I've got a 6.5 Copperhead I've used the last season and a half. I've got to replace the rear seal but can't get the prop off, it seems to frozen in place. I've tried heat, I've had a couple of guys holding on the backing nut with a wrench and used a cheater bar, I've even soaked it for two days with Penetrate and it won't budge. I'm thinking the only option I might have is to grind it off and get a new prop. Seems like a waste as the prop is still in really good shape. Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks.

Not sure..but are the threads left handed

LOL...I think I see where you're going with this...I AM trying to turn it in the correct direction.

Take a pic of it. Is it threaded like a gd?


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Ok just checking...not trying to be a smartazz

Not a prob, that's a perfectly good question. I had a small longtail that did have reverse threads and first time I tried taking the prop off I wondered why the locking nut wouldn't budge. Felt pretty stupid when I realized I was actually tightening the thing.

I'll see if I can get a pic this evening when I get home and have at it again.

Ok. What I had to do on my gd was back the lock screw off about a half to a 3/4 from the prop. Then take a crowbar and stick it behind the top blade near the base on the prop and rest it on the lock nut. Then use the lock nut as a pivot point to rotate the prop. let me know if that doesn't make sense and I will try to explain more.


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If the shaft seal is already shot, us a bit of heat on the prop hub.

Do what Giga says, except take you a mini sledge, a 6 pack of beer, a blow torch to heat up the prop, and wack the hell out of it til it breaks looks...worked on my GD

Hey, good suggestions guys.

hunt682, I can visualize what you're saying. I tried something similar but instead of using the lock nut I put a small piece of wood on the shaft to protect the threads. I'll try the locknut method and see if that works any better.

Mag10, that back seal is shot and that's what started this whole thing. I though I had the torch on it pretty good with no results, but I'll give it another go and maybe keep the heat on a little longer.

Gigafowl, I kind of get what you're saying about the prop removal too. I don't have one but think I have a friend that might be able to weld up something for me along those lines.

I appreciate all the help gentlemen (I especially like the 6-pack idea), I should be able to pop it loose now.

If you have a pipe wrench, just put it on the back nut and turn the prop til its stopped by the cav plate. Best of luck bub.

Heat the hub all the way around untill its about glowing and follow up with removal tool. You dont want to hit it too hard with it that hot, if you have no other way use a brass hammer to minimize flat spots.

Boy, this is kind of eerie. I was just logging onto the forum to post up where I am on this thing when your message came through. This is the original prop, I've got maybe 50-60 hours on the thing, and I've never had it in the salt. I had the prop off after about 10 hours as I wasn't getting the speeds I was told I would and Gil at Copperhead Motors sent me a new prop to try. That one wasn't any better so I sent it back, but I had no trouble switching it out at that time. Could be I didn't do a good job lubricating the threads on that thing when I put it back on.

The threads on the shaft look fine, no visible damage there, but the dang thing just won't come off. I tried some of the suggestions I got on here to no avail, and not wanting to risk damaging anything I called Gil and basically I'm removing the drive unit and sending it to him. He says he can get it off so that's what I'm doing. I figure if he breaks anything he can fix it right there as he should have all the parts. Not what I was looking to do, but it is what it is. I'm just glad I'm doing it now and it's not hunting season as it would royally suck to not have the motor for a couple of weeks. I will tell you that I'll be routinely taking that thing off every 20 hours or so just to make sure it doesn't happen again.

Well sry to hear you couldn't get it off but gil will get ya fixed up

Heat not red hot then splash it with cold water that what we had to do to mine after a couple hr fight and popped right loose

I had this problem yesterday have an older style mb with threaded shaft i tried to double nut the shaft then pry against it but the shaft spun in the double nut..

Idk if your motor is setup like a mb but i took a good pipe wrench held on the seal race and put cheater pipes on it and crow bar on the prop and it popped right off

Two words for you......
Hex Shaft

I was replacing my prop thats why i didnt try and over heat to warp or weaken the shaft. I eouldnt have done it if i was reusing