Prop help

[scoobeb]

I'm sure I will be happy with the oem suzuki prop that is coming today. I'm just trying to get mid 20s or better but the design of this oem prop is much better Imo then the solas. The blades are much wider so it should give a little bit of wot speed edge over the solas. Like I said if I get a couple mph or more,or heck even a mph is fine with me. I like to see around a 2 to 3 mph increase but if not I will take what I can get. I can still lift my engine also a few inches if needed to gain posibly another mph or so. So I have a few things I can do to get a little more speed. I'm hoping for 26 to 28mph overall. That is my goal. If I can accomplish that then I've done pretty good pushing a 1648 with 2 people and over 1000lbs of total weight with a 20hp 4 stroke outboard. Then once the new 20hp 4 stroke efi tohatsu comes out this fall I want to see the overall specs and difference between the suzuki and it. Can't wait to see that engine for sure.

 

[DaleH]

Right up at the top of the Motors forum is a prop calculator by Turning Point Props where you can enter the exact model you own, or an equivalent model, and enter in the motor and weight you're pushing.

https://www.forum.tinboats.net/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=37433

A bonus of buying Turning Point props is their exchange process, where for $35 (IIRC) you can swap it out for another one. Their Tech Supprt is awesome too! I've had them recommend 3 props in the past 5-6 years and every one has been dead nuts on for what I needed ... no prop swapping needed.

Off the record and I've never seen a Solas prop worth the money or perform anywhere close to what the pitch & diameter would predict ...

 

[tomme boy]

If you think that a SS prop is bad on a lower unit then you are the still living in the 60's. The SS props have the same rubber hubs that a aluminum prop has.

When was the last time you actually heard of a bent prop shaft? You haven't. You are repeating what everyone used to say about SS props from back in the 60-80's. It is an old wives tale. You want to know what takes out a prop shaft. Running a aluminum prop that has a chunk of the blade missing and creating a imbalance. I thought I would help you out and make a hell of a deal for you. But you still seem to be searching for a cure that you have not been able to find in the last couple of years. You keep buying motors over and over again and still have not been happy.

I will take my old 1988 25 Merc over anything Suzuki made any day of the week. I sold mine off after having it rebuilt 2 times under warranty and they sent techs in from California from the Corp office and they still could not find the oil leaks and why it was missing under load. They also replaced the lower unit housing as it was a bad housing and was trapping air bubbles and was burning holes into the case from the air that was trapped in those two spots.

I wish you luck in your search for the motor of your dreams but I feel you will have two new ones by the end of the year in your search.

And remember, just because you heard it on the net does not make it true!

 

[scoobeb]

I do appreciate the help,i just don't want ss.I will take the advice of techs who work for marinas or a store.I'm going by people who have also done real world tests on youtube with the ss props and most said they had issues with the ss props pulling the boat to the left or right hard,etc....If i get near what i'm hoping for i will be pleased.I don't need 30+mph i just would like to get in the mid to upper 20s.That would be perfectly fine with me.I fish around nothing but rocks,oyster beds,etc....I will not take a chance with a ss prop no matter what hubs they have in them now.Iv'e seen it time and time and time again someone running over an oyster bed and they said goodbye to their lower unit. I'm going out here when the wind calms down and i will test all 3 props i have now.I just got the suzuki 11 pitch prop and i like what i see.I love that the blades are a bit wider than the solas.I have also read tons and tons of articles and looked at videos and also looked at other forums and most have said the biggest improvement using a ss prop over an aluminum besides they hold up forever is the hole shot.The overall wot speed on little outboards are so minimal that a ss prop is not needed.It's not like if i switch from an aluminum to a ss prop i'm going to gain 5+mph,i may gain a few just as with me using the oem prop over the solas due to the larger blades. Hey,i may gain nothing either way,who knows. I 'm sticking with aluminum but thanks for the help anyways.

