Elberts ARE shaft repair

Hey guys! Hope you all might can offer me some advice. I'm not a CC owner hope that isn't held againt me.... I still find that I can spend days here on the site reading and learning about my inboard ski boat. You guys are the best and I hope I can learn more.

I own a 1984 Dixie 299 Super Skier (350 Chev PCM / counter rotation / Velvet drive). ~Bought it May 09 & Still yet to see the water~

I am working on a refurb and alignment my drive shaft to include repacking the log and rudder assembly + new strut bushings.

Taking a closer look at my drive shaft I find that the previous owner installed an ELBERTS A.R.E. Drive Shaft System. Probally right after the prop took those chunks out of the trailer bunk.

My problem is that some where along the line the drive shaft side coupler came loose from the shaft taper. The Elberts coupler and nut assy take a special tool to tighten as the unt is recessed into the coupler. My big concern is that with the nut and coupler loose on the shaft I'm worried the tapered fit is damaged. With a .003" run out in alignment it wouldn't take much to cause an issue.

My thoughts as of tonight are to remove the shaft & coupler and take them to a friends machine shop. Have him check the Shaft run out / coupler run out / and shaft to coupler fit. If we find the fit to be damaged does anyone see an thing wrong with recutting the taper on the coupler and or shaft just enough to clean it up?

I'm hoping maybe we can just lap it in to recover the original fit.       

                      Thanks,
                         Michael

Michael - Try the lapping, you have nothing to lose but some time. Use some bluing (or similar type ink) to see if there are any high spots in the joint.

On another note.. My friend Dave ~ the machinist helped another friend (Diver for hire) raise a 40' Cris Craft cruiser last night. Boat had been sunk in the slip since Dec. Fun Fun Fun. Now they got it from the slip and beached in the shallows and are working to arange crane & demolition.

Brass prop key or steel?

My spare prop has a brass key my original prop has a steel key.

I'm thinking Brass ~

Thanks dsla ~ Brass key it is.

It is amazing how many pieces parts have been altered to questionable status.

Edit: 4:44am   Took 2 hrs to polish on the prop and coupler fit. Luckily I can get in a little government work (personal projects) on 12x8 shift.

I've got the prop and coupler fit loking good!!! Hope I can get some pics of the results later today.

Off of work at 8am and then ~ Vacation all next week and wifey is encouraging me to take the time to work on the boat.

Thanks for the tip!

Dave said he thought they were 360's but night time and lots of mud... As big as that thing is I think their could have been a 78 Ford Pinto hiding in their.

We will check it out.

they bring about 5k apiece to the right guy

PO used a pipe wrench 5 or 6 jaw marks I semi polished out ~ Ugggg



Some coupler pitting is still visiable but the new taper fit should hold firm even with the minor pits. Keyway broach is showing beginning stages of trauma from the steel key taking the shock load of forward reverse (one edge is not as square as it should be).

Looks like Hollywoods Miamian. Anyone heard from him? Hope he's ok-----