Prop Change on a 2018 Mercury 60HP 4 Stroke

[@kevindunn3883]

Best video I've seen yet this evening on changing out a Merc prop. Don't forget to mention to make sure your motor is in neutral and not in gear when you are turning the prop nut.

[@NCFishingandOutdoors]

Thanks.

[@upthecreekyt]

Fyi: you can mess up the calibration of your torque wrench by using it to remove bolts.

[@NCFishingandOutdoors]

Thanks for the info Up the Creek. This torque wrench is designed for torque in both directions 😉.

[@ervindapaidtourist2817]

Good to see you on here. Change my prop for me. Brad gave me one to try and I've just not had a chance. O-well I'll get to it one day. Hope yours works good. Have a great day on the lake Fishing. Get a BIG-UN.

[@NCFishingandOutdoors]

Thanks bud! Wont be fishing tomorrow, I'm in California right now. Made this video this past Monday night, just now got it edited and uploaded. Didn't get to go Tuesday sadly. I will this next week though.😉

[@bigredforever]

Mark, Did you say what size prop, and pitch you used? I have a Pt 175 Tracker with a new 60hp . Just wondering what would be the best pitch for quick out of the water performance.

[@NCFishingandOutdoors]

It was a Mercury Spitfire prop, size was a 10.3 (dia) x 13 (pitch). It was the same pitch as factory and the diameter was only .3 larger. It made a nice improvement in the holeshot and very little change on top end. Of course my boat is a 16 ft boat. Not sure how much it would help on a 175. I would think a 60hp motor is underpowered for your boat. I wish I had a larger motor on mine. At least a 75 if not a 90. For better hole shot I would go to a 4 blade prop or a stainless steel prop. The stainless prop wont flex so you dont lose push at higher rpm. Be careful with pitch change. Not enough pitch and you'll over rev the engine, too much pitch and you'll never get to peak hp because you can't reach optimal rpm. Hope this helps.

[@NCFishingandOutdoors]

Heres a great video that might help you decide on prop size for the performance you want. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iaGTfpeBr72Uidk

[@Tugyankreel]

Awesome vid …will be doing this on an element 16 that refused to plane under heavy load hahha

[@NCFishingandOutdoors]

Thanks!

[@matthewanthonyoutdoors1364]

Good job on the video, I just put a new motor on my boat 2 weeks ago, we went with a 4 blade, first time I ever had a 4 blade, man what a difference! performs so much better.It will get on plane a lot sooner and got about 4 more mph on top end.

[@NCFishingandOutdoors]

Thanks my friend. Wow! I was told top end would be a little slower but would get on plane quicker. I hope mine gets a little more top end. Didn't get to take it out yet. I will Monday afternoon or Tuesday.

[@claude7338]

@@NCFishingandOutdoors WHAT ARE THE SIZE?

[@NCFishingandOutdoors]

If you're asking prop size, for this motor/boat combo the stock 3 blade prop is a 10.5 X 13. I switched and went with a 10.3 X 13 Mercury spitfire 4 blade. I'm currently thinking about going back to a 10.5 X 13 but staying with the 4 blades. It jumps on plane quicker and same mph with the 10.3 diameter. I'm thinking the 10.5 diameter will bring up mph a little. We'll see. It will be later in the year before I do that. Thanks for watching!

[@theowenssailingdiary5239]

@@NCFishingandOutdoors the spped chasing is fine as long as you can reach the correct WOT revs. That's how I understand it. Should be looking at revs not speed.

[@NCFishingandOutdoors]

Correct. My wot rpm ended up being perfect. Thanks for watching.

[@alllstarbass]

I have a mercury 60hp 4 strokes and did some test: - Blackmax 10.38 x 14P. 5200rpm and 31.5mph top end speed; - blackmax 10 1/2 x 13P. 5900rpm and around the same 31.5mph top end speed; - spitfire 10.6 x 12P. 6000rpm over and 30.8mph top end speed. I liked so much the spitfire and i think to buy a 10.1 x 14P or a 10.1x 15P.

