Hit a log Strut / prop / maybe shaft too

My obsession with centering the shaft in the log / thru hull assembly has bitten me. Now with everything set up and aligned engine is off to port up front / shaft is off to starboard at the rudder. This was necessary due to the thru hull being factory drill off center to starboard side.    

Shaft alignment is good (trans to shaft) so I'll give it a try. My concern is the engine is slid over just about too far PORT on the front adjustment.      

I know the packing gland (flex mounted) will give and log center is not a necessity but starting with strut alignment from scratch with a new strut and differen holes the shaft log was my only solid point of refrence.

NOW next time I remount the strut I'll NOW know EXACTLY where I need to be.

Don't worry to much about the hole in the hull. As long as the shaft isn't touching, your good. Worry more about hot the strut is aligned with the log. It too can be off slightly because the rubber hose between it and the packing gland will compensate some. Since you pretty much starting from scratch with bolting on the strut, The best way is to find a piece of tubing just under size of the strut bore (no cutlass - 1&1/4"?). Slip it through the strut and the log and shim/elongate the holes in the hull if needed. Stainless flat washers work great for shims but don't go past 1 washer per bolt. If two are needed then I'd start rebuilding/filling the strut base pad with filled epoxy. Plastic wrap the base, add the epoxy then start tightening the bolts. Keep checking the piece of tubing for the alignment. Pull the strut after it cures and then bed it in 5200.

Michael,
Even with the Orbit gum, you'll be tasting bronze for at least one or two days after the polishing!!

Finally got the strut to the shop so Dave could cut the new holes to the old pattern with the end mill. Picked up a 12" 1/2" drill bit extension to work the 60 deg. counter sink bit around the shaft bore.

Finished up Wednesday night and haven't been able to work on the boat again yet. Got bored tonight so I cleaned u the strut some.











Worked it from 36 grit to 1000 grit and then polished it up with brasso. Not perfect but much cleaner and gave me somthing to do while I couldn't turn wrenches. Any suggestions for preservation, I assume it will green up and tarnish quick. All but the 36 grit was by hand.

eric lavine wrote: one thing i can add, brass or bronze very similar to cast iron is very tough to straighten, its more of a powder than a grain and cracks very easily.

Drilling this stuff sux

My plan to have the prop shop weld up the holes went well But setting the strut in place and redrilling the strut has 2 major flaws.

1. Ni-bral is about the most difficult stuff to drill I've ever run across. Cast iron and concrete drill easier. Looking back now maybe I'd have been better off to fill the old holes in the hull and re-drill the thru hull holes.


2. It is hard as hell to hold the strut in place (shaft mounted to trans thru strut + jack + blocks + ratchet strap + wife under boat watching for any strut shift. Not working too well ~ Hull is much softer and drill wants to walk + I am having trouble holding the drill straight.

one thing i can add, brass or bronze very similar to cast iron is very tough to straighten, its more of a powder than a grain and cracks very easily.

8122pbrainard wrote: Michael, It's great you got the other parts but it's always nice to have spares. On the bent tracking fins, are you going to send them to Murphy's for straightening?

   One black eye is enough...
I'll buy my buddy in the machine shop another case of Corona before I send anything back down to Murphy. I'm gonna stop by the local Mom and Pop prop shop this morning after work. They are a Mercury OB race tuing facility ~ My original concern was lack of experience with inboards. After this mess they can't do any worse   

Unfortunatly my matching cast replacment strut has a different hole pattern. I'll need to get the holes filled so I can fit and redrill.

Sorry in advance for rambling ~ Very sleep deprived.

Well ~ All businesses make mistakes. What seperates the good from the bad is how they are corrected. I try not to condemn them before givin them a chance to make it right BUT so far this is not going well.

    I contacted Murphy's and sent them email + pics. Upon calling for review the guy says their is no way we damaged your strut but you can send it back to us and we will check it out and make repairs. If it turns out we did it then we will cover it but "we don't use a tool that will do that". He also went on to say it looked like pitting and that it was their before. But in my tears of sorrow upon disassembly I cleaned the strut removing the caulk and polished it up with a 3m pad and brass-o before sending it out. I know the damage was not there. Also I beleive a true tell all is that bore distortion of this degree would have damaged the cutlass bearing if the shaft had been in place when that strike occured. The bearing shows no such sign.   

So they want me to send it to them and drop another $24 in round trip shipping and roll the dice on $55 in repairs. Or drive 80 miles one way and they will fix it while I wait.