 

[scoobeb]

Here is the solas 11 pitch and the suzuki 11 pitch side by side and i also measured the blades which had the suzuki prop just a bit wider than the solas.Also the suzuki is a different designed prop all together so i can't wait to test them out soon and post the results.I'm not going to have a speed demon of a boat,i understand that,i just want to try and hit the mid to upper 20's with whatever prop works best with 2 people or with myself and my large cooler with some blocks in it to weigh the front down.

1st pic is the suzuki prop
2nd pic is the solas prop
3rd pic suzuki prop
4th pic is solas prop
5th pic is solas left and suzuki right

You can see a slight difference in blade size and design between the 2.I really like suzuki blades and nice and round they are,the solas blades seem like they are a longer blade from the body and a hair smaller blades,around 1/8 of an inch smaller give or take a bit.I'm expecting the oem suzuki prop to perform the best but you just never know,lol.

 

[scoobeb]

I love this suzuki engine,i should of never sold the original one i had yrs ago.The only outboard that i have ran since then was my 25hp 2 stroke merc and i sold that to get me my new 20hp suzuki.I like when new stuff comes out.Also it's not that i'm unhappy with what i have i just like to experience with new engines and to see what they have to offer.I have always loved tohatsu,imo tohatsu was the best outboard for the money without getting a deal.Now they went up so they are in par with all the other engine prices.I just did not like the cheap features on the 20hp tohatsu like the flimsy plastic shifter,just made bad.The new 20hp efi tohatsu looks very promising but if i like what i get out of this suzuki i will end up keeping this for a long while.I do admit i have a major ocd when it comes to buying the best next thing.I don't know why i'm like this but it's true.It's not true though that i'm unhappy with what i have,i'm just looking at the next technology of stuff.

Remember your words were just because you heard it on the net doesn't make it true.Well i can say what you said about ss props won't hurt a smaller engine today and i'm living in the 60s to 80s is a myth also,lol.Only joking around with ya.Yes,i have seen plenty of bent prop shafts on youtube from a ss prop hitting a log,rock,or something hard.A guy on there just got a new ss solas saturn and guess what he had,a new 20hp 4 stroke suzuki and he had to order a new prop shaft due to it getting bent from hitting something so he's back to aluminum.I never said it happens all the time but why chance it when an aluminum prop will perform great on smaller engines.Also if i hit something and my aluminum prop loses a blade well i reach into my box and pull my spare out and i'm on my way.

I'm only 41 so i wouldn't know anything about the 60's either,lol.

 

[tomme boy]

If it takes out the shaft using a SS, It would take out the shaft on a aluminum. That is a the real truth. Heck, on my old Ranger with a 175 Merc EFI, I bent a propshaft by hitting a chunk of barge rope at 68mph. And twisted the input shaft. I would hardly say a rope is hard enough to do that damage but it happened and I was glad I had good Insurance as it was a $2700 replacement. SOO, would that have happened with a aluminum prop or not?

 

[scoobeb]

The prop shaft is much stronger than an aluminum prop so in most cases no,the aluminum prop won't take out a prop shaft or gears like a ss prop would,that is just good old common sense. When I first started boating I hit a rock pretty hard with my aluminum prop and it bent the prop pretty darn good where it was unusable again but my shaft was dead on perfect. Had I used a ss prop I guarantee you that rock would of destroyed my prop shaft and gears without question. At least the prop shaft would of bent at the very least. That is one of the many reasons they make aluminum props, one of the reasons is for using it on a engine in rocky areas or where objects can be hit so it won't take out the lower unit. At least that is the thinking by most who use them and that is what the manufacturers of the props say. Aluminum props are cheap in price,light weight, made for use in shallow unpredictable waters where rocky or logs can be,etc.. Can a prop shaft get bent with an aluminum prop on it,I'm sure if you hit just right it can be done but you have a way,way,less chance with aluminum than with ss. Anyone will tell you that if they know boats. I have read tons of articles that a ss prop usually comes in handy for speeds of 50mph+ ,anything under a good aluminum prop can handle. I got near 35mph with my 1993 25hp 2 stroke merc with a 14 pitch aluminum solas prop. That is fast for a 25hp with an aluminum prop. I expect great results with my new oem genuine suzuki prop. It looks good and a well put together prop imo. I think the blades being a bit rounder and wider will give me some great wot speed. I bet I get near 26-28mph which is where I want to be and I believe I can get there. I will be amazed with that speed if I can accomplish that, I will be as happy as I can get,hands down.

