93 nautique drive shaft removal
Printed From: CorrectCraftFan.com
Category: Repairs and Maintenance
Forum Name: Boat Maintenance
Forum Discription: Discuss maintenance of your Correct Craft
URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=51897
Printed Date: April-01-2025 at 8:37pm
Topic: 93 nautique drive shaft removal
Posted By: Kinn12
Subject: 93 nautique drive shaft removal
Date Posted: March-26-2025 at 12:11pm
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Hey guys, I'm in the process of trying to replace my strut bearings since there was some play in the shaft that I noticed while replacing the propeller. I figured they're the original strut bearings on a 30+ year old boat with 450 hours. I dropped the rudder that had a tiny bit of play in it but I was hoping I could put a little grease on that, repack it, and call it a day. I need some guidance on what all these parts are on the shaft and the order of operations for removal. I removed the screws with 9/16 bolts connecting the coupler to the transmission. What is the silver metal band around the shaft that seems to have two set screws with caulking? Also there are the two screws with a wire tie between them? I noticed the shaft has a keyed slot similar to the propeller as well. Any insight would be awesome, thanks! https://ibb.co/BVPzyKD5 |
Replies:
Posted By: Kinn12
Date Posted: March-26-2025 at 12:16pm
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Sorry I should have done some simple googling. Sounds like the collar is a failsafe to stop the shaft from dropping out in case of a catastrophic failure with the coupler. The white caulking inside the collar had me a little confused it was doing some type of sealing. Im assuming those are two set screws to hold the shaft in with the wire to prevent them from moving. Any parts I should be replacing when putting the rudder back besides new packing rope and grease? I can't feel any seals inside, seems to be one straight shot through the whole rudder housing. |
Posted By: KENO
Date Posted: March-26-2025 at 4:07pm
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Here's some insight in the link below http://www.correctcraftfan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=25700&PN=1&title=coupler-removal-and-install" rel="nofollow - link Short version.....your coupler is an interference or shrink fit on the shaft (the coupler ID is a few thousandths smaller than the shaft OD). You can pull it off as described in the link with longer bolts and a socket between the coupling halves, It's slow and tedious When it's time to reassemble things, you heat the coupling to about 500 degrees for an hour or so to expand it and it'll slip back on the shaft. Sounds easy but if you don't get it in the right spot then you get to remove it all over again and go thru the same routine. Nothing easy about it though If you're in a money spending mood, you screw things up, or your shaft is bent, you get an ARE double tapered shaft and cut the old one right behind the coupler with your favorite metal cutting tool like an angle grinder or sawzall for example. Then you slide the shaft out the back and pick up the coupling that's now laying in the bilge Shaft installation and removal is a whole lot easier with the double tapered shaft. ARE is one brand, there are others also Kinda subjective, but how much play in the strut, any funny vibrations when running? 460 hours isn't a whole lot for the strut bushing unless it's been worn by alignment issues or run dry on land too much or it's seen a lot of sandy water etc. The lockwire you mentioned is to keep things from coming apart PS......after going thru the process with the original coupler, most people would probably go for the double tapered shaft  Another PS.....some people would take the engine out and slide the shaft out the front
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Posted By: KENO
Date Posted: March-26-2025 at 4:30pm
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Here's a link to Elbert's in case you want to read about the ARE shaft. They're the ones who make the ARE shaft http://www.elberts.com/system.htm" rel="nofollow - link
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Posted By: Kinn12
Date Posted: March-26-2025 at 4:38pm
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I did see about the ARE shaft but was going to see if my current one was bent or not. You're making me second guess this endeavor, but I was reading there should be extremely little play and I was looking out for longevity of the transmission. I could just throw the rudder back on with new packing and call it a day. Here is a video I just took of the current shaft play. I'm the second owner of this boat and have only had it a few months. From what I know, it was never taken in salt water. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1M0bVinAQvZRZY-r9CRMKQ8zDNYl8ZbSk/view?usp=drivesdk |
Posted By: KENO
Date Posted: March-26-2025 at 5:01pm
| Was that with the shaft coupling disconnected from the transmission or did you bolt it back together before the video? |
Posted By: Kinn12
Date Posted: March-26-2025 at 5:08pm
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It currently has those bolts removed but I didn't even attempt to pull that coupler off. Id say that's the same amount of play before I disconnected anything though. The other thing I was going to check on to decide if I should buy the two part shaft was if this current shaft is worn somehow where it contacts the bushings. Low engine hours, but 30 years of unknown. I'm not sure if you remember but you got my boat running after I troubleshot it for like a whole month after installing a new carb. It was surging like crazy. Even went so far as to switch to a DUI. Never fixed it. You saw in the video I posted I had the fuel pump overflow connected to the carb where it shouldn't be. Boat ran perfect after disconnecting it. Thanks again for that! |
Posted By: Kinn12
Date Posted: March-27-2025 at 6:00am
| Any tips to get the coupler away from the transmission? Even with the 9/16th bolts removed i can't get it to pull away to even start the process of using the socket as a press. I've gone under the boat and tried to pull from the bottom for more leverage. Don't budge. Does the glad nut need to loosened first? I would think that would matter |
Posted By: KENO
Date Posted: March-27-2025 at 6:35am