[@NCFishingandOutdoors]

Cool, I ended up hitting the prop on some rocks. I gotta get another one. Interesting test results. Thanks.

[@alllstarbass]

@@NCFishingandOutdoors good news: I adjust my motor 1.5 inches bellow and i got 33mph with blackmax 14p. I ll test vengeance 10.38x14p. I ll do a video soon here

[@NCFishingandOutdoors]

Nice! I'll keep my eyes open for it.

[@philldownes8685]

get a mercury 10.1/8 x 15p Black alloy prop pat no 48-73140 -15 . watch your speed climb up. DO drill 100 mm exhaust vents in the prop and youl jump on plane and reach high 30's maybe 40 . good old props they were and millions of them around in good used condition.

[@billt7456]

Does your boat plane off faster with the four blade prop?

[@NCFishingandOutdoors]

Yes. The 4 blade gives it a little more punch. I didn't get anything extra on the top end but I didn't lose any top end either although I've heard some people say they did gain 2 or 3 mph on the top.

[@craigcampbell2687]

Curious what the performance difference was. Did you also get a different pitch? I need to make a change on my 60hp to get on plane faster.

[@NCFishingandOutdoors]

Hi Craig. I got the same pitch as what came on the boat when I bought it. With the 4 blade prop I was able to get on plane easier but I didn't gain or lose mph. Thanks for watching

[@mozee01]

can you loose your motor warranty when u changed it from 3 to a 4 blade? ty

[@NCFishingandOutdoors]

You shouldn't as long as you don't exceed the max rpm more than a second or two. They are usually matched with a prop at the dealer so just make sure the new prop doesn't allow the engine to overrev. I like to be 100 to 200 rpm under max rpm when at full throttle.

[@tuomore]

You forgot to lock tabs?

[@NCFishingandOutdoors]

You are correct. I did it off camera afterward but I did mention that it needed to be done.

[@lorinkramer1524]

Very good video! But how did you get a "2108" model? I'd like to upgrade , but that's REALLY upgrading!! Just kidding, excellent tutorial.

[@NCFishingandOutdoors]

🤣🤣 Good catch, lol. Don't know how my ocd self missed that. Glad you liked it, thanks.

[@andrewlivingston4826]

Is this the Mercury command thrust?

[@NCFishingandOutdoors]

No, its just the basic merc.

[@marshallhurt8814]

Awesome video as always

[@NCFishingandOutdoors]

Thanks buddy!

[@flyntfishing2662]

I’m sure you wanted to upgrade anyways but couldn’t you just have changed the hub?

[@NCFishingandOutdoors]

I could have, yes but you're right. I did want to upgrade for a better holeshot.

[@flyntfishing2662]

@@NCFishingandOutdoors ok cool I was just curious if you could have just changed the prop. I’m hoping to find a video on changing the lower end seals so if you know of any let me know!

[@Yukon2918]

What size socket? Please?

[@NCFishingandOutdoors]

I can't remember off hand but I'll check tomorrow when I get home and let you know. I'm out of town right now.

[@Yukon2918]

Thanks much. Great video.

[@NCFishingandOutdoors]

Thanks. Best I can tell the size is 15/16". I'd have to bend the locking tab flat again to be 100% sure but I'm afraid if I bend it again it might break.

[@Yukon2918]

Thanks whiskertime

[@danielzubrinic3894]

Hello! Do you have any play in your prop once everything is tight?

[@NCFishingandOutdoors]

Yes there is a touch of play. The original prop had roughly the same amount of play when I bought the boat new. The main thing is that there's little if any play in the prop shaft itself.

[@glennscatfishing]

Good video mark, I can’t wait to see what kind of difference it makes for ya!!!

