stainless props

[rubba]

what are the advantages of running one and the dissadvantages,have one havent put it on .was told if you hit something it would smash gear box,is this true

[rojac]

maybe not smash your gear box to bits but you may bend the spline, depends what you hit, overall condition, heaps of variables.

cheers

rojac

[mark221263]

Stainless props are generally more robust, do not flex and have a thinner more effiecent blade section which all help efficiency.

They may increased the risk of damage when hitting a solid object as they wont fracture or break like a alloy prop, on the other hand they all should have some form of gear box protection like the rubber bush etc.

Other disadvantages are they they will increase potential corrision due to electrolisis so keep your anodes inspected, their extra weight can make gear change a little clunkier.

I run a stainless prop and would keep an alloy one for a spare. I don't (normally) hit things and with the price of fuel still heading skyward try to get the best out of every drop.

[RayB]

I am also interested in getting a stainless prop.

What sort of performance gain do you get with a stainless prop?

cheers
Raymond

[Ron173]

Most motors should have an inbuilt protection for potential striking of an object. This can be a rubber cush drive which absorbs the impact, or shear pins designed to purposely shear and protect gearbox. These are simply replaced after an incident. I used to carry a spare shear pin when I ran a motor of such design.

I really cant see why there is a greater risk of damage over an alloy one.

Performance wise, big plus, a stainless prop flexes less and generally has better cupping, so basically puts the power down better and holds in tight turns better. Think on it as a high performance tyre on your car, it does a similair job in getting power down and increasing grip.

Generally more exy, and if damaged expensive to weld and dynamically balance, although initial purchase price would sway me to repair a stainless prop, whereas I would probably write off an alloy one.

I'm assuming you got this one free, otherwise why did you buy it?

Put it on and try it, I'm sure you'll notice a difference.

Rgds

Ron

[blaze]

Hi All
If you ever see a shreded ali prop its likely the box has survived, if you see a stainless prop with a big ding in a blade or 2, bet ya the gearbox is sick.
ali prop 2-400 dollars
stainless prop 500 +
gearbox 2k
give me a ali prop any day
cheers
blaze

[peterreb]

I put a S/S prop on Johnson/Suzuki 140hp 4s, $900, with it on motor used an extra 300rpm to drive it. This was my own personal choice, Ally $450, I haven't hit anything with S/S prop, but as for wear and tear,ie sand I'll stay with S/S
Cheers Peter

[Spaniard_King]

Blaze, you must have poorly built gear boxes :-X

Stainless has thinner blades thus needing less HP to perform. For anyone who ventures around sandy areas is a must. clip a sand bar with an ally and she will need a tune up at the prop shop, with a staino most likely you will not sustain any damage.

If stainless did so much damage, why don't we here about it on here

Put ya hand up if ya have trashed a GB cause ya prop took a hit ::)

Garry

[blaze]

theres been a few I believe Garry, one that comes to mind is bugmans,
mates just done his last weekend, stuffed prop and split box.
I am currently running a SS prop myself but if I am going to a couple of areas I slip on an alloy.
cheers
blaze

[Spaniard_King]

Blaze,

Ya really gotta hit somethin pretty hard to damage a box these days. Bugmans case was exactly that although I will concede the box would have survived with an ally prop.

Don't you think if they were such a problem that the suppliers would have to sell them cheaper than the ally ones.

cheers

Garry

[johnnytheone]

From personal , and anecdotal, experience, the stainless props don't tend to "give" when you hit something hard. This is what makes them more efficient I suppose. I clipped a bit of rock at VERY low speed, and did lots of damage to the box and shaft etc. The prop had bugger all damage to it. In addition the prop bush had not budged an inch, so that bit of protection didn't work. I'd make my choice on the sort of country I was operating in - the more chance of whacking something hard, the more likely I'd use an alloy or carbon fibre one. I've read a few US articles that reckon those synthetic props that you can change blades on are as efficient as alloy ones. Whatever you do, make sure you carry a spare of some description and that the nut comes of easily. There's no point in having a spare if you can't take off the buggered one.
John.

[Blackened]

G'day
John... have u got any mroe info on a carbon fibre prop? sounds interesting but can see it tearing with a whack. Interchangeable blades would be the got for this situation tho. Maybe we can stop all the worrying and just use jet drives?
Dave

[Ron173]

G'day
John... have u got any mroe info on a carbon fibre prop? sounds interesting but can see it tearing with a whack. Interchangeable blades would be the got for this situation tho. Maybe we can stop all the worrying and just use jet drives?
Dave

Howdy,

Go check out propulse, not gor url handy but find easy on google, or go to www.australpropellor.com.au thats where I bought mine on last boat.

Great props, poly carb, independent blades, stuff one just replace, come with a spare, can also ditch a broken blade move round and get home on 2, perfectly balanced at lower revs.

Adjustable pitch, good for different apps, eg trawling one day, pulling ski next.

Prop cost $350, a blade is $65, I got a spare free from ausralprops.

Amazing acceleration, so light so spins up super quick.

Took off boat prior to upgrading / trading, sold on ebay and still got 75% back on it.

Might even get one on my new Quinnie some day but for now SS is puttin it down just fine.

Hoo Roo

Ron

[Nick_Currey]

I have been running both alloy and stainless for years, up in NT, PNG and Nth Qld and last 5 years out of Moreton bay. I have never trashed or seen a trashed gearbox from a mate, and that includes working the dirty (vis about 6" barra rivers). Up in reefy areas would always go SS as can handle the dings around the reefs, whereas Alloy looked like a dog had chewed them. My only comment on trashing gearboxes, must be you are running into reef or boulders on the plane - not recommended and if setup sounder with shallow alarms, then shouldn't run into the reef.

Find that Stainless will give much better performance, which also saves fuel!!. A good stainles prop will give more out of hole, and up to 4 knot extra speed at same revs and less cavitation. Currently running a Solas on a 100 yammie4/

Cheers

NC

[rubba]

i will put this ss prop on and give it a run will keep u up to date on differeces on fuel etc thanks again 8-)