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Here's some more reading in the link. http://www.correctcraftfan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10708&PN=1" rel="nofollow - link Sometimes hitting the couplings with a dead blow hammer works to shock things enough for the flanges to come apart, otherwise a putty knife or chisel as mentioned in the linked thread. Looking at your video, the play does look excessive. Check your PM inbox
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Posted By: Kinn12
Date Posted: March-27-2025 at 6:41am
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Thanks for the tip, I think I'm going to put a little 50/50 acetone/atf homemade penetrating oil on there for a little before the dead blow. For ordering a new shaft, is normal to sometimes order a slightly shorter shaft. I'm forgetting the measurements I had before but I recall my prop being too close to my rudder with very little clearance. From the left over marks/rust on my current shaft, the prop base is 1 1/2" from the strut Id have to lift my boat and slide the rudder back in and put the prop back on for an exact measurement. The boat didn't seem to have any steering problems and went 45mph so maybe I should just leave the length alone? |
Posted By: KENO
Date Posted: March-27-2025 at 7:02am
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Looking at your wiggling the shaft video, it looks like you lapped the shaft where the prop sits and it looks like the distance between the lapped area ending and the strut is not nearly 1 1/2 inches. Maybe the video angle is deceptive. Slipping the prop back on and taking a measurement would be a good thing  Just out of curiosity, is the shaft collar a 1 piece collar or is it a 2 piece with 2 allen bolts holding it together?
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Posted By: Kinn12
Date Posted: March-27-2025 at 7:12am
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Wow, it's early, whoops. You're correct, I read it wrong. It's more like 1 3/16" with the prop slid back on there. The silver safety collar is a one piece with what I'm thinking is set screws on either side of it. Image of strut distance measurement. https://ibb.co/ymkN3v9L |
Posted By: KENO
Date Posted: March-27-2025 at 7:22am
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That's not bad on the strut clearance. Some would go shorter, like down to 1/2 inch.(you need room to fit a puller), but that's how CC built it and it works fine. If the collar is one piece, somebody has had the shaft out in the past, because they weren't installed when the boat came from the factory More reading about coupler removal n the link below http://www.correctcraftfan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=34737&PN=1&title=shaft-coupling-removal-issue" rel="nofollow - http://www.correctcraftfan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=34737&PN=1&title=shaft-coupling-removal-issue" rel="nofollow - link
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Posted By: Fl Inboards
Date Posted: March-27-2025 at 9:39am
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Actually no the shaft collar in those day's were one piece with two small set screws. the two piece safety collar did not come into play til sometime in the early 2000's. the shafts used to come complete with keyed coupler, set screws and collar in place before for floor assembly. they also came provided with castle nut, key and SS cotter pin from the our supplier. We also did not utilize the heat method though fully understandable and recommended to install the coupler to the shaft. we utilized a very large slide hammer screwed onto the prop end of the shaft and hammered them out and back on. never ever seen any problems doing so. Steve Melloon Made mine for me still have it in my tool box to this day. the nice thing about the slide hammer method is you can fine adjust and find the set holes where the set holes for the bolts are. like Keno said it is easy to miss when you are handling 500 degree object in the boat. been a while since i have had to remove a shaft for any reason as when i do usually the engine is out of the boat, if the coupler needs to come off for any reason then it gets heated with the gas axe and a puller or rigged up on my 60 ton press.. ------------- Hobby Boats can be expensive when the hobbyist is limited on their own skill and expertise. 1993 Shamrock "fat" 20. 2008 Nautique 196 5.0 |
Posted By: Kinn12
Date Posted: March-27-2025 at 9:46am
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FI, Thanks for the info. That eases me with knowing they probably didn't replace the shaft because that would make me worried as to why a shaft was replaced in such a low hour engine. The collar does have the two detents on the shaft the set screws go into. When pushing the flange off the shaft, I was going to do the longer bolt tightening method with a socket between transmission and shaft to push it out. Before attempting to remove it, should I be making any marks or taking notes anywhere for positions prior to removal? |
Posted By: KENO
Date Posted: March-27-2025 at 1:13pm
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here are a couple of pictures to show what your coupling looks like once it's separated from the transmission coupling. That raised section is about 3/32 of an inch and fits into a matching hole in the transmission side flange. It can be tough to separate because of corrosion etc. The one in the picture was pretty tight, but separated OK with a little force. If you slide your collar up to the coupling before doing anything, then remove the coupling, when it's going back together the coupling should go right up against the collar and you'll have to have the coupling lined up with the key. I think I'd agree with Jody on the collar, it sure looks like your shaft has never been messed with (original paint overspray) 
https://ibb.co/dXbWnr6" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: desertskier
Date Posted: March-27-2025 at 1:18pm
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Removing the transmission and sliding the shaft forward out of the strut is a pretty easy way to replace the bushing. Removing the transmission is pretty straightforward. ------------- 92 SN - Owned since 93 99 Pro Air 89 SN - Went to live on a lake in Texas 75 Donzi 16 - Sold in 93 |
Posted By: KENO
Date Posted: March-28-2025 at 5:59am
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I guess if we're into alternative ways of doing this, he could remove the strut bolts and slide the strut down the shaft. After that he could work on the bushing replacement on the workbench where it's a fair amount easier than under the boat. I'd figure that each method has it's advantages and disadvantages depending on what you're comfortable with.