On a more positive note ~ The parts boat came thu and I got the entire underwater gear assembly (Tracking fins / log / shaft / strut / prop / and rudder for $250).

Not bad Strut and rudder are good, but 2 of the 3 tracking fins + prop have damage. Prop shaft looks ok but is still unknown.    

I was able to pick up some free Dixie interior wood trim patterns and then discovered them using the motor box upsidedown as an outdoor trash can. I left my # and asked them to give me a call when they were ready to empty the trash. Also promised to catch back up another day when her husband the boat collector is their. While he is the Captian her knowledge and skill of boat repair was amazing. They had a cool collection of old GlasPars and she was cleaning up her SeaFair Sedan to haul to a Glasspar owners event at Topsail Island NC this weekend. Definatly some cool older folks that brightend up an otherwise dreadfully ugly day..
                  

The shop was closed when UPS delivered my strut. I will call them first thing in the morning.

Option 5.
    What about just pressing the 2-piece cutlas bearing in about 1/2". With my 6" strut their is 2" of room in the middle left to do this, taking the distorted section of the barrel out of the equation with out correcting or further damaging the faulty work.


Option 6.
      Found a guy who parted out a boat like mine locally last month. He has parts for sale. Driving over to buy his strut 2nd thing in the AM. So far I've only spoken to his wife so this is reaching out on a limb but I've got nothing to loose he is with in an hrs drive.

My strut has a casting # of SEF 1312

S.E.F. =   SouthEastern Foundries
SouthEastern Foundries produces non ferrous castings and is know for it's line of marine driveline equipment

SouthEastern Foundries Corp
2706 Oakland Ave
Greensboro, NC 27403
336-299-7212
southeasternfoundries.com

WOW!!!! Have you called them on it yet? Look's like the had the "kid" out back run the hydraulic press!! I'm sorry to see this happen. It can be welded and rebored but by the time you do that, a new one may be the better option. How the "H" could they send that back to you like that??? One thing for sure is never trust a uncle and guys, NEVER EVER send ANY work to Murphy's prop shop - got it!!! If they did that to a strut which is really pretty "beefy", I wonder what they do to props? "Sir, your prop just broke in two pieces - Sorry but we now need to sell you a brand new prop"

I think I got a big brown box of poo


Looks like the tool they used to straighten the strut damaged the strut bore and cracked the brass. Bore is now distorted and shaft does not fit the hole.   

Thanks for the tip. Can't wait for that BIG brown truck to arrive.

Thanks again to Gary. My strut repair was $55.

Strut should be here today / tomorrow.

Prop is already here.

SkiDIm order with fresh prop nut and 3/16 packing should arrive today.

Hope to assemble tomorrow and be back on the water this weekend. (fingers crossed)

Meanwhile ~ I'm Collecting parts to swap in spare trans after main summer season ends (Rear main seal / fresh trans cooler lines / new damper).

Hopefully once I get the cover back on the boat I'll quit bleeding $$$ long enough to save a few pennys and get the trans out to Eric.

What are the odds that the my repaired strut will position the shaft to refit center of the log using the same holes. I am concerned as I have heard of some folks neddeing to fill and redrill strut holes thru the hull to obtain the proper shaft / log alignment.

Is redrilling common?

I figure it is a given I will need to redrill for any alternate strut, Am I wrong to think this?


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


Worked the prop shaft this morning. The A.R.E. shaft faired well. It was only out .010   

Got to assist my friend Dave working it back straight using an air over hydraulic 40 ton press. Made up (3) 2"x2"x1/16" aluminium squares to keep from marring the shaft in the press then went to work. It took 6 tons to move it ~ I am always amazed at how far these shafts give before they bend. Working it back in to spec was a long slow process. Press / check / mark repeat. Took manipulating it with 30 - 40 baby steps in the press to get it back in to the .003 spec. While any elementry aged kid could do the physical work the skill and feel involved with this type of press work was way above my head. I'm sure I would have made it into an expensive stainless pretzel.    

Thanks ~ I edited the post above to include the bore & weight too.

A couple from the links posted above look close but no ringers.

Strut also looks very close to the dimensions of a the 1984 2001 Nautique Strut on Ebay ~ I just can't take a $300 guess. Maybe I can find a cheap used or damaged 2001 strut to check for measuremnt / fit.

Studying long forgotten Geometry at 1am to find the angle with only the measurements given above.

Might just have to wait until morning (working graveyard shift) when I can take my drawing and work with a rt. triangle.