Formular-Nr.:51 Rev.-Nr.:10 01/18 - 1 -
Manual for the Feathering Propeller
DF-80 and DF-107
2-, 3- and 4 blade model
Installation on the shaft page 2
Installation on the Saildrive page 3
Operation page 4
Pitch adjustment LH ( left-hand rotation propeller ) page 5
Pitch adjustment RH ( right-hand rotation propeller) page 6
Defining and checking adjustments page 7
Removing from the shaft ( after one or two seasons ) page 8
Removing from the shaft ( after the 3rd season ) page 9
Servicing page 10
Torque settings prop-nut page 11
Formular-Nr.:51 Rev.-Nr.:10 01/18 - 2 -
INSTALLATION on the shaft
The VARIPROP is delivered assembled, greased and ready for installation.
He may not be disassembled, otherwise the warranty claim goes out!
MOUNTING:
First slide the prop on the shaft without key. Mark the shaft with a grease-pen at the prop end.
After tightening the shaft nut very strongly ( torque-setting see page 11 ) the mark must disappear. If not, the
key is binding and the top or the sides of the key must be filed down. Light must be shining through on the
top of the key when looking into the hub from astern. You may have to move your eye vertically to see it.
ATTACHING THE ZINC-CONE:
First, insert all three zinc-cone screws (1) loosely,then tighten securely in succession. Use LOCTITE low
(pink) and observe the little washers. They prevent the grease from squeezing out of the hub during
operation. Be sure to clean the screws and screw-holes from any grease before applying the loctite.
ENGINE DRY TEST:
Please consider that the dry test of the engine MUST NOT be done while the VARIPROP is fitted onto
the shaft! The VARIPROP needs water pressure on the blades, otherwise the prop could be
damaged!!
Before fitting the VARIPROP onto the shaft, check key
and keyway in the propeller hub. Take care that the
key is the proper dimension and that the hub slides
completely onto the shaft (see below). Remove the
zinc anode (2) and the nut (4). Fit the propeller onto
the shaft strongly. Tighten the nut (4) with LOCTITE
low (pink) onto the shaft ( torque-setting see page 11 )
and secure it with the lock pins (3). Fit the anode (2).
Make sure that the propeller is always protected from
electrolytic corrosion by changing the anode (2) latest
every year! May not be necessary in freshwater.
A
fter the VARIPROP has been fitted properly check
that the blades rotate freely from the forward stop to
the reverse stop. The shock absorber function can be
felt ! See servicing page 10.
Only two of the three lock-pin
holes can be used, depending on
the final position
of the shaft-nut
flange.
Carefully align the lock-pins (3) straight. They must go
in easily. If not, try first to tighten the propnut a little
further until they do. If impossible, back off the nut a
little. The lock-pins should be hand tightened only.
If overtightened they may strip.
Formular-Nr.:51 Rev.-Nr.:10 01/18 - 3 -
INSTALLATION on the SAILDRIVE
The VARIPROP is delivered assembled, greased and ready for installation.
ATTACHING THE ZINC-CONE:
First, insert all three zinc-cone screws ( 1 ) loosely, then tighten securely in succession. Use LOCTITE
low (pink) and observe the little washers. They prevent the grease from squeezing out of the hub
during operations. Be sure to clean the screws and screw-holes from any grease before applying the
loctite.
Only two of the three lock-pin holes can
be used, depending on the final position
of the shaft-nut flange.
Carefully align the lock-pins (3) straight. They must go
in easily. If not, try first to tighten the propnut a little
further until they do. If impossible, back off the nut a
little. The lock-pins should be hand tightened only.
If overtightened they may strip.
Before mounting the VARIPROP properly onto the saildrive spline, please check if the propeller hub gears
mate precisely with the saildrive spline grooves. Tolerances are very tight to avoid on-axis movement.
Some careful “wiggling” may be required to find the exact position where the hub slides unto the spline.
