Bow Thruster Prop

I use a ratchet with a long extension. A 13mm socket fits a nut on the prop. There is also a washer. You should be able to pull the prop straight off. I have the side power SE 30. If you have the same this process should work.
 
If you can’t pull the prop off after removing the nut try this. From the opposite side with a piece of wood about 1”x1” and appropriate length so you can tap it with a hammer. Place the end of the wood against the prop hub and tap it around the hub till it pops off. Before you reinstall the hub grease the shaft, makes it easier to remove next time.
 
Fluid Motion uses Side Power or Lewmar for thrusters.

The Side power will have an anode on the gear housing opposite side of the prop. 13 MM socket ( I use 1/4 drive) long extension, 1/2 oak dowel rod (I cut mine to a length of 12"). Place the dowel rod in between two blades and lodge it against the housing and loosen the nut. Remove the nut and washer. If the prop does not want to slide off. Use the dowel rod and a ball peen Hammer tap the prop hub edges to loosen the hub from the shaft and then remove.

The Lewmar uses no anode. The housing is composite. The removal is the same as the Lewmar ( I'm not sure of socket size). There are two washers used one in front of the prop and one under the nut holding the prop. Lewmar has a torque specification for the nut. Check your owners manual. It is a composite housing so don't over tighten it.

I remove my prop yearly when I replace my anodes ( bow and stern) application of grease on the shaft will aid in the removal .
 
Mine is 10 MM, not 13 MM, The dowel trick worked great. Even used the dowel to knock some barnacles off the housing. The prop had a lot of barnacles on it. Knocked off the big chunks, soaking in barnacle buster as we speak.
Thanks again!
 
Timely post. I was trying to get of a windward starboard dock and the bow thruster suddenly stopped working but the motor is still running when I hit the toggle switch. It's as if the prop became disconnected somehow, but, the prop is still connected. Has anyone had this happen? I'm about to go deepby removing the whole assembly and I'm hoping for an easy fix instead of $2000 replacement. Thanks
 
Kevin White":2qkdwphx said:
Timely post. I was trying to get of a windward starboard dock and the bow thruster suddenly stopped working but the motor is still running when I hit the toggle switch. It's as if the prop became disconnected somehow, but, the prop is still connected. Has anyone had this happen? I'm about to go deepby removing the whole assembly and I'm hoping for an easy fix instead of $2000 replacement. Thanks
Click to expand...
Sounds like a broken shear pin.
 
Speaking of the shear pin, where is it located on the lewmar bow thruster?
Thanks,
 
Your link is bad. think the url at the end doesn't belong there.
 
The hub of the prop is also designed to strip and will sometimes display the same symptoms as a broken shear pin.
 
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