I thought my prop fell off, that would have been lucky.

[151]

I could make this a long post but I have narrowed things down to what most likely happened. That is that I put the tranny in reverse before the engine idled down. The result was a prop shaft that is somehow no longer connected to the rest of the v-drive.

If it were not for the rudder on my 04 vlx the prop and shaft would have slid right down to the bottom of the lake. As it was the rudder is in the way and held them in place.

I can grab the shaft with my hands and pull it out all the way to the rudder, or push it back into the hull untill the back of the prop hits the part that holds the shaft in line.

I have found a couple pics online and a manual for the vdrive but still can't really decide what I have broken. Can anyone say what the most likely victim was?

Thanks

[Lance B. Johnson]

I could make this a long post but I have narrowed things down to what most likely happened. That is that I put the tranny in reverse before the engine idled down. The result was a prop shaft that is somehow no longer connected to the rest of the v-drive.

If it were not for the rudder on my 04 vlx the prop and shaft would have slid right down to the bottom of the lake. As it was the rudder is in the way and held them in place.

I can grab the shaft with my hands and pull it out all the way to the rudder, or push it back into the hull untill the back of the prop hits the part that holds the shaft in line.

I have found a couple pics online and a manual for the vdrive but still can't really decide what I have broken. Can anyone say what the most likely victim was?

Thanks

Your going to have to just get down and really look. If your lucky, it just came unbolted from the coupler. It would not be the first time BUT you should have had ample warning

[SMERRILL]

Happened to a friend of mine not long after he got his boat. Had to learn not to "power shift" from reverse to drive. Snapped the coupler bolts in one shot. Same exact symptoms you are describing. Take a look at the end of the drive shaft in the boat behind the v drive. There will be a coupling at the end of the drive shaft that bolts to the coupling on the v drive. You most likely snapped the bolts that connect the two together. It should be a fairly cheap fix, unless you damaged the integrity of the drive shaft or v drive when the bolts snapped.

[Bill_AirJunky]

I can't imagine the prop shaft is twisted. The bolts are the weak point by design. So the whole thing would not have fallen out because 1/2 the coupler is still on the prop shaft.

Has to be a crappy sound to hear though. Check the coupler right under the v-drive.

[2006Maliblue]

Theres a few things it could be from the coupler bolts being sheered our coming un bolted. Or if the coupler is in tack on the transmission side the lock bolt that holds the coupler to the shaft came out or loosened. On the flip side the lock nut that holds the coupler to the v-drive could have come un done and allowed the coupler to slide off the transmission.

I woul venture to guess if it worked fine before you put it in reverse its probably the nut on the v-drive because the natural rotation and force of the prop going forward would hold the shaft on to the v-drive however as soon as you put it in reverse it would pull the coupler right off the shaft! Take some pics if you can! That'll help figure it out too!

[BlastRlxi]

When you put it back together, make sure you align it properly.

[Bill_AirJunky]

And make sure the prop didn't get dinged up when it hit the rudder.

[151]

I just had a chance to get in and check out the shaft on the inside of the boat. From the inside I can push the shaft down far enough (till the prop hits the rudder) for the threaded end of the shaft to come out of what I assume is the coupler (brass looking part shaft slides in with four 3/8? bolts).

The shaft is threaded on the end and has a slot for a "key" the key has sheared off in the slot. I guess the top half of the key is in the coupler. Also I am guessing there was a nut on the end of the shaft. It must still be in the coupler as well.

The shaft does not appear to be damaged. I was thinking about droppping the rudder pulling the shaft out, figuring out how to remove the coupler and going from there.

Exactly how does the coupler come off? Can I remove the four bolts and just take off the back half?

Thanks

[Bill_AirJunky]

Exactly how does the coupler come off? Can I remove the four bolts and just take off the back half?

Thanks

Yea, pretty much. I don't recall there being a nut on the shaft holding it on. But it's been a few years too.

Strange, never heard of the prop shaft backing out of the coupler like that. Guess the key did it's job right.

Edited June 7, 2010 by Bill_AirJunky

[151]

Yea, pretty much. I don't recall there being a nut on the shaft holding it on. But it's been a few years too.

Strange, never heard of the prop shaft backing out of the coupler like that. Guess the key did it's job right.

Thats what I was thinking. Pretty smart to design in a cheap fix for something like this. I could be replacing a transmission.

[ride_everyday]

I just experienced a problem where the set screw backed out of the side of the coupler and the nut on the end of the shaft was almost completely threaded off.

The key was damaged but every thing else was fine. If I did not catch this in time I sure the shaft would have slid out.

Also the set screw was hitting the v-drive making a clunking sound.

Replace the set screw and the key, all good now!

[151]

Yea, pretty much. I don't recall there being a nut on the shaft holding it on. But it's been a few years too.

Strange, never heard of the prop shaft backing out of the coupler like that. Guess the key did it's job right.

I just thought of this, was the shaft on your boat threaded on the end and you still do not remember a nut or was it not threaded? I just assumed since it was a threaded shaft there was a nut somewhere.