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How much vibration is too much for short term? Post prop-repair (hit log)


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Hit submersed log.  Did a number on the prop.  Unseated from the taper, not sure how exactly, but it did.  And sheared the key.  Limped it home in idle speed.  Took prop to local place (well run place, also dealer for Acme, OJ, et al - not a backyard shop like some).  Minimal welding, one blade was bend pretty badly, though.

 

Re-install.  Feel a notable vibration at about 17MPH.  Not hard, but definitely not right.  Checked runout of prop aft of the strut, no detectable runout.  Was running water through the bearing inside, but the cutlass bearing was dry, so it wasn't smooth.  I'd get hard jumps of 0.002-0.003" on the dial indicator, but I'm guessing that was from turning the propshaft by hard, since it was not gradual increasing and decreasing as one would expect from a bent prop.

 

Am going to try to re-do that in the pilot hole at the end of the prop early next week.  Will see.  Saw a post from 10 years ago to spray the cutlass bearing with silicone lubricant and observe with transmission engaged to see if the pilot hole is obviously not aligned.  Can try that, too.

 

The cutlass bearing looks new on one side, but kind of mushroomed out a little on the other.  Perhaps that is the issue?  Problem I have is that I have guests coming from 7/1-10, and I don't have a trailer to take it to a place.  Only place ont he lake is a 45 minute boat ride at crusing speeds.

 

WIll having that relatively small vibration hurt much for using the boat that week?  Do I need to try to get something done before they come at whatever cost?  I don't want to cause further damage, but I don't want to not have the boat to use that week.  Would appreciate any thoughts anyone has.

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2 hours ago, oldjeep said:

Have you got a spare prop so that you can eliminate an improperly repaired/balanced prop as a potential issue?

 

No :( I PM'd a classified ad a couple weeks ago, but haven't heard back.  Had been keeping my eyes out, but just stopped.

 

So, uh......anybody in East TN have something like an Acme 1235 (14.5x14.25)?  :)

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3 hours ago, 67King said:

Saw a post from 10 years ago to spray the cutlass bearing with silicone lubricant and observe with transmission engaged to see if the pilot hole is obviously not aligned.  Can try that, too.

You can use dish soap and water to lubricate the bushing if you want to run it in gear for a short time.

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9 hours ago, formulaben said:

Did you check the runout of the shaft?

Yes, between the strut and the prop.  There's about an inch there.  Mounted my dial gauge, and I would get jumps of 2-3 thousandths.  Not smooth increases and decreases like one would see with a bend.  But I was also dealing with a dry cutlass seal/bearing.  Had water running up by the bearing behind the transmission (can't recall terminology, sorry), but not on the strut.  So occasionally when I'd turn the prop it would jump a little.  But not in same place, and again, didn't see smooth increase and decrease like I'd expect from a bend prop.

 

I have NOT, however, checked behind the prop at the tip of the shaft.  That's up next.

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So I put the dial indicator in the pilot hole, probably a 45 degree angle.  Yeah, I'm getting 20 thousandths in that hole, figuring the angle, probably closer to 30.  Sprayed down the cutlass bearing with soapy water and ran it.  Can detect a slight wobble.

 

But wait!  There's more!

 

Pretty sure my strut is bent, too.  Took off the prop.  There appears to be a gap on the left side of the bearing, and the right side is mushroomed.  Shaft also appears to not be straight, bending slightly to port.  Hard to tell with cast parts, but I'm pretty sure I see it.  Don't have a good way to post pictures or I would.

 

So eff me.  Family in town Thursday.  Hoping the factory may have these parts on hand, as I'm 20 minutes from there.  It not, may be without a boat, but we may still putter over to the dam to watch the fireworks show Saturday night.  Vibration not too bad, but I definitely want to fix it before putting much time on the boat.

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17 hours ago, 67King said:

Hoping the factory may have these parts on hand, as I'm 20 minutes from there.

Wow, that would be great if they had one for you.  You can remove and straighten yours if you have access to a press stand and a decent eye for line.  I found it interesting trying to come up with the right stack of bars to press where I wanted pressure, but I got it straight without much trouble.  You'll need a helper in either case to remove and replace, so go for it before you buy a new one if you can.  Don't forget to do an alignment when you are done.  You can get 95% of it done just by carefully placing the strut.

 

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6 hours ago, justgary said:

Wow, that would be great if they had one for you.  You can remove and straighten yours if you have access to a press stand and a decent eye for line.  I found it interesting trying to come up with the right stack of bars to press where I wanted pressure, but I got it straight without much trouble.  You'll need a helper in either case to remove and replace, so go for it before you buy a new one if you can.  Don't forget to do an alignment when you are done.  You can get 95% of it done just by carefully placing the strut.

 

 

I ended up ordering one from Malibuparts.com.  Local dealer had told me the shaft alone would be about $900.  Shaft there $520, and teh strut was $220.  3 day shipping was $80, but I'll have it on Friday and can do the swap on Saturday, at least I hope.  Fireworks show at the dam on Saturday night.

 

I will keep the strut, and maybe work on it, in case I may need it in the future.  But the time back and forth, test fitting, etc. would take a while, as the press I have access to is nearly 30 minutes from the boat (no trailer).  So for $200, worth it for time saved to just swap.  Was kind of surprised they aren't considered repairable.

 

Thanks for that link.  Looks like yours was easy to eyeball.  I'm guessing the best way would be to put blocks up on the shaft side, and press in the middle.  That would help ensure that the shaft side stays parallel.  I had initially thought maybe trying to mount the flat side and pushing on the shaft side, but I think doing the middle may be best.  Amazing how much more bent it looks off the boat than on it!

