TOPIC: Prop shear pin

What's everyone using for a shear pin? I've got brass, but I've seen some of J/E use stainless steel. I got into some rocks 2 yrs ago and it sheared instantly. Longshafts are not to easy to change hanging out the back of the boat so I'm wondering about SS thinking it may be more forgiving but yet shear before major prop damage? What did these have originally? Bill?

I got a 10' hunk of brass rod for $1.50 and I just cut a few out of there. I was thinking the stainless would eventually wollow out the pin hole in prop as the pin would be harder but maybe not. I thought about stainless too but over thought things and went back to brass.

i've got a 58 johnson 50hp, and a 1965 evinrude 60hp. both have stainless shear pins. i know, i know, wrong brand. but still. the pins have ever-so-slightly wallered out the pin hole in the prop on the 50hp motor and that one was pretty well abused. the evinrude appeared better taken care of and had next to no wear at all.

Originals were SS only, there's a service bulletin saying don't use brass. I have them.

Thanks guys, now I wonder what grade of stainless, 304, 308 or 316. I'm thinking 316 as it's the purest of the 3.

304 is usually most common and cheapest. 316 will resist corrosion a little better than the 304, but it's also harder and more brittle too. i suspect that either one would be plenty sufficient for the application. I'd go for whatever you can get that's at a good price and readily available, IMHO.

good to know. I am going to get a few pieces from work.

I use bronze on mine. About as strong as cheap stainless or a tad stronger..

I accidentally ordered a cotter pin instead of a shear pin with Bill R. some time ago. In order to avoid high postage costs for such a small item: is there a Johnson/Mercury/Yamaha or whatever alternative that fits? All bearings and oil seals have very common standard sizes so I thought this might as well be the case for the drive pin which I measured at 1/4 x 1-1/4.