Prop won't tighten on new Merc 50

lockinload · December 10, 2020, 09:02:04 AM

A quick hello to all on board. No sense in wasting time, I'll just jump right in here with my first post.
Bought a new Tracker Classic and about an hour into it's first trip, I heard something from the lower end, especially at low RPMs. Pulled it out of the water and took it back to the national chain I bought it from. Service manager said the prop was loose and he replaced all the crush washers etc. Next time in the water, same problem, prop is loose again. Took it the same national chain in another city and they are scratching their heads. Swapped props and same problem. My manual says it is suppose to be torqued to 100lbs. That is a serious torque and I watched their tech put the prop on and he did not use a torque wrench and held the prop with his hand when he tightened. Boat is back at national chain and has been there for 10 days without a resolution. Anyone familiar with this problem? With the prop, not the national chain, just for clarification. Not posting to bash, I just want my boat back and fixed.

merc1997 · December 10, 2020, 09:21:01 AM

what about the cotter pin that goes through the castle prop nut and through the hole in the prop shaft. that is what keeps the nut from backing off?? you did not mention anything about it. and yes, there is a reason for proper torque on the prop nut. this helps put the proper preload on the gears and bearings. similar to the relationship to your wheel bearing nut and your wheel bearings.

bo

lockinload · December 10, 2020, 09:29:01 AM

Quote from: merc1997 on December 10, 2020, 09:21:01 AM
what about the cotter pin that goes through the castle prop nut and through the hole in the prop shaft. that is what keeps the nut from backing off?? you did not mention anything about it. and yes, there is a reason for proper torque on the prop nut. this helps put the proper preload on the gears and bearings. similar to the relationship to your wheel bearing nut and your wheel bearings.

bo

To clarify, I can grab the prop with two hands, get movement when I push with one and pull with the other. The original prop shows two wear marks 180 degrees apart. I don't really think the nut is moving but not sure, seems unlikely.

Bud Kennedy · December 10, 2020, 02:14:47 PM

Not sure but it sounds a bit like the wrong size thrust spacer.

apenland01 · December 10, 2020, 03:24:53 PM

They may have put the wrong hub kit on it or possibly didn't install it correctly. Is it an aluminum or stainless prop? I know my stainless prop is torqued to 100 and I have to use a block of wood to get that much torque on it. No way could I get any where near that by holding it. Depending on the prop and what the actual torque spec is, you can't judge movement until it's locked into place.

As for being at the national chain for 10 days, that's a short time frame based on wait times for pretty much anything boat repair. Everywhere around here is at least 2 weeks wait.

Oh, and welcome to the board!

lockinload · December 10, 2020, 05:10:01 PM

Quote from: apenland01 on December 10, 2020, 03:24:53 PM
They may have put the wrong hub kit on it or possibly didn't install it correctly. Is it an aluminum or stainless prop? I know my stainless prop is torqued to 100 and I have to use a block of wood to get that much torque on it. No way could I get any where near that by holding it. Depending on the prop and what the actual torque spec is, you can't judge movement until it's locked into place.

As for being at the national chain for 10 days, that's a short time frame based on wait times for pretty much anything boat repair. Everywhere around here is at least 2 weeks wait.

Oh, and welcome to the board!

The boat is brand new, kind of sucks when they have your new boat for more days than you do. Anyhowjust got back from, well you know who. They tested the motor in water and heard the noise/clicking and thought it was internal. Removed the lower and inspected it and could not find anything wrong. Put it back together and the noise is still there. They removed the prop and the noise is gone. Now they have put in for a warranty and ordered a new lower from Mercury. We'll see what happens. When I mentioned the 100lb of torque to the tech he laughed. I told him, it's in the owners manual. I don't want to tell them how to do their job but they are dumbfounded as to what the problem is. Will be curious as to what will happen if the new lower does not fix the problem. The engine has maybe 3 hours on it. Pretty frustrating. If this was June, I would be going scorched earth.

apenland01 · December 10, 2020, 08:16:42 PM

Well, it's good they are covering stuff under warranty and working to make it right. I've heard horror stories recently on getting boat work done, so it sucks to not have your new boat, but it will be working right when you get it back...

