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Fixing a Bent Prop?


Baddog

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I bent one blade of my 3 blade NiBrAl prop and only a little bit. Enough though to cause copious vibration at anything other than fast idle. there was no metal lost. The spare is on and the simple question is: can I fix this baby myself? What's the best way? Claw hammer? Ball peen? dead blow? Rubber mallet? And lay the prop against what? Wood? Granite counter top? Plastic?

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on this note, would you send it out to one of the top google searches or stick local? Can't seem to find a good shop around me, or dunno where to look.

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I bent one blade of my 3 blade NiBrAl prop and only a little bit. Enough though to cause copious vibration at anything other than fast idle. there was no metal lost. The spare is on and the simple question is: can I fix this baby myself? What's the best way? Claw hammer? Ball peen? dead blow? Rubber mallet? And lay the prop against what? Wood? Granite counter top? Plastic?

Just eyeball it to tolerances with a hammer. It should be fine after that.

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Ive accidentally put a slight bend at the end of one of my blades. I just took a regular hammer along with a wood block behind the blade and knocked it straight again. I had no issues after that. It was just a slight bend though.

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Mine is only a slight bend too and that is the ONLY reason I am even asking this question. I KNEW there would be a bit of abuse and fully expected it. Although, I have to say, you guys can be much more creative in your advice. I know you can do it.

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Just make sure you stabilize the part of the blade that isn't bent and bend it back. If it is more than a quarter size bend I would probably have a prop shop do the work.

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I have been able to salvage a slightly bent prop by myself. A couple different body and ball pin hammers. I used a vice and a workbench as my surfaces. The vice worked great because it has a bunch of different radius's (radi?). I used a micrometer to measure at multiple points and just kept working on it til it was visually as perfect as I could make it. It probably was not perfect but it did not vibrate at all and I noticed no ill effects. I have also had one that I couldn't fix. I used propmd and was really impressed with cost and turn around time and I live in Ca. I was not impressed with my local prop shop.

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I have done many that were not bad. I use an adjustable wrench. Slip it on the depth of the bend close the jaws and bend it back. If its a bigger area do a small amount at a time and keep moving around. Don't go for all at once. I have done all of them on a hoist so never even took the boat out of the water.

Never had any problem.

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Quite simple really. Get yourself a propeller pitch block matching your prop pitch and cup and go to town on the prop with a hammer......simple.. Then use the piece of electrical wire taped to the underside of the hull to act as a gauge to check each blade leading edge is even to the next. Prop shop is sounding better after each post.

And like you say, Winter is Coming.

Edited by brad72
  • Like 2
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I'll bet cost goes up exponentially based on the amount of time you try the DYI method!

….only because after step #6 and before step #7 it will be flying thru the garage.

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If old jeep's method doesn't work(!), send it out to a specialist prop shop - it will come back perfect.

The other way is:

  • Panel beat the prop a bit.
  • Pull the boat out, change the prop, put the boat back in and try it.
  • Damn, that didn't work.
  • Take the boat out, take the prop off.
  • Repeat 1 to 4 another five times.
  • That didn't work.
  • Take the prop to a prop shop.
Best to eliminate 1 to 6 in the first place.
And Make sure you have a 12 pack of Wobbly Pops, you'll definitely need those as you go through this process. ....lol..
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You get a full point for cleverness Greenman.

There is a little hole in the wall prop shop near where I live that most of the marinas around here send to. he doesn't look like much but he does a great job and I save the upcharge of having to go to the marina first. Butttt . . . . for some reason I want to be cheap. I don't know why.

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You get a full point for cleverness Greenman.

There is a little hole in the wall prop shop near where I live that most of the marinas around here send to. he doesn't look like much but he does a great job and I save the upcharge of having to go to the marina first. Butttt . . . . for some reason I want to be cheap. I don't know why.

Ha, thanks, Baddog!

Well, the only thing you have to lose by going cheap is maybe some time and effort - no other harm in trying. :) Conversely, if you just want to have a perfect prop readily available and spend more time watching YouTubes of Mark's little girl, you can send the prop out...

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