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Rev4 25p or Signature 5 blade 25p to test

WildWilly

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I'm considering buying one of the 2 mentioned props and thought I might ask if anyone has either they'd let me test? I'll be out next Thur-Sun in Havasu. Just thought I'd ask!

In case anyone is interested I have a Bravo1 24p and a Cutting Edge labbed 26p I could offer to test in trade as well.
 

Ziggy

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I switch between my B1 24 and 26 depending on load I'll have and/or ambient temperature.
Been curious if labbing would help me any.
 

HavaToon

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I switch between my B1 24 and 26 depending on load I'll have and/or ambient temperature.
Been curious if labbing would help me any.

You need to try a 5 blade. I ran hyrdomotive P5x on my Nordic 29 DB and it was WAY better than bravos.
 

Ultra247

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Not to thread jack but.... I have a 26 Bravo and a 28 Bravo that I use as my standard props based upon what I am doing. Its an Ultra 247 with a pro charged 496 putting out 500 HP.

I picked up a Hill Pleasure 5, 23P - 5 blade to use for skiing and tubing as well as cruising with a full boat. The 23 5 blade is great. It planes at a much lower speed and has tons of torque. The issue is that I had my drive rebuilt in 2014. I bought the 5 blade in 2015. In 2016, I started getting "clicking" in my lower unit. I had it checked and I had chipped teeth in my lower unit. I also had a twisted vertical shaft. I had a 1.25" prop shaft already in from the 2014 rebuild.

I had the drive rebuilt again in 2016 with Max Machine Worx shafts and upgraded from Bravo gears to XR gears. I went back to running my 26 Bravo.

The point of all this is that I've heard that 5 blade props are drive killers. The extra blade delivers a lot more torque through the drive. Do you have any concerns about drive life when running 5 blade props?? I'm nervous about running the 23 P 5 blade and damaging my drive again.
 

Ziggy

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Not to thread jack but.... I have a 26 Bravo and a 28 Bravo that I use as my standard props based upon what I am doing. Its an Ultra 247 with a pro charged 496 putting out 500 HP.

I picked up a Hill Pleasure 5, 23P - 5 blade to use for skiing and tubing as well as cruising with a full boat. The 23 5 blade is great. It planes at a much lower speed and has tons of torque. The issue is that I had my drive rebuilt in 2014. I bought the 5 blade in 2015. In 2016, I started getting "clicking" in my lower unit. I had it checked and I had chipped teeth in my lower unit. I also had a twisted vertical shaft. I had a 1.25" prop shaft already in from the 2014 rebuild.

I had the drive rebuilt again in 2016 with Max Machine Worx shafts and upgraded from Bravo gears to XR gears. I went back to running my 26 Bravo.

The point of all this is that I've heard that 5 blade props are drive killers. The extra blade delivers a lot more torque through the drive. Do you have any concerns about drive life when running 5 blade props?? I'm nervous about running the 23 P 5 blade and damaging my drive again.

I've heard the same about the 5 blades. I'm running a 520 with XR B1.
 

SoCalDave

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I'm considering buying one of the 2 mentioned props and thought I might ask if anyone has either they'd let me test? I'll be out next Thur-Sun in Havasu. Just thought I'd ask!

In case anyone is interested I have a Bravo1 24p and a Cutting Edge labbed 26p I could offer to test in trade as well.

If you purchase a prop from Ron Hill and it is not to your liking you can exchange it (with-in 30 days) for a different one until your satisfied.
Not a bad deal if you ask me.
 

Groper

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You need to try a 5 blade. I ran hyrdomotive P5x on my Nordic 29 DB and it was WAY better than bravos.
What Motor and what size 5b did you run & rpms.
I have a 565 and Im running a 24p Bravo now.
Thanks
Not to thread jack but.... I have a 26 Bravo and a 28 Bravo that I use as my standard props based upon what I am doing. Its an Ultra 247 with a pro charged 496 putting out 500 HP.

I picked up a Hill Pleasure 5, 23P - 5 blade to use for skiing and tubing as well as cruising with a full boat. The 23 5 blade is great. It planes at a much lower speed and has tons of torque. The issue is that I had my drive rebuilt in 2014. I bought the 5 blade in 2015. In 2016, I started getting "clicking" in my lower unit. I had it checked and I had chipped teeth in my lower unit. I also had a twisted vertical shaft. I had a 1.25" prop shaft already in from the 2014 rebuild.

I had the drive rebuilt again in 2016 with Max Machine Worx shafts and upgraded from Bravo gears to XR gears. I went back to running my 26 Bravo.

The point of all this is that I've heard that 5 blade props are drive killers. The extra blade delivers a lot more torque through the drive. Do you have any concerns about drive life when running 5 blade props?? I'm nervous about running the 23 P 5 blade and damaging my drive again.
I have also heard that the 5 blades are tough on the drives, but to also twist a shaft daum :eek
 

HavaToon

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What Motor and what size 5b did you run & rpms.
I have a 565 and Im running a 24p Bravo now.
Thanks

I have also heard that the 5 blades are tough on the drives, but to also twist a shaft daum :eek

I had twin 300XS OB's and spun them to 6400rpm and 88mph.

