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Running Gear Damage


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Well, it took me about 9 years but I really walloped the running gear on the lake this weekend. :mad: Must have been something really substantial under the water (tree or log). The impact happened just over idle speed. From what I can tell the strut is bent left about an inch out of alignment. I don't see any gelcoat damage or structural damage to the hull but I guess won't really know until the strut is off the boat. Thought I would share to get some opinions.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/QeQuGR4DjPZSWoVj9

I am thinking prop (already have a spare), new strut, new shaft, and full alignment. Prop still turns by hand. Any thoughts? Boat is a 2011 vRide 23 with about 400hrs.

Edited by Sride
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2 hours ago, Sride said:

Well, it took me about 9 years but I really walloped the running gear on the lake this weekend. :mad: Must have been something really substantial under the water (tree or log). The impact happened just over idle speed. From what I can tell the strut is bent left about an inch out of alignment. I don't see any gelcoat damage or structural damage to the hull but I guess won't really know until the strut is off the boat. Thought I would share to get some opinions.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/QeQuGR4DjPZSWoVj9

I am thinking prop (already have a spare), new strut, new shaft, and full alignment. Prop still turns by hand. Any thoughts? Boat is a 2011 vRide 23 with about 400hrs.

I think the shaft may be OK.  The strut can be straightened on a press stand, and the prop can be repaired.  Alignment isn't that hard to do.  In fact you can do a lot of the alignment as you bolt the strut back on.  I wound up moving the front of my engine about 0.030" to finish mine up after I got done.

 

  • Like 2
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While you have the strut off, you might as well replace the bearings in it.

I ended up with a bent strut on a VLX years ago and just bought a new one with new bearings already in it from SMG Wake Houston and it was around $240.

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Appreciate the feedback. I didn’t get a very good photo of the strut looking back toward the rudder but it is bent port side (very similar to justgary’s). I think for sure that brass strut should be straight. In the blurry photo you can see it’s pressing up against the cutlass bearing at least 1/8” to 1/4”. I could feel the additional push in the rudder when turning port side which would be due to the misalignment (didn’t exist before the damage).

Part of me wants to do all of the work myself (mechanically inclined) but I’ve got it scheduled to go to SMG on the 5th to take a look. I don’t feel like I understand the coupling link to the drive and how to press it out and disconnect.

Edited by Sride
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The whole process is a hand tool job, but it is a PITA. I got lucky when I replaced my rudder assembly, that the shaft alignment was with in specs. Otherwise I would of taken it in to the dealer to make sure it got done correctly. Every time I start a project it seems like I find more issues that I could of, but really didn't want to deal with. This is kind of one of those jobs. Good luck.

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I do also seem to remember the prop shaft is off set to the left looking from behind. I don't think from your pictures its a lot more then by design. One it allows removal of the prop shaft without dropping the rudder and also it helps steering on inboards. Did you feel a hit or are you just thinking you hit something.

Edited by Sixball
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46 minutes ago, wdr said:

Every time I start a project it seems like I find more issues that I could of, but really didn't want to deal with. This is kind of one of those jobs.

Yeah, same here.  It is like the kid's book "If You Give a Pig a Pancake".  :)

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No, it was a definite hard hit to the gear. Enough to bend the blade tip over. I’m 100% that strut is bent out. Need a better pic but it’s bent over from taking the weight of the rear over the top of the submerged object. That being said, it could all be much worse. Obviously if it was worst case the key or driveshaft would have sheered off. In the realm of boat damage this is just a “PITA” category.

Edited by Sride
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You can test the driveshaft now before you remove it by using the feeler wire method.  I'd check it at the end and halfway from the strut to the hull.  If you don't see any motion when you turn the shaft (have a friend grab the coupler and turn it), it's not bent.

If that's the case, I think I would just take the strut off and not pull the driveshaft.  Straighten it, change the bushings (use vesconite), and put it back on with 4200 or 5200 sealant.

When you put the strut back on, you have enough range of motion on the bolt holes to align it to the shaft so that you aren't forcing the shaft in any direction.  Your engine alignment will be pretty simple then.

The absolute *worst* part of the job is getting the OEM bushings out.  I had to use a hacksaw and cut mine from the inside and then peel them away from the strut.  They don't want to come out easily.

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I’ll put a wire on it and check it tomorrow. The wire won’t lie.  For my own understanding: 

Given that the driveshaft coupling is bolted to the vdrive output flange, what would actually be “allowing” the driveshaft misalignment at this point? I would think that when the strut was bent portside by riding over the object that a tremendous fulcrum force would have been realized up the shaft towards the coupling.  Having a hard time understanding how the shaft would arrive at its current position without being bent.

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The shaft is held in that curved position by the bent strut, but that doesn't mean that it is permanently deformed.  It is actually really hard to deform a piece of steel that size. 

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40 minutes ago, Sride said:

Just posted up 3 additional photos. I put a wire out on the shaft and do not see it walking, even if it’s so slight I can barely detect with my eyesight. :)
 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/QeQuGR4DjPZSWoVj9

If you have access to a press stand, give straightening it a try.  The worst case is that you buy a new one, but I'm betting that you can get it straight with only a little work.  The fun part is the creative setups it takes to get the pressure where you want it.

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  • 1 month later...

Well she is all new, uploaded the after photos including a video of the driveshaft being rolled. 
 

Final tally. Strut, Shaft, Prop, installed a dripless shaft seal for good measure. Time to hit the lake! 😎

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