Rebel_Heart

Just tried my PX5 for the first time this season after sending it back to Bblades to have it labbed and the diffuser ring cut off. The boat wasn't even close to getting on plane. Brett - I'm sending it back for some help. Anyone have any experience with the diffuser ring cut off? I was trying to pick some rpms from 5500 to 5800.

RaggedEdge

I tried some Maximus 5 blades from BBlades yesterday afternoon on my '06 35 and the results were not spectacular either. The ones I tried were stock and had the diffuser and the boat was worse to get on plane than the Bravos. I tried all kinds of combos with the drives and tabs, and just could not find one that worked well. Everything from chatter to blow out when comming over, I'm really stumped on this one. I didn't expect these stockers to be perfect, but was looking for a lot better on plane from them vs the Bravos. Water was real calm so the top end was down a little from the Bravos in some chop, but not bad, real close to the calm water speed with the Bravos. The 3500 rpm cruise was impressive, up 6 mph. But on the high end the Maxes handled like chit IMO. Also sent some Precision Propeller 5 blades for me to try as well which I've yet to try,maybe today, they have no difusser so I would not expect them to be better. Right now I'm thinking it's back to the 4 blades and get a lab version.

Just to be clear here,I don't think this reflects on Brett at all as these are not props he has worked on, they are standard Merc issue. I'll have to have a conversation with him monday and get his take on this deal.

RaggedEdge

Something for you here, if you can get in touch with mv35 on here he is very knowledgeable on the prop deal on a single step 35, he was running over 100 mph in his. He tried damn near every prop out there before he came up with the perfect combo.

Rebel_Heart

Thanks for the input on mv35. I'll try to get in touch with him. I thought I would be able to get over the hump to at least get it on plane with just me in the boat. But no way was it going to happen. These props last season had no problem getting on plane, with some labbing and the difuser ring intact. I'll see what Brett says tomorrow.

These props did hook up better than stock bravos and little edge in top speed last season, but not by much.

Rebel_Heart

Received a call back from Brett - 5 weeks out for labbed props. There goes the summer!

B BOATER

Dont know if this helps but you can have the rings welded back on at any prop shop. We have tried them before with no luck cant get on plane and if you do cant turn much or they blow out. Remember hydromotive use to come with them off and you had to have them welded on.

Rebel_Heart

Good suggestion. I'll try that. It can't hurt.

Sick Stinger

B i agree. I had a hydromotiver and all it did was blow out. I couldnt get on plane in a 1-2 chop i didnt know why. After reading this it heps. I do have a question though whats a diffuser ring, and what does it do?. Any pics one one
Thanks
-Mike

Rebel_Heart

As I understand it, the PX5 must have the difuser ring while the P5 does not. This was according to Tom at Hydromotive.

bbladesprops

Wow, mass confusion. If you go back and search for diffuser threads, you'll see where I have written extensively on the subject. In a nut shell, the diffuser diverts the low pressure air leaving the exhaust tube from being attracted to the high pressure side of the blades.

We have been removing diffusers in various shapes for years for various reasons. In Rebel Heart's case, the props ran great after the Labbing. Best they had been. We discussed the planning situation and knowing the boat and props, it made sense to remove the diffusers. Unexpectedly and against normal physics, he began to over ventilate. We discussed this as a unusual possibility from the begging. So, we put them back on. No biggie.

As far as Ragged is concerned, the chatter on planning and the top end would all be remedied with the proper Lab recipe. It will be interesting to see the PP results.

Hydro P5's don't require non-diffusers. They just are designed to run on boats that are very efficiant. Not quite clear on Tom's statement. We've done many P5X's without diff's with success.