Put some new seals in the lower unit when I replaced the water pump.  Prop shaft seals, carrier o rings, etc. After completing this the prop has some resistance or drag when you rotate it by hand. Hard to quantify how much but if I take my foot or hand and spin the prop it only spins as much as my foot or hand moves it. No more. The more you spin it, it seems to loosen up somewhat. I’ve pulled the carrier back out twice to make sure everything looked in order. It did. It doesn’t feel like a bind, just a constant drag. I’ve done these seals in the past and don’t remember that drag. That’s not to say it wasn’t there, I just don’t remember it. Any thoughts or advice on this?

Did you lubricate the O-rings and seals?

Tom

@WRB I’m fairly (99%)  certain of it.  I actually did this a bit back and am just now revisiting it.  I greased the prop shaft as well as the inner lip of the seals with grease as I recall. 

Well it took me 2 weeks to get back on it, but it’s better now. Pulled the carrier back out, cleaned everything back up, re greased the prop shaft seal, put it back together and torqued everything back up.
 

Maybe before I just put grease on the prop shaft and when installing the carrier pushed most of it down, leaving the second lip of the seal mostly dry. I would typically put grease on both, I think I was in a hurry when I did the job originally and that can get a person in trouble for sure, maybe I didn’t.  It also looked like there was a little film just forward of where the seal contacts the prop shaft on the shaft. Can’t believe I wouldn’t have cleaned that better, but here we are. Got it off this time. Much more freely rotating. I said everything looked in order in the original post but I wasn’t looking hard enough I guess.  I appreciate the reply @WRB