Tracking a prop

M

midnight rider

Well-known member
Does anyone else track their prop off the transom rather than using the pitch marks on their prop?
In order to set my q I had to set one at pitch mark one and one at two. Way too much harmonics with them set by the molded marks on the prop
 
them marks arent very accurate. i used the marks to get me in the ballpark, but track
off the transom to get em the same. i think i have one on about the 1 1/2 and ones about 1 5/8
or 1 3/4 the marks are off slightly
 
personally , i wouldn't do that . home depot has protractors for around $10 . put it at the very end of the blade and set each blade the same .
 
I've got "R" blades now . The marks seemed kind of crude and the whole blade is compound angles and sweeps so I used a magnetic base dial indicator on a heavy steel plate clamped to the transom to get the blade angles to match .
 
swamp runner said:
personally , i wouldn't do that . home depot has protractors for around $10 . put it at the very end of the blade and set each blade the same .
Click to expand...
IF U USE THE SAME SPOT NO MATTER WHAT BLD U START WITH THEY WILL BE THE SAME CURVES/ECT DONT MATTER FIND A REF. POINT AND IT WILL BE THE SAME #'S JMO TRACKING IS FINE AND I DO IT AS WELL BUT TO BE SURE ... U WOULD BE BETTER OFF WITH A DIGITAL PROTRACTOR AND 10.00 I DONT NO ABOUT MINE IS LIKE 100.00 FROM SEARS
 
Tracking them works just fine. With all the newer props having no straight edges for the digital protracters I think it is the most accurate way. I have set a ton of props this way with no problems.
 
I done own a digatal protracter other than my phone i app. In the Sensenich instructions is says to track the blades and that is how they instruct me to do so. I have no problems this way . I do get fussy and make sure they kiss each time then check again after it tq.Hope this helps.
 
JAMES said:
swamp runner said:
personally , i wouldn't do that . home depot has protractors for around $10 . put it at the very end of the blade and set each blade the same .
Click to expand...
IM WITH U ON THAT IF U USE THE SAME SPOT NO MATTER WHAT BLD U START WITH THEY WILL BE THE SAME CURVES/ECT DONT MATTER FIND A REF. POINT AND IT WILL BE THE SAME #'S JMO TRACKING IS FINE AND I DO IT AS WELL BUT TO BE SURE ... U WOULD BE BETTER OFF WITH A DIGITAL PROTRACTOR AND 10.00 I DONT NO ABOUT MINE IS LIKE 100.00 FROM SEARS
Click to expand...
http://www.homedepot.com/Tools-Hard...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053 this is the one i have , i compared it to a digital one and i was within .2 of a deg. .
 
prop pic 02.JPGprop pic 1.JPG
Hard to tell from the pics but the molded marks are in line with the sticker marks In order to have the least amount of harmonic vibration i had to set it how it is in these pics, I tracked the trailing edge off the transom. using a digital protractor will not always work. right now if you use the protractor it will tell you there are 3* difference in the blades. but if you track it off the transom they are the same.
 
midnight rider said:
View attachment 1
Hard to tell from the pics but the molded marks are in line with the sticker marks In order to have the least amount of harmonic vibration i had to set it how it is in these pics, I tracked the trailing edge off the transom. using a digital protractor will not always work. right now if you use the protractor it will tell you there are 3* difference in the blades. but if you track it off the transom they are the same.
Click to expand...
That's the way to do it!
 
midnight rider said:
View attachment 1
Hard to tell from the pics but the molded marks are in line with the sticker marks In order to have the least amount of harmonic vibration i had to set it how it is in these pics, I tracked the trailing edge off the transom. using a digital protractor will not always work. right now if you use the protractor it will tell you there are 3* difference in the blades. but if you track it off the transom they are the same.
Click to expand...
I HAVENT HAD THAT HAPPEN TO ME YET BEING THAT FAR OFF LOOKS LIKE 1/2 MARK
 
its a full mark. I ran it one time with them both on one and it shook the bolts that hold the bowl of my carb loose. Thats a lot of vibration. It makes me wonder, cause that is alot of variance for coming out of a mold. Btw it is a 71" Q on a 160 H2AD. I have run the H also and it was on the money. TIGO541 had the same deal with his R's. Makes you wonder if its the blades or the hubs, I want to make clear I'm not downing or bashing Sensenich, I love the prop and its crazy how hard it pushes my boat, but its def something all newbies need to know to check. Cause that will ruin a crank especially a four cylinder in a hurry.
 
I would not worry about the marks just track it and you'll be fine,I just put a 74'' Q on and there is no vibration. I tracked it and then checked it with a digital protractor
 
So how do you track a blade? Do use a zip tie off the transom or cage wire? Do you measure to the leading edge only? At night when I have my cage light on it looks like the blades are wobley as sh!!!!t front to back!
 
i have a 68 cypress , i set the pitch with the protractor i posted a yr 1/2 ago and never had a problem . i just now went and tracked it a few min. ago and it checked out perfect :mrgreen: areyou sure that your prop dowels aren't too long , not letting the prop hub bolt down flush against the crank ?
 
on mine , i clamped a metal ruler to the transum just barely touching the trailing edge of one blade then spun it around to where the other blade came to the ruler , it was perfect !!!
 
yeah they arent too long. how do you like that power shift, have you compared it too anything else. Thats the one that I really want to try next.
 
I have never done this.... Might wanna do this on my next day off... Wonder how far they might be out... The motor has no wobble, so it must be close, but confirming it will be comforting..
 
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