Just ordered my Hill Marine 4x4 Props!!!

aero3113

@Dream_Inn , on the bravo 3 there’s no locking ring, Just the tapered nut.

aero3113

Dream_Inn

Interesting.  I have B-2 drives, so they have locking nut.  I guess I never took off my props on my 310 (that had B-3 drives).

bella-vita

Their is nylon on the nut to stop it from coming loose

raybo3

That is a locking nut. Your only supposed to use it once. Believe it or not that will hold better than the nylon. Ask me how I know............ We use those on our new trains.

Handymans342

raybo3 said:

That is a locking nut. Your only supposed to use it once. Believe it or not that will hold better than the nylon. Ask me how I know............ We use those on our new trains.

I knew you liked Chinese nuts Ray! LMAO

Black_Diamond

No locking key / cotter pin for the B-III props. 

It is worth consideration to add the prop anodes though. https://www.boatzincs.com/MERProp-Nut-D-mag.html

LaRea

Most of you already saw this discussion about aligning propellers.  Just posting the link here for completeness.  

https://rinkerboats.vanillacommunities.com/discussion/comment/132535#Comment_132535

raybo3

Handymans342 said:

raybo3 said:

That is a locking nut. Your only supposed to use it once. Believe it or not that will hold better than the nylon. Ask me how I know............ We use those on our new trains.

I knew you liked Chinese nuts Ray! LMAO

Yeah in Chicken with cashews..............LOL

Handymans342

LOL

aero3113

raybo3 said:

That is a locking nut. Your only supposed to use it once. Believe it or not that will hold better than the nylon. Ask me how I know............ We use those on our new trains.

I installed two new nuts because I didn’t like the way the old ones looked. They were probably original!

raybo3

@aero3113 Not supposed to reuse those. One and done. 

aero3113

Yea, who knows if the previous owner replaced them. From the looks of them, I would say no.

aero3113

Found some pics!

aero3113

During my bay test today, I can say that these props are worth the money. The boat shot out of the water with ease, no struggling at all. It was just myself, full fuel and full waste (I put treatment in to clean it out). The engines also reached their max RPM’s @ 5000. Very happy with them.

Dream_Inn

Oh yeah, I still love my hill marine props!!!

J3ff

aero3113 said:

During my bay test today, I can say that these props are worth the money. The boat shot out of the water with ease, no struggling at all. It was just myself, full fuel and full waste (I put treatment in to clean it out). The engines also reached their max RPM’s @ 5000. Very happy with them.

The change in loudness was also apparent for me... couldn't believe how you could "hear" that the motor was working less. 

aero3113

Yes, has definitely made the engines work less lowered the noise.

JimGuy341

Looking forward to getting mine installed.

Autodog61

Ok, so I need some input from you all.  I am about to spend some coin on two sets of props for my Bravo IIIs and considering the Mercury Marine 4x3 XR's or Hill Marine 4x4. 

Background - I have 2002 342.  6.2L MX engines (377 C.I not sure the HP - Likely 260-275?).  Last March I replaced both Bravo III outdrives and added additional thru-hull cooling.  After the drive replacements ran the boat several times with typical performance (meaning took 15-25 seconds to reach plane at what 3800-4000 RPM).  Acceptable in my book.  Boat sat over 2019 winter into spring 2020 without being moved much (likely bottom growth - In Lake Washington Seattle area -fresh water).  Took the boat out first time last week and was quite a bit longer to get on plane and it wouldn't go over 4,000 RPM until I was on plane for quite a while.  Definitely different.  I am attributing this to bottom growth.  I did have 100 hr service done a moth ago.  Both engines have 165-180 compression all around and only 260 hrs. 

First thing to do -Pull out and have bottom cleaned.  Re-float and see about performance improvement.  Guessing there will be some but who knows .

Second thing.  I currently have OEM 24 pitch props.  I am looking at the Hill Marine 4 blade 20's you all mention or the Mercury Marine XR's 4x3

https://www.mercuryracing.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/2569-1116_Bravo_Three_XR_SS_LR.pdf

Probably 22's.  Maybe 20's like you all not. 

