Switching to stainless steel prop-gctid367399

[Guest]

I have a 2005 175BR with the 135hp 3liter. It came with an aluminum prop and I am looking to lower the rpm's at higher speeds and switch to a stainless prop at the same time. I've read that you add 2 to your current pitch which I believe is 17 does anyone have a sweet setup?

[boatworkfl]

If you GOOGLE the issue you will fing that either no pitch chane or you may drop 1 pitch when switching to SS, reason is the stainless has much less flex than the alum prop, in other words you will drop RPM's using a SS prop, be sure you will be able to reach max rpm with a SS prop, if you are over reving then a SS prop the same pitch will be like adding 1 pitch.

If you barely reach max RPM with the alum prop, you do not want more pitch.

A common mistake in buying a prop with more pitch one thinks it will make the boat go faster, not always.

[Machog]

You may not get a lot of debris in the water like we do in the Pacific Northwest, but when I had my Bayliner buddy, I chose to go with regular prop. If you clouted a stainless steel prop, prop would survive, but not the stern drive. If you clout with a regular prop, it would be trashed, but stern drive might survive. But stainless definitely gives you more bite out of the hole.

Machog

[Guest]

Machog wrote:
You may not get a lot of debris in the water like we do in the Pacific Northwest, but when I had my Bayliner buddy, I chose to go with regular prop. If you clouted a stainless steel prop, prop would survive, but not the stern drive. If you clout with a regular prop, it would be trashed, but stern drive might survive. But stainless definitely gives you more bite out of the hole.

Machog

You can get a stainless prop with hub insert, the hub would not survive but the prop and drive would. Just have to fix any damage to prop and replace the hub.

[Guest]

I just bought a used boat and it has a s/s prop. I run the rivers in south west pa. was thinking of changing to alum. always ran alum. before because of crap in the water. everyone tells me about the preformance that will be lost but an outdrive is just under 2g's.:greedy_dollars: my 2 cents is no crap in the water s/s..

[Guest]

I have been running with the factory aluminum prop for six seasons now and I have been touching that the black paint has been stripped off the outside 3/4 inch of the prop and the lowest part of the skeg. Now I see some deformation of the edge of the prop. Everyone tells me that switching to stainless is the way to solve this. I don't need a better hole shot just to lower the RPMs at cruise speeds. Wide open it can hit 5000 RPMs. I would like to lower the RPMs and maintain decent speed.

[boatworkfl]

I you got 6 years out of that prop you are doing good. Sone props can be repaired, if yours can, have a full cup put on and test it.

If it cannot be repaired and you can afford it, a SS prop is a good choice, but there is nothing wrong with an aluminum prop.

Go to the Michigan Wheel site and log in on prop it for an I/O prop it, give all the data, including RPM, HP existing performance and prop size and material, they will get this to their engineers and make a suggestion, or they will ask for more info.

You could go to a propeller shop and see if you could get a loner prop to try out, I would go for this one, after a reply from Michigan Wheel.

[Guest]

I switched to a SS 21" from the factory Alum, never looked back.

I was bouncing off the rev limiter at the top end, going to SS fixed this, on a perfect day with a little tail wind and 2 people I can just hit the rev limiter (58mph), normally however it just sits nice at 30-40mph without emptying the tank to fast.

My other problem was hitting the bottom, the lakes we ski in have a rocky bottom, get it wrong and there goes your prop. Normally you catch it just in time but the damage is still done.

It took me a while to get used to a big heavy inboard Vs an outboard which I have always had so "touching" become an issue as I find my boat draws about 1-2 ft more water than a standard outboard.

Although I have touched the SS a couple of time it is still sweet, just a mark or two on the tips of the blades which clean up easy.

I have herd all the talk regarding stripping gears or breaking shafts with a SS prop but I have nerver personally meet anyone that has actually done it?? Is this just a myth.

[boatworkfl]

Macca wrote:
I switched to a SS 21" from the factory Alum, never looked back.

I was bouncing off the rev limiter at the top end, going to SS fixed this, on a perfect day with a little tail wind and 2 people I can just hit the rev limiter (58mph), normally however it just sits nice at 30-40mph without emptying the tank to fast.

My other problem was hitting the bottom, the lakes we ski in have a rocky bottom, get it wrong and there goes your prop. Normally you catch it just in time but the damage is still done.

It took me a while to get used to a big heavy inboard Vs an outboard which I have always had so "touching" become an issue as I find my boat draws about 1-2 ft more water than a standard outboard.

Although I have touched the SS a couple of time it is still sweet, just a mark or two on the tips of the blades which clean up easy.

I have herd all the talk regarding stripping gears or breaking shafts with a SS prop but I have nerver personally meet anyone that has actually done it?? Is this just a myth.

Depends on the size of the rock.

[FISHIN00]

Have you given any thought to a 4 blade prop? I played with a CompProp a couple of years ago, with the same pitch as my 3 blade. Great hole shot,got the same high end speed at a lower RPM, Got on and maintained plane at a lower rpm. Will be buying another one from Solas soon. The CompProp worked as advertised, hit a piece of junk in the water and took a 1x2" piece out of one blade. CompProps cannot be repaired by the way!

[Guest]

boatworkfl wrote:
Depends on the size of the rock.

True that...

The bigger the rock the bigger the money..... Goes for wedding rings as well.

[Guest]

here's a great article I found when I was deciding on going to SS and what everything means.

PITCH

NUMBER OF BLADES

CUPPING

BLADE RAKE

etc...

http://www.solarnavigator.net/propellers.htm

[Guest]

bklecka wrote:
I have a 2005 175BR with the 135hp 3liter. It came with an aluminum prop and I am looking to lower the rpm's at higher speeds and switch to a stainless prop at the same time. I've read that you add 2 to your current pitch which I believe is 17 does anyone have a sweet setup?

Hi bkleca,

I have a 2003 175BR with the same engine, the factory default prop on these is a 14.25" diameter aluminium 3 blade with 21" pitch, if you have a 17" pitch then its likely that its been changed by somebody to improve hole shot for towing. Your WOT rpm should be no higher than 4800, if it is higher then you need to increase the prop pitch anyway.

Have a look at your Alpha 1 sterndrive, it should be a 2:1 ratio unit, if not then the advice below isn't valid (look on the side for something like "Drive Ratio 2.00R")

If your engine is in good order you could be fairly confident in going directly to a stainless steel 3 blade prop with a 21" pitch but also consider the Piranah composite 4 blade props with 20" pitch. The Piranah props are cheaper and will protect your lower unit in the event of collisions, also you can carry spare blades as an alternative to a spare prop and have blades with a different pitch to try out and send them back for free replacements when you know the size you want.

I haven't tried a SS prop but find the 4 blade prianah (I use the 1420A-4 blades) to be better then the original aluminium 3 blade, it holds plane at lower speed and has less vibration at all speeds, the hole shot is slightly improved and I haven't noticed any loss of top end speed, WOT is about 4600rpm which is just about perfect.

[Guest]

A gentleman on this forum spent a huge amount of time to match the right stainless prop to his 175. I could not find his original post. He tested 8 to 10 different props. Upon his findings and recommendation, I purchased the Stiletto Advantage II 14 1/4 x 19 pitch. I have been running it for several years and have no regrets. Great hole shot, excellent handling and good mileage (for a boat). It has a composite hub that will break upon striking an underwater obstruction to save the drive. It still shines like new.

I kept my OEM prop as a backup in case of a strike.

http://www.boatownersworld.com/Props/stiletto/advantage_series.htm

Part number 10319 @ $259 + free shipping.