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Posted By: Kinn12
Date Posted: March-28-2025 at 8:07am
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I did not expect it to be this hard to push the shaft out of the coupler. Pressing this socket i have moved it about 1/8". The bolts are beyond what I can hand tighten and I've been carefully using an impact to tighten them about a 1/16th of a turn. The bolts are about to be sticking out the back too long to where it won't rotate, hitting the hex bolts going into the transmission. I could replace them one at a time with smaller bolts and continue on with tightening these bolts. Am I going to do any damage? Any other tips? I've tried tapping it with a dead blow. I put the prop nut on under the hull and tried tapping a wooden dowel into that with downward force away from the transmission with the bolts also pressing it out. No luck.. https://ibb.co/9mZSZW8V https://ibb.co/XxWw5TYb https://ibb.co/9mZSZW8V" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: Kinn12
Date Posted: March-28-2025 at 8:20am
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I'm at the point where I'm about to just take an angle grinder to this and buy the ARE shaft since I don't want to damage the transmission and $500 isn't bad for a new shaft. I think he mentioned they included a new coupler too? I'm not very knowledgeable on cutting steel, how long would that take with the proper blade? |
Posted By: KENO
Date Posted: March-28-2025 at 8:59am
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Right about now you should be calling that number that showed up in your PM in box Not yelling, just said a little loudly so you'd hear it
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Posted By: Fl Inboards
Date Posted: March-28-2025 at 10:47am
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A little WD-40 goes a long way.. ------------- Hobby Boats can be expensive when the hobbyist is limited on their own skill and expertise. 1993 Shamrock "fat" 20. 2008 Nautique 196 5.0 |
Posted By: KENO
Date Posted: March-28-2025 at 12:51pm
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I think that off in the distance, I hear the faint sound of an angle grinder.......his choice And the charge card is getting revved up too
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Posted By: wayoutthere
Date Posted: March-28-2025 at 2:49pm
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I'll read all the posts after i get yelled at, i skimmed for now. Remove the rudder it needs new packing and theres nothing to it. cut the shaft in half with a good metal blade in a swazall. Don't remove the transmission when the rudder and strut need to come off so the rudder packing can be replaced, the shaft gland needs updated and the strut needs new bearings anyway. Actually don"t have to remove the strut if you cut the shaft in half to get it out no sense in re 4200 the thru bolted hardware unless you do it all and they all drip anyway. Dont waste your time get the dual tapered shaft and never look back. Dont forget about engine alignment before the new coupler gets bolted back on the tranny, By tranny i don't mean bruce jenner |
Posted By: KENO
Date Posted: March-28-2025 at 4:15pm
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That's what he's doing except he's using an angle grinder instead of a reciprocating saw Speaking of boats do you still have 2 or none or some number in between?
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Posted By: Kinn12
Date Posted: March-28-2025 at 6:50pm
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Only took about 45 seconds with the grinder https://ibb.co/bjCtGTVT" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: wayoutthere
Date Posted: March-28-2025 at 7:57pm
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Nice, just cut it out, you'll love the dual taper shaft just on installation alone, imagine paying a shop for this work, bohze moi ! Keno, ugh! capital F! . I'll update the never again, again thread after i find some stuff out. What hull comes after nwz ? |
Posted By: Jonny Quest
Date Posted: March-29-2025 at 9:30am
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Ski Nautique hull generations (per Google / A.I.) 1st Generation: 1961-1969 2nd Generation: 1970-1981 2001: 1982-1989 No Wake Zone (NWZ): 1990-1996 Total Surface Control (TSC1): 1997-2001 TSC2: 2002-2005 TSC3: 2006-2009 SN200: 2010+ JQ
------------- Current 2003 Ski Nautique 206 Limited Previous 2001 Ski Nautique Open Bow 1994 Ski Nautique Open Bow Aqua skiing, ergo sum |
Posted By: wayoutthere
Date Posted: March-29-2025 at 2:55pm
| Mucho thankso JQ |