After removal ot the zinc cone (4) and the propeller nut (1) the propeller hub will slide completely unto the
spline. Tighten nut (1) strongly ( 60Nm / 45ft/lb; Yanmar SD 40/50 100Nm / 75ft/lb ) and use loctite low
(pink) . Observe the recommended torque settings of the saildrive manufacturer.
A
fter installation, check that there is only a little end clearance for the prop on the saildrive shaft. If it is too
high, fit one or more of the different spacer disc between the forward end of the prop and the saildrive to
reduce it. The spacer discs are delivered with the prop.
Secure the propeller nut (1) with the hexagonal socket cap screw ( 2 ( M8x45 DF-80 / M8x60 DF-107 /
15Nm / 10ft/lb) and two lock pins (3). Hand tighten only, and then mount the zinc cone ( see below ). Make
sure that the propeller is always protected from electrolytic corrosion by changing the zinc anode (2) latest
every year, less often in fresh water. After the VARIPROP has been fitted properly check that the blades
rotate freely from the forward stop to the reverse stop. The shock absorber function can be felt ! See
servicin
g pag
e 10.
Formular-Nr.:51 Rev.-Nr.:10 01/18 - 4 -
OPERATION
The VARIPROP feathers automatically when the shaft rotation is stopped. After engine start-up and shifting
into gear the blades will engage in either forward or reverse.
THE BEST WAY TO FEATHER THE PROPELLER IN THE SAILPOSITION IS:
VARIPROP sailposition with mechanical gear-box:
Power at 3 to 4 knots in forward.
Stop the engine and engage the transmission in reverse to stop the freewheeling of the shaft.
VARIPROP sailposition with hydraulic transmission:
Power at 3 to 4 knots in forward.
Stop the engine while still engaged in forward. The remaining oil pressure of the transmission will
stop spinning the shaft to feather the blades in the sailposition.
If the propeller is not feathered in the sailposition the shaft will freewheel like with a fixed propeller.
In that case start the engine again and repeat the steps above.
Once the prop is feathered , it is better to shift the transmission to neutral.
DO NOT stop the engine while it turns in reverse. In this case the blades will stay in the reverse position and
will not feather. You can actually use this feature to drive a shaft generator.
TROUBLE SHOOTING:
If the propeller does not work in forward or reverse go systematically through the
points below:
Check low idle of the engine. It should be 800 to 900 rpm in idle.
Check shifting movement of the transmission lever. Make sure that the shifting travel is
not too short. The amount of lever travel, as measured at the pivot point of the actuating
lever, between the neutral position and end positions for forward and reverse can be found
in the owners manual of your transmission. A larger amount of lever travel is in no
way detrimental.
Check the clutch discs of the transmission. They could be worn out.
WARNING:
It is important to follow the instructions below carefully so as to avoid excessive load and shock
to the gears, shortening their life.
When going from ahead to astern or the opposite, it is necessary to idle down and shift at low
rpm’s (max.1200rpm) between gears to allow smooth reversing of rotation without binding. This will
substantially lengthen the service life of your propeller gears.
When going from ahead to astern or the opposite, you can hear the turning-noise of the feathering
blades. This is normal and not a problem or a defect of your VARIPROP.
The propeller body must always be completely filled with a high viscosity grease. We recommend
synthetic grease typ TW.2 GEL or mineral multi-purpose grease EP/SAL 8 (see servicing page 10 )
The propeller must be protected from electrolytic corrosion by fitting the usual zinc anodes on the
shaft plus the prop anode. We recommend the replacement of the anode once a year.
If you want to protect your VARIPROP with Antifouling, use only Antifouling which needs a primer
first. Otherwise chemical interaction and decomposition could occur. Our recommendation is Velox
TF plus including a primer ( offers also protection against electrolyses ), available from your
VARIPROP distributor.
Never dismantle the VARIPROP yourselves !!
Disassembly and reassembly require special tools and technical know-how only available at the
factory or their approved service centres.
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