Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

Has anyone used a propeller lock and if you did what brand did you buy and are you happy with it.
I have a Mercury Enertia SS prop which are pricy and would like something to deter a easy theft.

I'm also interested in feedback about using a prop lock as I've read some pros and cons, such as the entire lock (and prop!) coming off unexpectedly while underway if one greased the splines before installing. I just ordered an new SS prop today and would hate to see it walk off. Found a McGard lock on Amazon for $53.22.

TDJ2591 wrote:I'm also interested in feedback about using a prop lock as I've read some pros and cons, such as the entire lock (and prop!) coming off unexpectedly while underway if one greased the splines before installing. I just ordered an new SS prop today and would hate to see it walk off. Found a McGard lock on Amazon for $53.22.

Wait what? From everything that I remember I thought that you should be greasing the splines?

I have run the McGard on my 300 all last summer and have had no problems. My buddy has run the same one on his big block Baja for years . I do keep my splines grease, that should have no negative impact on how the lock works . A Belleville washer is used like a lock washer.

Whenever I hear of similar failures, I wonder if it might have been a faulty installation instead of a faulty product. Glad to hear your good reports on this device.

I also use a prop lock...pretty sure the same brand as above posts. After wrapping a uninflated life jacket around my prop a week ago I reinforced why I like having one on. It takes about 3 minutes to remove the prop, with or without the lock. Thieves could make off in no time with that SS Prop....thus why I have a lock.

One additional tip...you definitely want to order direct from the company a replacement key because if you lose the key you are in big trouble! I ordered a replacement key as soon as I received my lock. I think it costs about $25 bucks. The key lug just fits into a regular prop wrench and is easy to use...even for a guy like me that has zero mechanical ability.

I have the same kind on my SS prop.

Thanks for the tips, folks ! I too had been thinking about this for the SS prop since getting it on the boat last Nov. Each time we go back down to the lake and I check the dock, one of the first things I look for is if the prop is still there. As the boat hangs in a covered boat house making it easy for someone to go down the backside and select their size.

One of our condo neighbors...... in the slip next to mine had his stolen a few years ago. May as well give them a deterrent to look elsewhere if they have to resort to stealing.

Just ordered mine from Amazon moments ago.

Question for those who have installed this..... as I do NOT need to remove the existing prop, if I understand it correctly, I just remove the cotter pin, castle nut and washer, is there any reason I would have to re grease anything? I already have a 1 1/16" socket and torque wrench I'll use to properly torque it on. I guess I'll also need a short length of 2 X 4 to keep the prop from spinning while doing the install.

thanks,
Richard

Richard, once you have your cotter pin and castle nut off it only takes a second to slide the prop off . Good time to check for any stray fishing line wrapped around your prop shaft that can cause a leaking seal , add a bit of grease on your splines if they're dry and reinstall with the new lock .

smoker62 wrote:Richard, once you have your cotter pin and castle nut off it only takes a second to slide the prop off . Good time to check for any stray fishing line wrapped around your prop shaft that can cause a leaking seal , add a bit of grease on your splines if they're dry and reinstall with the new lock .

Thanks Smoker I figured it was that simple.

As I'm not at the lake or our boat, is a 2 X 4 about a foot long about the right size to use to wedge between the prop and engine casing to loosen the old nut, and tighten the new McGard lock nut?

I just don't want to grab a piece of 2 X 4 and find it's a couple inches short of what I should use as a wedge.

thanks,

I've been meaning to add a mcgard prop lock to my boat. There are a seemingly high number of people that have had them come off. I attribute this to either not torquing the nut enough or reusing the belleville washer and nylon nut insert too many times. I've also noticed the mcgard torque spec is less than some of the torque specs the manufacturer's list for the outboard.

RobZ71LM7 wrote:I've been meaning to add a mcgard prop lock to my boat. There are a seemingly high number of people that have had them come off. I attribute this to either not torquing the nut enough or reusing the belleville washer and nylon nut insert too many times. I've also noticed the mcgard torque spec is less than some of the torque specs the manufacturer's list for the outboard.

For me, the factory Yamaha spec says 39.9 lbs torque, yet the McGard spec says to torque to 50 lbs. I will torque it to 50 lbs since it's holding the McGard lock on...... I have a torque wrench all set and ready to go with the McGard lock set that came from Amazon yesterday. Won't be back to the lake for another 5 days.

If you have not found out already , a 12" 2x4 will be just fine. I keep about a 10" chunk in my tool kit under the helm. 10" is long enough and it fits in my plastic tub with the water proof lid that I keep all my tools in.

smoker62 wrote:If you have not found out already , a 12" 2x4 will be just fine. I keep about a 10" chunk in my tool kit under the helm. 10" is long enough and it fits in my plastic tub with the water proof lid that I keep all my tools in.

Thanks.... I had about a 2 foot long piece sitting here but didn't want to cut it too short. Didn't want the full 2 foot piece to put under one of the seats and figured the shorter piece would work!

Back to the lake this weekend, for a few weeks and I'll put the lock on then. Thanks OP for starting this thread...... as I said earlier, I had thought about it several times, but didn't even start hunting to see if such a lock existed. I had twin SS props on our Sea Ray but they weren't polished and didn't stand out like this polished Reliance SS Yami prop.