All the discussion above seems to be about a 270.  I want recommendation for 342.  I also want to see about getting some stern lift to reduce or eliminate? the wash over the transom that floods the hatch seam and get6s into the bilge.  Although this doesn't create too much concern for me, it does irritate me to no end that this happens. 

So, lets here your thoughts!

aero3113

I have an ‘08 330 and have the Hill 4X4 20P with Bravo III’s and 5.7 MPI. I want to say that my time to plane is less than 5 seconds and barely have any bow rise. The stern of the boat pops up and we’re off!

J3ff

I was out running yesterday, really starting to wonder if 4x4 22p or 24p would be more appropriate.  

Hill told me to go down one pitch, thinking that was a mistake.. might end up swapping them in the future. 

davidbrooks

@Autodog61 i have an 03 342. Different engines though. I have the 350 mpi. 300hp each. I went from stock 24p 3 blade props to 22p 4 blade hill props.  Look at both how long it takes to get on plane and your max rpm at wot. If the pitch is wrong you will over rev the engine. My wot now is 4300 and i can get to 40mph in the right conditions. 

J3ff

davidbrooks said:

@Autodog61 i have an 03 342. Different engines though. I have the 350 mpi. 300hp each. I went from stock 24p 3 blade props to 22p 4 blade hill props.  Look at both how long it takes to get on plane and your max rpm at wot. If the pitch is wrong you will over rev the engine. My wot now is 4300 and i can get to 40mph in the right conditions. 

This is why I think I'm under propped. I was up around 5000 rpm yesterday (max is 5200) and was barely breaking 35/36.. Yet you are at 4300 doing 40.. hmm

aero3113

@davidbrooks , shouldn’t your WOT be 5000 RPM’s? 

aero3113

Here’s a spec sheet for some info.

https://www.perfprotech.com/blog/tech-specs/mercruiser-v8-marine-engines-specifications

LaRea

Autodog61 said:

...  I also want to see about getting some stern lift to reduce or eliminate? the wash over the transom that floods the hatch seam and get6s into the bilge.  ...

Do you mean when you come down off plane?  I have to go to half throttle and then wait for the boat to settle before taking off the rest of the throttle.  If I just cut the throttle to idle, the stern wave will try to swamp the transom.  

davidbrooks

@aero3113 in a perfect world i would like to get a few more rpms at wot but i also dont 100 percent trust the readings on the analog guages. I would need to put a scan tool on it for anything accurate.

Autodog61

Well, regarding the swamping of the transom, it is less swamping if you come off slow like you point out LaRea but it still comes up over the hatch seam just not as bad.  I never cut from on plane to idle.  Its always a slow deceleration.  Area3113 thanks for the engine specs.  I didn't know the 6.2L threw out 320 HP.  That makes a difference.  I think with the extra HP (260 to 320 HP) the Hill 22 Pitch 4 blades just might be the ticket. 

Regarding the RPM at WOT - Its always been a mystery to me the "when" the WOT RPM is?  I have had boats with prop slip hit the WOT near the top of the Plane out, This 342 of Mine slow rolls out of the hole to 3700RPM quick and then takes some time to hit 4200RPM.  Then If you leave the throttles pegged, they'll slowly get to maybe 4500 RPM.  Never seen them hit over that.  Then again, I always cut back at 43-4500 because I baby the engines and there's really no reason or benefit to go over this.  However, again, the specs provided do show the 6.2L rev a little higher so maybe 4700 RPM may not be a bad "new max" target.  I figure my issue right now is the 24 Pitch OEM props and the growth on the hull.  Last three years I didn't have any issue hitting 4200 on the way out of the hole and was quicker. 

So, they clean the bottom next week.  I will report back on how that improved the hole shot.  Then, a few weeks for new props to get here and installed, and I will report back on that. 

So no one has experience with the Bravo III XR 4x3's then? 

aero3113

@Autodog61 , it seems like more people go with 4x4 than 4x3 . That spec sheet was an easy way for you to gain 60 hp!! 👍