Engine alignment after replacing bent strut

[2000lsv]

Hey All,

First off thank you guys so much for all the help so far.  The old 2000 lsv had a bent prop strut for who knows how long.  the engine looks like it was aligned to the tweaked strut at some point, its sitting all the way to the drivers side on the trunnions.  should I center the motor on the trunnions to start the new alignment process?  

Again thanks for the help!   

 

[Woodski]

The engine alignment or position will be dictated by the prop strut centerline.  If you are replacing the strut then centering the engine would make sense.  My process would be to move the engine to the center, and use the prop shaft as a guide to install the strut then go back and do an engine alignment.  One caveat to that process, the existing strut attachment holes may not align or allow that process to work so it may take some iterations to get everything in a happy place.  You might also want to take some measurements to see if the engine is actually centered and if the trunnion mount holes are centered or offset.

[2000lsv]

Weeellll dang everything was going too smooth. When all tightened up, the shaft is dragging on the port side of the log. (Uncoupled from motor) 
it didn’t have much of any wiggle room in the strut bolt holes so I am stumped. Could the shaft log be crooked?

[csleaver]

Make sure you have removed the packing seal and hose from the shaft log and slide it up towards the coupler so it can not push on the shaft when checking the alignment.

I have made very minor side to side adjustments on struts by using the prop shaft as a lever to slightly bend the strut into place.  This is much easier to do with the shaft coupler removed, the shaft slid down out of the log, and with the rudder removed.