Shaft Alignment

[josh.lewis.338211]

I do most of my own work, but this one has me sitting back thinking and researching. My shaft is definitely sitting off to the left. Is there a certain way to line it back up or am I looking at new parts? Thanks in advance to the mechanical genius! Oh yeah I'm having my prop fixed as we speak. Hit bottom in idle at 5mph.

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[gumby]

Dose the strut look bent? I can't see it in the pic. I don't think but am not sure. but some times the rudder isn't in line with the prop. they have an offset for prop walk. it might be the pic but the rudder looks like it has a twist.

[josh.lewis.338211]

The strut collar has a 1or 2mm gap on the left between the shaft and it. It may be been but hard to tell with the rudder in the way. I took the picture with the bottom of the trailer lined up with the rudder to show the shaft off to one side.

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[gumby]

That could be the sealant. gap. The only true way to tell is take the coupler off the v drive get out the feeler gauge. If you are down waiting on prop repair might not be a bad idea jut to give you some piece of mind. I don't like all the sealant that is on the rudder box. Was that leaking at one time? looks to be gobbed on there. Is it actually twisted? I don't think it is supposed to be. or is just the picture?

[Aspidaso]

What he said, disconnect the coupler at the Vdrive, 9/16 combo wrench and ratchet with a deep well 9/16. Pretty easy, body just gets bit contorted to do it.

Once you have the 4 bolts out you can look (use your cell phone to take a pic of it, might be hard to get your eyes down that low).

Taking a hit on the prop will also put strain on the Vdrive gears (Walters thinks that's how I broke teeth on my #10 gear), while down there roll it around by hand and listen for abnormal noise.

[dogbert]

The way I understand it is that you should be able to turn the prop by hand all the way around. If it's binding in any part of that turn, then your shaft may be bent and your strut as well. You'll feel unusual vibration as well. I recently had my prop shaft coupler come apart, which in turn bent the shaft and the strut. Needless to say I spent a fair amount of time talking this over with the mechanic.

[josh.lewis.338211]

Thanks guys, I did a little bit of digging around on the old you tube and figured out I need to do the alignment of the shaft. Should be a fairly easy process. Feeler gauge and a pry bar will get her back true.

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[boatwakes]

Ponder this everyone;

How do you pull the propeller shaft if the rudder is in the way?

The prop shaft and strut are offset from the rudder on purpose but it never hurts to do alignment.