Edited by 67King
Additional thoughts.
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I'd mount the strut as soon as you can.  Typical sealant (4200 or the like) is a 24-hour cure, so if you do it on Saturday, I wouldn't be dropping it in the water that evening.

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Grr.  Having issues getting ot the nut on the coupler.  Otherwise things have gone kind of smoothly.  Am wondering if I need to remove the pass through box (not sure I have the name right - the thing that the dripless seal thing connects to, and through which the shaft goes to the bottom of the boat) to move it back a little bit further.

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There just isn't much room.  I've read people use a crescent wrench.  I can't get one in there.  Am I missing something?

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Edited by 67King
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A gooseneck box end wrench might work.  Another possibility is to get a socket on the nut and then grab the socket with a small pipe wrench.

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I pulled the prop shaft as far as it would go towards the rudder and was able to fit a socket w/ratchet in there.  The hard part was getting the flange off.

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Just now, justgary said:

Wow, $33.  I'd buy a $0.25 one at the flea market and buzz the end off before I pay that.

A regular one doesn't have enough meat to grind flats on it.  If you think 33 is expensive, don't ever buy cars or bikes that require specialty tools.  Seems cheap compared to a lot of the stuff in my box.

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Haha, kind of like this home made one I finished up this morning.  Going to try it when I get back to the lakehouse in a few hours.

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Edited by 67King
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Okay, my prop shaft is not even moving an inch.  My home made socket is not even an inch thick, and I can't get it there.   Maybe my boat is on the extreme end of spec in several areas, as far as engine location/alignment, and propshaft location.  I have no idea, but I can't even get an inch for clearance in there.  I have a competent helper today, as well, my father-in-law, who has owned boats, and who has built a few race cars with me. Options:

1.  Remove the V-drive unit.  6 bolts.  They look small, say 3/8" or so.  Probably only need to loosen them, rather than completely remove.  I'm inclined to assume that the ouput shaft ont he transmission is splined and just slips in, because I see now way to access anything that would have them coupled with fasteners.  Risk here is I crack open this, and eithier the transmission or the V-Drive is sealed against hte face of the other, and gear oil/ATF spills all over.  

2.  Remove the stern tube.  10 small fasteners, maybe 1/4".  Assuming if I do this, I can slide it rearward, taking the dripless seal setup with it, which will let the shaft slide rearward.  Risk for this is that I have to reseal the tube against the hull.  That is if it isn't epoxied in place, which I fear it may be.  Given how hard to access that area under the engine is, I'm a bit reluctant. 

3.  Remove the rear motor mounts and "rock" the back of the powertrain unit by lifting the back.  If I do that, then I'll have to realign the engine (yes, I know I should try to do this, anyway, but this would be grossly out).  The other issue is exactly how to lift up the back of the drive unit.  Ratchet straps looped around the ski pylon?  This option does not reallyl excite me at all.

 

I've got half the fasteners for teh stern tube removed, but I'm leaning pretty heavily towards just loosening the v-drive, and moving t away from the transmission enough to get that tool in there.  What do those of you who have been here before think?

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Went with option 1, pulled back V-Drive unit.  Got the case cracked apart from the trans case pretty easily.  Pretty sticky, but a pry bar at the top with a helper, and pulling directly upwards on teh bottom moved it back pretty easily.  Going to celebrate my small victory iwth a beer and start manning the grill, and get back it tomorrow.  But looks like I have made soem progress.

Edited by 67King
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Oh, my lord why didn't I do this right away.  Piece of cake, 6 bolts and two worm clamps.  And unfettered access.  Unfortunately, this thing is stuck tight.  The nut was really really tight, probably due to corrosion (which is from where??????).  Press fit is really tight.  Have my gear puller on there, the threaded shaft on it was bending when I was trying to get it off.  WD40 now, and will let it sit for a bit.  Hitting with a hammer hasn't helped, but maybe with time, it'll eventually work loose, and I'll get it the rest of the way.

 

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2 hours ago, oldjeep said:

You need a bigger puller.  If you were nearby I would loan you one

https://www.kaiserwillys.com/heavy-duty-rear-hub-puller-fits-46-86-jeep-willys

Actually, what I needed was heat.  Turns out there was a little bit of corrosion in there.  I bent my (larger of two) gear pullers, I bent a 7/16" bolt I used with the pry bar to hold in place.  So I finally ran home (we have a lakehouse about 35 minutes from our regular house) and grabbed my MAPP gas torch (need to refill my acetylene!).  OMFG that was a piece of cake.  Loaded it only partially, put some heat on it, about 15-20 seconds later, "POP!"  Like butter.  The nut on the end of the shaft was also seriously tough.  I know the prop nut is only supposed to be 35 lb-ft, this one took an 18" breaker bar and an even longer pry bar to hold it in place.  Put most stuff back together, including the strut, to get teh sealant in place and give it time to cure.  I'll grab some anti-sieze tomorrow before putting the coupler back on.

I may post up a DIY on this, with a subject line more appropriate for where this thread went.  Taking that V-drive unit off was a piece of cake.  Gave great access.  After doing that, I can't believe that isn't the "normal" way to do it.  Had I had this at home with all of my regular tools, it would have made it a very quick job.

Not a lot of corrosion, but presumably enough to make it stick.

Side note, of my many projects, you'd probably appreciate one.  Have a 66 Bronco Roadster that has been in my family since new.

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