Everyone always says they've heard 5 blades are tough on drives. HP and Torque, especially torque is tough on drives and it all boils down to how it's applied. There's people who use them with no trouble at all and people you have all kinds of trouble, I think it's the driver.

Note this why do all the big boys posting big numbers run 5 blades. Why did mercury just add two different 5 blades for the 400R, because they work an well with huge numbers. And if they were drive killers why would mercury sell them for motors/drives under warranty.
 

Ultra247

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What Motor and what size 5b did you run & rpms.
I have a 565 and Im running a 24p Bravo now.
Thanks

I have also heard that the 5 blades are tough on the drives, but to also twist a shaft daum :eek

I totally agree that drive issues are often related to the driver. Full disclosure, I had my ECU remapped after the drive rebuild and I had the engine dyno'd on a prop shaft dynomometer. I ask myself if the gear damage could have happened when run through full load during the dyno run. It may have been the issue.

I have off shore controls and I ease into gear and ease into throttle. No drag racing!!

When pulling skiers and tubing it's also "easy on the throttle". THe reason for having a high horsepower motor is that I want to be able to run 50 mph with a full load all day long and not run red line.

In that logic, the 5 blade has worked very well for me. It has great stern lift and the torque (therefore throttle response) is awesome. I'm just concerned that it does put a lot of load on the drive and that has to be considered somewhere.

I purchased the 23 5 blade because that is the largest size that Hill Propellers stock so they had it readily available for under $500. They'll make a 26 pitch 5 blade but it was $750 and 4 weeks so I took the 23 and tried it. I'm also considering going back for the 26 5 blade so that I'm not so under propped. The torque is great but that may be part of my load issue as well.

The point that I was trying to make is that you should be aware to take it a little easy if you're going to run a 5 blade.
 

HavaToon

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^^^all good points. The lower the pitch the less stress the prop puts on the drive. So going from a 23 to a 26 5blades will increase the load.
 

Ultra247

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^^^all good points. The lower the pitch the less stress the prop puts on the drive. So going from a 23 to a 26 5blades will increase the load.

Hey wizard, I agree that stress on the drive increases as top speed increases so a higher pitch prop will give a higher load on the drive at WOT. The boat is pushing harder and going faster.

However, F=MA and the Acceleration with the lower pitch prop during hole shot is much greater. (Especially a 5 blade / low pitch) The boat mass is the same so the Force must be greater with a lower pitch to produce higher acceleration.

Therefore, for hole shot, you can get a lot of load on the drive during acceleration and planing with a low pitch prop that spins up much faster and accelerates the boat much faster than you may with a large pitch prop that works it's way out unless it blows out??

I'd have to work a few more formulas but I believe that a 5 blade with strong hole shot puts a significant load on the drive!!!:rolleyes
 

fishing fool

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Besides pitch on the prop gears in the outdrive makes a difference too.
Me... 22' boat 375hp bravo24 top speed 67
You heavy 28' boat 500hp + bravo24 top speed 75.
Gears play a big part.
 

WildWilly

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FYI on the Hill props in 5 blade...the pleasure series runs up to 23p, then it switches to the Signature series, which is the performance line (with blades more similar to Bravo!'s) at 25p and up. And yes...huge price diff. pleasure series in 23p was $440 I think and the signature in 25p was $620.

Ron and Joe talked with me for a while...they really said my boat/motor put me in between the 2. I told him I was pretty happy with the labbed 26p and not with the 24p Bravo so they were leaning towards the 25p 5 Blade. But then of course we started talking about their Signature 26p 4 Blade...and then I got cold feet and didn't pull the trigger....lol

hence why I asked if anyone had one I could try. I do agree though....their exchange program is second to none. When I go back Tuesday if I haven't found one to try I'm going to pickup the 25p 5 blade. Worst case...I end up with their 26p 4 blade and a few bucks back I guess.
 

Ultra247

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So if you pick up their 25 pitch 5 blade signature....... Can I test it on my boat????:eek

Let us know how it works out. If it works for you, I'd definitely consider it for mine.
 

Ultra247

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Hey BigDaddyOC. I looked back through the thread and I didn't see what boat you are running. What hull and horsepower?
 

WildWilly

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Hey BigDaddyOC. I looked back through the thread and I didn't see what boat you are running. What hull and horsepower?

Laveycraft NuEra 24 with 496HO. I don't run with a loaded boat often, usually just the wife and I and at most a few friends occasionally and don't pull anyone so don't need the pull of a 24. The mid to high range cruising is what matters more to me.
 

HavaToon

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Laveycraft NuEra 24 with 496HO. I don't run with a loaded boat often, usually just the wife and I and at most a few friends occasionally and don't pull anyone so don't need the pull of a 24. The mid to high range cruising is what matters more to me.

I would suggest the 5 blade over the Rev 4 for your type of boating.
 

WildWilly

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I would suggest the 5 blade over the Rev 4 for your type of boating.

And then someone throws in "less blades the better for mid to top end" and I'm back to square one.

But I think I'm sold on the 5 blade, at least with Hill I can swap them around or even get them labbed to work for me better.
 

HavaToon

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4 blades should theoretically be faster, but in my case it was the same. What the difference was, was every where else. Hole shot, midrange and handling was greatly improved with the 5 over 4.
 
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