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BOOM-BA
08-17-2004, 04:56 PM
This weekend I was on the lake and getting ready to pull up a boarder when I put the boat in gear at heard a loud clunk,pop, and bang. The throttle was in gear and I was at approx. 2000 rpm but not going anywhere. My first thought was OH S**T, I just lost my V-Drive. I began investigating the problem (in the middle of the lake), when my eye caught a sparkle from beneath the v-drive. I began to feel around under the drive and found 4 bolts laying in the bilge, one had been sheard. I also found 4 teflon locking nuts. I noticed that there was a major gap between the drive line and the drive and the bolts that connected them were in my hands.

I was able to get three of the four bolts and nuts back in and they got me back to the ramp.

What concerns me is I have never heard of teflon locking nuts coming off, much less four of them. I recently had a 100hr. pm performed on the boat. Is this something that the mechanics should have caught?

Just a friendly reminder.....check the nuts and bolts that attach the drive line to your drive at the flange. and always, always take some tools....saved me from being towed and stranded.

Catdog1
08-17-2004, 07:10 PM
Lock nuts like I think you are describing should NEVER have come loose.

They are likely Nyoloc ( nylon ) interference (force-fit) lock nuts.

Maybe the mechanics disassembled them to make a check during your service, restarted them, but forgot to tighten them. I've done it before working on automobiles. Sometimes you just get ahead of yourself and forget. (Sometimes its the Coors.)

Anyway, I'll bet either the factory never tightened them or the mechanic at the service interval made a mistake.

But, the damage sounds minor!

Catdog1
08-17-2004, 07:12 PM
And, thanks for the concept... time to look underneath for loose fasteners.