Prop Strut Installation

I received all the parts to start the install of my new Prop Shaft and strut bearings and I am ready to re install the strut on the boat.
I worked quite a while trying to find the most natural position.
It came off with zero shims but to get the shaft in the center of the log I had to add a shim to the rear of the strut. Shim is .100 thick.
With this shim and the shaft coupling not bolted but touching the engine it rotates really smooth with little drag. Without the shim in the same position it rotates with quite a bit of drag, sits in the bottom of the log and it takes a strong hand to turn it.

To keep the shaft in the center of the log I need to use the .100 shim.
One .100 washer under each of the two rear bolts. I don't like using the shim but it does fix my issue.
Before I pull this apart and use the 5200 to put the strut in permanently am I missing anything? Should I look for another way to get the strut aligned?
I did think about having it milled, taking the strut to a machine shop and having them cut .100 off the front of the strut and tapering to the rear of the strut. I think this would give the same fix with no washers needed?
I have not used the 5200 before so I don't know how much working time I have installing the strut before it starts to cure?

The ARE shaft is a very nice piece. If you have not used one the shaft coupler comes threaded and has a provided bolt/cap you can use to remove the shaft any time you wish. Very easy to use to release the shaft from the coupler with only one wrench needed.

I am using the new Plastic/Delryn bushings in the strut. They fit very well and it now has zero play, good tight fit but rotates smoothly.
After reading that others had issues with a tight shaft after installing this type bushing I chose to thread my set screws through the plastic bushing. My old set screws in the strut would not come out so I had to drill them. After installing the new bushings I just drilled through them and tapped the hole all the way through the strut and bushing. I used red lock tite when I installed the set screws.
I used 3/16 x 10-32 set screws, they fit perfect, went in till flush and were at least 1/32 short of hitting the shaft. Align the strut bushings so the thicker part is under the set screw rather than the water channel.   I did this because I was thinking the plastic would deflect when a set screw was tightened against it. I feel this method will hold it in place but will not distort at all. The shaft fit stayed the same before and after the set screw installation.

I did buy new packing, I chose the Kevlar newer packing, my old packing only has 100 hours on it and worked perfectly with no drip while in neutral and perfect drip in gear. Do I really need to replace this? Does not take much time but it works so well I hate to mess with a good thing.

The last thing/tip on this job. I have read to cut the old cutlass bearing with a hack saw or saws-all. I chose to use a hacksaw even though I have a good saws-all out of fear of cutting too deep with the saws-all and causing damage to my strut.
The hacksaw method was hard to control. I found myself cutting through both ends of the cutlass bearing but not getting the middle cut out. I actually cut it in 4 places, I only wanted to do 2 but I could see I was not getting all the way though and I wanted to weaken it so I could collapse it and remove it. It came out very hard. I was afraid I was going to ruin the strut. I bet it took me more than two hours to get it out. First time for this but that seemed like a lot of time for a simple job. If you go slow this can be done without damage to your strut but it is not simple. On a do over I may choose the saws-all method.

I plan to use a sharpie and leave locater marks so I can hit the sweet spot on final install of the strut, it seems the 5200 will squeeze out and hide my markers if I am not careful.

My first thought is to install the strut and shaft with the log removed, get it fully square bolted tight and let the 5200 cure for a day and then remove the shaft again and install the log seal.


Thanks for any tips you can share on properly installing the strut.

Mark

Mark, I did this recently on my 89.

I could not get the shaft centered in the log without SS washers on the rear; the resident experts tell me this is fine if no more than a single washer is used.

I used 4200 instead of 5200 so I could get the strut off without a hot wire. I got the 10 oz tubes cheap at Amazon. I think you have quite a bit of time before standard 5200 cures (it cures about 10-20 times more slowly than the fast cure; with fast cure you still probably have an hour or more - link to 3M Marine Application Profile PDF).