[@NCFishingandOutdoors]

Thanks Glenn. Had a few minutes to take it out and test it the next day. Gets on plane in half the original time. No loss or gain in top speed for me. All in all I like it better than the 3 blade prop. Now if I can just find time to fish.

[@highcountry3702]

Good video and thank you. I have one of these motors and at high elevation I lose a lot of power. I have a 16 foot Lund and I can’t get it above 10 miles an hour at 7000 feet. Here at home at 4500 feet I can at least hit 27 miles an hour. Any advice on what I could do? I’ve tried the four blade and three blade prop

[@NCFishingandOutdoors]

High Country, Thanks for watching. You could try a lower pitch prop. The factory pitch on mine is 13, I would try maybe a 12. I cant promise that'll work but you can try. Maybe not trying to take as big a bite out of the water will help. I know less oxygen at high altitude affects the power of engines but injected engines aren't as affected by it. Try a lower pitch prop and see if it helps. Good luck.

[@HENRY-om3ps]

Drop 5 pitches at 7k feet elevation.

[@andrewlwinanssr1261]

I changed my three blade to a four blade spitfire on my 60 hp motor thrust washer didn’t want to come off so I left it does it matter? Everything fit perfectly but I’m just wondering why it didn’t want to budge.

[@NCFishingandOutdoors]

Should be fine. I'm not sure why it wouldn't move or come off other than maybe corrosion? Anyway as I said it should be okay.

[@mozee01]

I followed ur direction to the tee. I know the top prop washer needs to touch the metal. However, After u insert the propeller to the shaft, it will not touch anymore because the threads pushes it up a bit. My question is, Why is that I have a play on my propeller? is it normal to have a play? ty

[@NCFishingandOutdoors]

Without looking at it I really couldn't say. There is a way to check it but I no longer have the instructions on it. Your prop should have come with instructions if you got it new. If you're not confident in your installation I would contact a shop and have them look at it for you. They likely have the tooling to check the play (I believe it's called runout) and make sure it is within manufacturers limits. Sorry I couldn't be more help.

[@tyrailr]

Great How To. Thank you. 👍🏼

[@NCFishingandOutdoors]

Glad you liked it. Thanks for watching.

[@frankissa8040]

Forgot to bend the tabs in lock washer?

[@NCFishingandOutdoors]

Forgot to video it. Lol. They definitely got bent.

[@philldownes8685]

all that grease you fucked around with and forgot to put any on the threads so the threads dont go rusty, very clever and being as the okld prop had been walloped a few times be a good idea to check the prop shaft for run out...

[@NCFishingandOutdoors]

The threads got greased plenty when I put the grease on the prop shaft. Couldn't help but get it on there. Hasn't rusted yet. The old prop itself was fine just got stuck in mud at low speed causing it to spin the hub. At the last service I had the runout checked and it was fine. Thanks for the tips though.

[@paulbowkunowicz6960]

So which Prop did you buy.....

[@NCFishingandOutdoors]

I bought the Mercury Spitfire 4 blade aluminum. I have since hit some rocks and tore it up so I put the original back on.

[@paulbowkunowicz6960]

@@NCFishingandOutdoors what diameter and pitch

[@NCFishingandOutdoors]

The spitfire was a 10.3 x 13

[@drdonjuan9]

@@NCFishingandOutdoors why 10.3 13P and why not 10.6 12P?

[@NCFishingandOutdoors]

I tried to stay as close to the diameter and pitch it came with as possible. Also a 12p might have caused an over rev issue. The 13p had it right at max rpm.

[@ovidiogarcia6627]

I can't believe you used a torque Rachet to break the nut loose.

[@NCFishingandOutdoors]

This torque wrench was designed to torque in both directions, in case of left handed threads. Do people not know they make torque wrenches/ratchets like that?

[@philldownes8685]

@@NCFishingandOutdoors and 50 ft pound wont hurt any torque wrench.. ..seems lots of people have no idea a torque wrench is reversible..