Check Michigan wheel, they make good quality props for all makes, and are priced nice also.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Hustler Prop restriction...

Caddpro,<br /><br />I am interested in the restricive hub comments you made. I checked and your motor uses the 3A hub and my 40 hp uses the 15A hub. I don't know what the diffo is, but I compared the 15A hub with prop mounted to the OMC prop, and there is not much difference in exhaust outlet area. I can see that the three "spokes" between the hub and prop a thicker, but the Hustler prop has a nice bell mouth outlet that the OMC does not have, which I think may be to cause a low pressure are to help extract the exhaust gasses.<br /><br />Have not run the new Hustler prop yet. Should have it in the water on 7/31, will let you know how it runs.

 

[Caddpro]

Re: Hustler Prop restriction...

Well, before I spun my prop all was well. Now I blamed Hustler for my 5000 rpm max and appearently they were not at fault. Sorry I jumped to that conclusion, but the tests showed them to be the problem. After returning and putting a Vortex XHS 13-1/4x17 on I still cannot turn over 5000. I am moving all further posts on this to http://www.iboats.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=28;t=024776 . Thanks for all the help.