Getting the old bearing out was the worst part of the whole thing, I don't think mine had ever been changed (1250 hours on the boat); I had the same problem with the hack saw and worried I would damage the strut with a sawzall.

I think the question about the packing is a personal one. The old packing may be worth a try...do you want to mess with it again any time soon? Is your new packing Kevlar or Gortex (PTFE)? Anyway, the packing is pretty easy to install and adjust, so you may want to bite the bullet and do it now. Also, my old shaft was scored at the packing glad, if yours was too, the old packing may not conform as well to the new shaft. All in all, I would do it now.

Thanks guys, good advice. The packing I purchased is the Gore Tex GFO 3/16 x 24 inch. Sorry, not Kevlar as I first reported, brain fade issue.
I did use a wood block with a V cut to help support the shaft so it did not sag, the happy place seems right in line with the current engine coupler, the shaft spins freely with my .100 spacers. When I take them out the shaft binds unless I lower the shaft till it is at the bottom of the log, log hose is not installed. This is why I shimmed it to raise the happy position of the shaft. It turns freely and I can slide it forward and slip the couplers together while it still spins freely.
I do not like using the spacers, I think I give up a lot of structural support on the strut not having full contact unless the 5200 firms up to be hard as a rock once cured.
The OEM set up seemed to use silicone between the strut and fiberglass.
I scraped it all off and it all looked like clear silicone except for around the outside where it was a white compound that was firmer like caulk.

I will take a look at massaging the strut, it is winter and no rush.
Ski Dim showed the 3/16 for my 95 Nautique. My fear about grinding, fileing the strut is getting it off center, right now it centers really well.

Another tip:
Get a shaft zinc and put it on after the stuffing box. The egg shape can be jammed into the tube opening to help self-center the shaft.

baitkiller wrote: Another tip: Get a shaft zinc and put it on after the stuffing box. The egg shape can be jammed into the tube opening to help self-center the shaft.

I like your thinking John

Sounds great, good job :)

Did the first water test Sunday, I had hand tightened the packing nut prior to launching. The packing is 1/4 inch Teflon packing from West Marine, looked just like the factory packing removed. I had the Gore Tex packing in 3/16 on hand ready to use but found 1/4 in my boat when I removed it and bought the West product locally to finish installation.
I ran it 2.5 hours, mostly idle in gear with several runs from 20 to 47 MPH. I had a heck of a time getting it to drip. I finally loosened the nut all the way off while in gear at idle and worked the nut up and down the shaft in the water that was coming in. I worked it side to side and up and down trying to loosen it up. On re install I was able to get 5-6 drips per minute with no load on the nut. I spun it down till I felt contact, with no pressure and backed off a full turn before locking it down. With it this loose and after 2 + hours clock time I still only get 5-6 drips per minute. It is cold at idle but gets warm after high rpm use. I plan to run it more and see if it breaks in and leaks more. The shaft and log nut never felt hot but I would like 10 or more drips per minute and a cold log and shaft after a fast run. Can you guys share anything on this? I am considering starting over with new packing. Although the packing I pulled out was definitely 1/4 inch I am thinking the 3/16 might fit better, the 1/4 inch is so wide with three wraps I only get about 4-5 turns of the nut before I have contact with the log so very few threads are holding it.

I am thinking like you, pull and replace, I never tightened except with my hand but it may have been enough to compress it too much.
Am I correct thinking it should stay cool even after a high rpm run?
Any thoughts on trying to install the 3/16 packing? The 1/4 inch did install very tightly, I used the cut piece of PVC 1" pipe to help get it in place.

Thanks for the opinion.

Looks like 1/4 to me if the packing is to be the same thickness as the wall thickness of the gland

Mine was definitely too tight at first. I did not realize just hand tighten would compress it too much. Because I was tinkering, trying to get it to drip, did the same, loosened it all the way, and ran it a little, which got it to drip, then set it. I probably wore it in, not ideal on a brand new shaft At least the Gore has a little inherent lubrication.