Strut and Driveshaft for '85 2001

Haha thanks Art, but I prefer chicken "Cutlets" for my strut

I bought a vesconite cutlass, should I still use set screws?

i drilled out the set screws in the strut. should i replace them with stainless bolts?

You are not going to have to slot the bolts much if at all. It depends on what direction the strut is "off." If you have to rotate the strut in its horizontal plane to line it up, you may have to slot the holes a bit. My choice would be to slot the holes in the hull as opposed to those in the strut. All you need is a 3/8" round rough-cut file to slot the holes slightly.   You could then use heavy-duty washers of a larger outside diameter against the hull on the inside to help avoid leaks.

If the strut is "off" in its vertical plane, that is to say, the angle between the barrel and the base has been changed, then you might only need to use a shim under one end or the other of the strut to correct it.

Agree completely, TR.

Maybe 3M has changed the formulation on the 5200. It was becoming unpopular due to its high adhesion quality. We used it in the factory for a while, and when we shipped boats on our own trucks, we often had to remove running gear to make a full load fit. On many occasions, we ripped out gelcoat and laminate many times getting struts and fins off of the boats. It's a real bummer to be loading a boat for shipping and suddenly have go rebuild a strut recess. Plus, our rules dictate that after repair, the running gear must go back on and the boat be
re-watertested. Of course we soon quit buying it and went with 4200.

I agree for the most part. TR, if you read his post again, you will see that he says it's out by .060" not .006. I assume that it's .060 in the length of the barrel. Sixty thousandths is quite a bit. I agree that if you have to skew the base of the strut a bit where it mounts to the hull, just so the barrel of the strut points directly at the center of the shaft log, you are good. Even if you have to enlarge the mounting holes a bit, and/or grind a bit off the sides of the base to allow it to fit into the recess in the bottom, it will be OK. We make a neat gadget at the factory for aligning struts. It's a 1" (or
1-1/8") diameter shaft stub about 10" long with a laser pointer buried in the front end. You stick it inside the cutless bearing and it puts a laser dot on the hull where the strut is pointed. Unfortunately, they are not available outside the factory!

Pete is absolutely correct about the lack of vibration from a misalighned strut and also about the 4200. Stay away from the 5200 in case you ever have to take it off again!

I've read some people use 5200? Also should I cover the entire base with sealant or just where the bolts go through?

You can accommodate a surprising amount of variation in the strut itself by shimming and tweaking things when you install it. Just gotta get the shaft through the log cleanly. Then align the powertrain to it. .006" is nothing when it comes to strut straightness. Probably straighter than when it was originally cast.

That being said, there are plenty of opportunities to screw up the alignment even with a perfectly straight strut!

ArtCozier wrote: We had been finding shims under struts in boats that were coming in for repairs, meaning that Production had been shimming them, and of course we told him so. Art

It's great that production techniques improved to the point that shimming isn't needed. I thought your statement was in jest due to all the strut shimming I have found in the older days of CC going back to when I was at Watercraft Sales in the late 60's early 70's.

BTW, I do not see anything wrong with shimming a strut. I do like the SS slotted shims since you aren't stuck with the thickness of a SS washer plus, bolt removal isn't needed for trial fitting the alignment.

Art,
Thank's for bringing up the procedure of strut alignment and the use of shims. I always suggest to anyone going through this to take a look at the alignment 101 video. Alignment always starts at the strut and then you go forward.

I got a big laugh out of you stating in jest that CC doesn't approve of the shimming fix! How's that saying go? "Do as I say and not as I do"

Good news, my strut should be done this week. I have an experienced machinist friend who worked with some welders at his shop to put it back into shape. Just waiting on my cutlass bearing to come and I'll throw it back together and see how she rolls.

Got new if you can't find one.