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Bent Rudder and strut: how to repair?


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Hit a log going fairly slow, but bent prop, strut and rudder. Believe shaft is OK. A little vibration, but not horrible. Steering got weird, but still controlled boat.

Questions:

1. can strut be straightened? While on the boat? I bought a new one last time, but seems it wouldn't be hard to straighten a strut (it's not mangled, just slightly cocked to the side)

2. Can rudder be straightened? While on the boat? The bottom is cocked kicked back toward stern (again, not mangled). Driveable, but needs straightened.

3. After hit log, engine wants to idle fast (around 1100rpm). Is there something from the log collision that could cause that?

Thanks in advance for the help!

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I certainly wouldn't try to straighten any parts while they're mounted to the boat. I would try to straighten them once they're removed from the boat, seems like that'd be pretty easy. As far as the high idle, sounds strange, did the throttle cable somehow get jacked-up at the engine end?

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I certainly wouldn't try to straighten any parts while they're mounted to the boat. I would try to straighten them once they're removed from the boat, seems like that'd be pretty easy. As far as the high idle, sounds strange, did the throttle cable somehow get jacked-up at the engine end?

Any suggestions on best way to straighten strut/rudder off the boat? I can stick in vise and use the proverbial persuader. Should I heat them to eaze bending? Or will I mess things up with heat (bushings, etc...)?

Haven't checked throttle cable yet, but doubt it was involved. Will check next chance I get.

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I know a couple of guys that have tried to straighten bent struts without success. I wouldn't waste the time or money. It needs to be dead-on in alignment or you will be chewing through strut bushings as fast as you can change them.

The rudder might be straighten-able (is that a word?). Depends on how bad the bend is and how good the machine shop is.

The high idle might be caused by the prop being dog-eared. With the blades bent it could be cavitating and not getting a good bite on the water allowing it to turn more freely thereby not putting a load on the engine thereby allowing the engine to idle higher. How's that for speculation? Crazy.gif

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Actually, the high idle happens in neutral, then drops down when I put it in gear (so prop cavitation theory is out).....again, only happened after my log fight. I'm president of log haters club.

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Actually, the high idle happens in neutral, then drops down when I put it in gear (so prop cavitation theory is out).....again, only happened after my log fight. I'm president of log haters club.

Well in that case... Dontknow.gif

Houston, we have a problem. :lol:

Sorry, couldn't resist. I just went back and reread your first post and saw that you're seeing 1100 rpm's at idle... Shocking.gif ...that's weird.

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LOL....I like the Apollo reference. I think I'll try to heat and bend the strut. Worst that happens is it doesn't work. As for rudder, I now recall steering getting a little loose after previous log fight. I think this was the log that broke the rudder's back, so to speak.

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I recently delt with a bent rudder myself. I was talking to the guy at the shop, and he said that most of the time it was cost as much/more to straighten a rudder than to just buy a new one. Unless you happen to be a machinest yourself.

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I would simply take off the bent parts and put new ones back on. Any machine shop worth their salt could turn your shaft and check for runout. That can be straightened to withing the correct tolerances if the damage is too bad. I would replace the strut and rudder.

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Here's the tally: at Malibu dealer, new rudder is $549 and strut is $216

here in the fine city of Houston, "Bauman's Props", a well-known machine shop that builds and reconditions props, quoted $60 each to straighten strut and rudder, provided they are not too bent. I'm going to try it out; alot cheaper than new parts!

http://www.baumannprops.com/

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  • 13 years later...

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