Blogs

When you’re considering changing out your boat’s prop, you may be looking into a range of different options available on the market.  Beyond changing the propeller pitch to improve performance or accuracy, one of the biggest changes you can make is the type of material that is used in the propeller. Though some of these options will be limited by the mechanics of your lower unit, in many situations, you’ll be able to choose between a stainless steel prop and an aluminum prop. Before making a decision, you might be […]

Between your motor’s prop shaft and inner prop hub is a location on your boat that can dramatically impact the performance you’ll get out of it. Because of the extreme torque that takes place at this location, it’s a common area for wear and failure in your boat, commonly referred to as a spun propeller, spun prop hub, or a spun bushing. Whether you’re just trying to learn a bit more about your boat, or perhaps your prop shop threw this term at you and you want to make sure […]

There’s nothing relaxing about a deafening rumble and loud rhythmic noises. Propeller noise levels will quickly ruin your trip on the lake with friends and family. Instead of screaming over the noise levels of your motor and prop, we have a few tricks you can try out for noise reduction. In this guide, we’ll review how you can reduce boat propeller noise as well as discuss another big producer of noise: your motor. Don’t worry, you’ll get a few solutions for abating that noise level too. What Causes Prop Noise? […]

Owning a boat can be an expensive undertaking. When something breaks, your heart might sink at the repair shop’s estimate to replace it. That’s especially true when there’s a problem with your propeller. At Michigan Wheel, we understand that there are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to boat prop repair. To help clear things up, we’ll answer some frequently asked questions about outboard propeller repair. We’ll also dive into the difference between prop material, specifically aluminum versus stainless steel props, and what they mean in terms of likelihood […]

When purchasing a boat propeller there are a lot of options and parameters to choose from for optimal performance. One of these options is having the propeller blade trailing edges formed with a tight bend or “cup”. There is often a lot of uncertainty regarding both when a cupped propeller should be used and what cupping actually does. Hopefully this article can help shed some light on the topic and provide everyone with a better understanding on how Michigan Wheel uses this technique to provide its customers with propellers that […]

When you want to buy a replacement propeller, you need to know the directionality of your current prop. It’s important to make the correct replacement or else your boat won’t function correctly. Putting a left-hand prop on a right-hand shaft is never a good idea. If you want to avoid this problem, take a look at this piece we put together. We’re going to answer every question you have about right-hand and left-hand propellers, and we’ll even tell you which one is installed on your boat. Propellers Have Directionality? You […]

There are so many things to consider when it comes to buying a propeller. You might realize that some options have three blades on the prop, and others have four. In case you’re a little curious, we want to clear things up for you. Our prop pros are here to discuss the difference between 3-blade and 4-blade props, the pros and cons of each, and which would be right for your boat. 3-Blade vs. 4-Blade Propellers Ignoring the outer diameter, directionality, and pitch of a propeller, the number of blades […]