Oldfart9999 · December 11, 2020, 06:03:40 AM

When you get it back look at the prop, there should be a washer with tabs that turned up onto the sides of the nut, this washer prevents the nut from turning on the shaft.
Rodney

lockinload · December 11, 2020, 06:45:25 AM

Quote from: apenland01 on December 10, 2020, 08:16:42 PM
Well, it's good they are covering stuff under warranty and working to make it right. I've heard horror stories recently on getting boat work done, so it sucks to not have your new boat, but it will be working right when you get it back...

Yeah, let's hope so, not exactly prime fishing weather here in Colorado but I want to do some mods on the boat and don't have it here. Adding another trolling motor battery and fuel tank. Changing out my trolling motor to a Terrova and I'm soooo close to pulling the trigger on a live scan. Hopefully they can get this turned around in a few weeks.

Bud Kennedy · December 11, 2020, 07:41:56 AM

I am a bit curious to hear what make and model of boat you purchased. You sure are doing a lot of upgrades to a brand new boat that from what is indicated is probably a small aluminum deal.

lockinload · December 11, 2020, 03:41:49 PM

Quote from: Bud Kennedy on December 11, 2020, 07:41:56 AM
I am a bit curious to hear what make and model of boat you purchased. You sure are doing a lot of upgrades to a brand new boat that from what is indicated is probably a small aluminum deal.

My boat is a 16' 8" tracker classic. It came with a piece of crap fish finder, which I replaced with a Lowrance reveal and I'm going to pull the minn kota edge off it and add some I pilot. 6 gallon tank is okay for the day or so but I like to travel in my RV and hope to be able to moor the boat at my campsite or close by and I don't want to be buying fuel at a marina if I can help it. Hope that answers your questions. I plan on fishing 2 or 3 days a week. I'm 50 minutes door to boat ramp at Lake Pueblo. Also have another VERY productive trout lake about an hour away. 2 hours to John Martin and that is where I would RV it. I tandem pull a Honda CRV and boat behind my 37ft diesel.

Oldfart9999 · December 15, 2020, 07:15:04 AM

That boat is a basic entry level aluminum, nice boat but not much storage for gear or outfits. It's mad to up grade, is an easy tow and storage, for the money it gets you on the water. Let us know what the final answer is to keep the prop tight.
Rodney

lockinload · December 18, 2020, 06:33:46 PM

Quote from: Oldfart9999 on December 15, 2020, 07:15:04 AM
That boat is a basic entry level aluminum, nice boat but not much storage for gear or outfits. It's mad to up grade, is an easy tow and storage, for the money it gets you on the water. Let us know what the final answer is to keep the prop tight.
Rodney

With all due respect, I think it is a great boat, no payments, skips across the water at 35mph and gets me to the same spot as a 50k boat, on less fuel. Holds the same size ice chest as the 50k. Yeah not much storage but like I said, will carry an ice chest with more beer that I can drink in a day.

That said, a new lower has been ordered for the boat and I am waiting on Mercury to deliver. Meanwhile I am doing the upgrades. Installing the Terrova tomorrow (oh boy). Live scan is on order. I'm retired, happy as a clam and can fish solo anytime I want. No debt and life is good.

lockinload · December 27, 2020, 06:29:25 PM

Quote from: Oldfart9999 on December 15, 2020, 07:15:04 AM
That boat is a basic entry level aluminum, nice boat but not much storage for gear or outfits. It's mad to up grade, is an easy tow and storage, for the money it gets you on the water. Let us know what the final answer is to keep the prop tight.
Rodney

Hey Oldfart, I was rereading your post and I think you meant to say "made to upgrade", which is accurate. I took it as, Mad or dumb to upgrade and hence my response, so I apologize for my last post. I thought you were degrading my boat and clearly that wasn't the case.
Lastly, still waiting for a resolution on my motor and getting frustrated.