 

[CedarRiverScooter]

Beg to differ, but the reason they make props out of aluminum is that they are cheaper to manufacture, period. Years ago they had shear pins to protect drive train, now they have rubber lined hub.

 

[tomme boy]

He heard it on youtube and the regular internet so it is true that SS props are bad. I would rather buy a more expensive SS than 3-4 aluminum props every year. I have only ever had on SS prop that needed to be rebuilt. I was running up a creek and the water dropped out from under me so I knew all I had to do was to keep it up on top and I would make it through. Well I was throwing a 20' high rooster tail of sand behind me at about 45mph. If I would have let off I would have had to call someone with a winch to pull me off the sand bar. I lost about 1/4" of diameter off the tips of the Tempest prop.

I have bought a lot of expensive props over the years and Powertech has been the best out of everyone that makes a standard prop. Solas are junk. Call the guys at powertech and talk to them. I am pretty sure they have a 3 and a 4 blade aluminum for that motor. Or just buy 5 more motors and maybe you will find the one that you like.

 

[scoobeb]

I ran my 9.8 tohatsu 2 stroke for 7yrs with the same prop after hitting that one rock in the beginning due to not knowing the area. I put well over 500-700hrs on that prop and I never understood about about motors then other than put oil and gas in it and run it. I was a 15 yr old kid. I just didn't take advice from YouTube, it's all over forums with people with experience with them. I never said not to use ss,do what your heart desires. I choose aluminum and that is that. By the way the solas saturn ss prop has a ton of great reviews as well as the power tech prop.

 

[scoobeb]

If I get the performance I'm looking for than I'm happy. It's not like I'm going to gain a ton of speed with a ss prop over aluminum. If I get 26-28mph out of my new oem suzuki prop that is all I'm probably going to get out of her no matter what. 26-28mph is plenty fast and hey,if it is a dog out of the hole and my wot speed is say 20-22mph then maybe I may give ss a shot. I understand that ss is superior to aluminum in holding up much longer,possibly forever,but I have boated for 27yrs and have never had a ss prop and have never had one issue with one except the one rock I hit. My props have lasted a long,long,time. So maybe down the road when I go through another 10-20 engines and find one I like I may try a ss prop and I'm sure it will make a little difference but it's not like I'm gaining much from it performance wise. 20hp will only give u so much on a jon boat and again in the mid to upper 20s is perfectly fine with me.

 

[Weldorthemagnificent]

What's that boat rated for anyway?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[scoobeb]

35hp but 20hp 4 strokes perform very well on these light flat bottom boats. My boat is 310lbs and my buddy has the same exact boat and we took it down to the lake last yr when I first got it. He has a 2016 20hp 4 stroke tohatsu and with him,2 small sons and pulling a tuber behind him he topped out at 27mph with a 11 pitch solas aluminum prop which imo is plenty fast. I originally has a 1993 25hp 2 stroke merc on mine and it was insanely fast,almost to fast. With a 14 pitch solas aluminum prop I was as 32mph with just over 1000lbs of total weight in the boat,you take one person away and it hit near 35mph and was insane,my buddy said when we would go by him the boat was barely touching water that is how fast we were going. Well I just wanted to go back to a 4 stroke and my 9yr old little girl was really scared going that fast to say the least. I was going to go with the 25hp originally but I said to myself I can't justify spending another $700-$850 for 5hp. So I went with the 20hp and I had one yrs ago and loved it and should of never got rid of it. I love the performance of it,sips gas,no mixing oil and gas,efi,97lbs,warranty. Also another deciding factor was I have insurance on my boat,if by some how (as this day in age we never know) my boat would of got stolen or more like the engine itself my insurance company told me no matter how nice my 1993 merc was I would only get book value for it which would be near nothing,few hundred bucks if I'm lucky. My merc was flawless but I also knew I could get a pretty penny for it so I put her on Craigslist and in less than a week a man traveled 600 miles to buy it because he wanted this exact engine. So I got $1800 for a 24yr old engine. I put alot of work into to so it has nearly everything brand new on it except the powerhead and a few small things. If my 17 suzuki were to get stolen I get a $3700 check and imo it was a no brainer to cover my butt also since I paid only $2450 for it. Sorry so long,just explaining my situation. Now down the road when,my daughter gets a bit bigger I may upgrade to a 25hp suzuki or yamaha. You can,get a new in the box short shaft, manual start 25hp efi yamaha for $3100,that is a killer deal.