Oldfart9999 · January 04, 2021, 06:04:57 AM

Just saw your reply, no problem, I did mean to say made to upgrade. For the money it's a nice entry level boat that gets you on the water. Let us know what they do about the lower unit.
Rodney

lockinload · January 05, 2021, 06:14:30 PM

Quote from: Oldfart9999 on January 04, 2021, 06:04:57 AM
Just saw your reply, no problem, I did mean to say made to upgrade. For the money it's a nice entry level boat that gets you on the water. Let us know what they do about the lower unit.
Rodney

Found out yesterday that Mercury will not have the lower unit until Feb 24th and then it gets shipped to Colorado and then I get on the schedule. I called Tracker today in Missouri and talked to them about this unacceptable time frame to repair my boat. I bought it on Nov 3rd and it was defective out of the box and I have to wait 4 months to get it repaired? Horse crap! I guess these motors are built in the Republic of China. I'm really pissed right now. I told the rep today, I don't care if you take the lower off another motor, I want my boat fixed. We'll see how BPS handles this. I get it, it might be out of their hands but they are the end user and the ones that got my hard earned money, now make it right. I can see this dragging out through the spring and I don't get to fish. Really frustrated right now and this is the sugar coated version. FYI, 5 hours on the motor, all of them with a noisy lower.

lockinload · January 24, 2021, 10:06:55 AM

Update on lower: I called Mercury a few weeks ago and let them know of how dissatisfied I was with their inability to get my boat fixed in a timely manner. The guy I talked to said he would see what he could do. Didn't hear back from him in two weeks so I called back and talked with someone else and based on what he read from the work order he thought the problem was a bearing. He authorized BPS to tear down the lower and drive shaft and do an inspection on each part. Sure enough the drive shaft Pinion bearing had a crack in the housing. The parts are good in stock and were shipped on Friday and hopefully I have my boat back middle of next week. Had I waited for that lower to come in in Feb they would have replaced it and still had a problem and of course more delays. Squeaky wheel got oiled.

Bud Kennedy · January 24, 2021, 10:11:37 AM

Good for you. Sure hope this takes care of your problem and you have years of trouble free operation in the future.

BassmanRudy · January 24, 2021, 10:47:15 AM

You are way more patient than I would have been!! I'd have called everyone all the way to the Mercury CEO and Johnny Morris! 4 months on a BRAND NEW BOAT that was BAD ON RECEIPT... file a BBB complaint as they'll be FORCED to see their F-UP in an official, for the record that the whole world can see post!! Heck I may have parked it sideways in front of the main doors and left it!!

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

lockinload · January 25, 2021, 06:40:16 AM

Quote from: BassmanRudy on January 24, 2021, 10:47:15 AM
You are way more patient than I would have been!! I'd have called everyone all the way to the Mercury CEO and Johnny Morris! 4 months on a BRAND NEW BOAT that was BAD ON RECEIPT... file a BBB complaint as they'll be FORCED to see their F-UP in an official, for the record that the whole world can see post!! Heck I may have parked it sideways in front of the main doors and left it!!

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

Someone telling me I was patient, is the ultimate compliment for me. I made a lot of calls and with the last one, finally got some action. I actually considered parking my truck and boat in the parking lot with a sign, "Ask me about my new boat that doesn't work". That said, the last thing I want to do is piss off the mechanics at BPS, pretty good chance I will need to be back in there sometime in the future for one reason or another. I kept my cool with them and made sure I didn't burn that bridge. I told the manager up front I was going over his head and to not take it personally. All in all they have been pretty good to me, I want to keep a good relationship with them. Had this been in the spring or summer it probably would have been a different story. One thing that does irk me though, is how BPS has taken the stance of "this is a Mercury problem not ours".

Oldfart9999 · January 27, 2021, 07:33:39 AM

Good to hear you finaly got somebody with a brain, hope your problem will be solved and you'll have many happy trips!!!
Rodney