 

[scoobeb]

I may consider a ss prop if I start having issues with my aluminum props but I have 3 of them so I'm set for a little while. I got the 10 pitch, solas 11 pitch and oem suzuki 11 pitch props I have to test on my local lake here soon. I'm also going to buy a tach soon. I have used aluminum props for 27yrs and only had one issue all that time. I'm sure a ss prop is superior in every way to an aluminum,I have just read forums from all over that say on an engine this small the performance difference will be so minimal if any that it's not worth it. I have also read where people love ss props and would never go back to aluminum. I completely understand that if you hit a rock hard enough that whether ss or aluminum it will probably damage the lower unit. I was always told as a kid and from boats.net and iboats told me to stick with an aluminum prop because more than anything the performance will be near nothing to possibly a bit as I stated before. The biggest thing would be getting out of the hole faster. As of now,when I ran my original one yrs ago the 20hp with the aluminum prop got me on plane in seconds so imo that is good for me. Down the road I may give one a shot. I was also told with the smaller prop shaft and smaller gears they advised me to go with the lighter prop. I'm just stating what all these people told me,I never said it was right or wrong. So that is where we are now. I'm going to test all 3 props and if I like what I get which I'm hoping near the mid 20s to upper 20s I will be happy.

 

[Rumblejohn]

I didn't notice anyone mention the fact that a stainless prop will break not bend. It will cost you roughly double the amount to replace it. If you run in shallow water with rocks and logs, it is cheaper to replace a $100 prop than a $250 prop. Just my $.02

 

[scoobeb]

I didn't notice anyone mention the fact that a stainless prop will break not bend. It will cost you roughly double the amount to replace it. If you run in shallow water with rocks and logs, it is cheaper to replace a $100 prop than a $250 prop. Just my $.02

Crazy as it is a solas ss saturn prop for my 20hp suzuki is less then what i paid for the oem aluminum suzuki prop if you can believe that. I'm going out to test all 3 props by this weeks end so i will post what i get gps.

10 pitch suzuki
11 pitch suzuki
11 pitch solas

They are all aluminum props so i will see what type of hole shot and wot speed i can get.Watch the cheap $60 solas prop win ,that would be something.I hear a ton of people diss solas and a ton of people who swear by them,more good then bad i should say.$60 is a steal on a prop.

 

[LDUBS]

If my 17 suzuki were to get stolen I get a $3700 check and imo it was a no brainer to cover my butt also since I paid only $2450 for it.

This whole thread has been very interesting to say the least.

A general principle of insurance indemnification is that you would not be paid more than your actual loss. If you have coverage that does that, then good for you.

 

[scoobeb]

My policy is based on what the engine would cost to replace at msrp,that is what they go by.My whole rig is covered for $7k total. $3700 for the engine, $1000 for my trailer and $2300 for my boat. That is how it's broke down.

 

[Bushwhacker]

havent been on in a while but scoobeb, I recently put a Solas 11p on my 20hp Zuk and have ran it twice now with all my gear in the boat. Was hitting the limiter with the stock 10p at about 6300+ rpm running about 23mph. Now loaded my rpm's are around 5800-5900 and it is running around 25-26mph. Lost a just a little bit out of the hole but not enough that it matters. I'm happy with it for around $65