Prop Shaft Alignment Yearly Maintenance Item

[04OUTBACK]

Jesse,
this is a fun process! HA. I replaced mine last summer when I replaced my bent shaft and prop. You'll have to pull the shaft out completely to replace them... to pullthe shaft, you'll have to pull the rudder off.

Getting the little buggers out is a trick. There is a tool that does it... OR you can use a hack saw. Let me know when you get ready, i'll explain.

Spyder,
Shaft alignment procedures: LONG but good info. Someone named Doug from on here sent them to me last summer

Shaft Alignment Procedure

Completion of this work should take less than 1 hour .

Tools Required:
Phillips Screw driver
2-9/16" wrenches
Torque Wrench
Feeler Gauge Set
CROWBAR

Object:

Align the Engine coupler to the Shaft coupler with less than .002 gap.

Removing the Interior:
1. Remove the motor box and rear seat.
2. Remove the rear center floor.
3. You should now be able to see the Shaft Coupler/Transmission Coupler Interface.

Removing the Bolts:
1. Locate the Shaft Coupler/Transmission Coupler Interface.
2. You will see four bolts holding the two couplers together.
3. Using two 9/16 wrenches loosen the nuts from the bolts.
· Once the bolts are removed check the following:
1. The grade marking on the head of the bolt should read "S30400".
2. They should be a 3/8-24 X 1 -" Stainless Steel bolts.
3. Look for wear or damage.
4. If the bolts are incorrect or are damaged replace them!

4. Once the bolts are out the coupler should naturally want to match up with out any pressure. At this point do a shaft alignment.

Aligning the Engine:

1. Holding the two couplers together, take a feeler gauge set and see if a .005 gauge feeler will slide between the couplers at any point around the circumference. Be sure to run the feeler all the way around. If it will slip between the couplers go to step 2. If it does not slip between the couplers go to step 4.

2. Next, spin the shaft coupler 180 degrees. Holding the two couplers together, again, take a feeler gauge set and see if a .005 gauge feeler will slide between the couplers at any point around the circumference. Be sure to run the feeler all the way around. It should slip between the couplers at the same point as it did in step I, if it does slip in the same spot, go to step three. If it slips between the coupler at a point 180 degrees for where it did last time examine shaft for damage (it may be bent) and examine the coupler for damage. If no damage is found, repeat steps 1 and two.

3. Too close a gap between the couplers the engine will need to be moved slightly.

- If the gap is at the 12 O'clock position you will need to raise the front of the engine or lower the back of the engine. To do this (using the rear feet): loosen the jam nuts on the rear feet. Then put a wrench on the tops and turn it counterclockwise. Make sure to count the turns and turn both the right and left feet equal amounts. This will lower the back of the engine and close the gap. If you went too far you will open a gap at the bottom. When using the rear feet to make adjustments, be sure not to lower or raise the shaft & coupler out of its "natural" position. For major angular movements (were you need to move the engine 2-3 thousand) use the front feet for the majority of the movement, then fine tune with the rear mounts.


- If the Gap is at the 3 O'clock position you will need to slide the front or rear of the engine over. To do this, loosen the nuts on the trunnion pins. Then tap the trunnion pin lightly to back it off and loosen them from the trunnions. This will allow the engine to be moved side to side. Using a pry bar, push the front of the engine more starboard to close the gap. If you push it to you will create a gap at the 9 O'clock position.

- If the gap is between the 1 and 2 0' clock position, you may be able to get the gap closed by lowering the left rear foot only.

- Keep repeating these steps till a 0.005 feeler gauge will not fit between the couplers at any point. Be sure that the shaft remains in the its natural position so that you do not cause premature shaft packing wear or strut bushing wear. Once you have gotten the engine aligned to within 0.005 repeat the above steps until the engine alignment is within 0.002.

1. Make sure to lock down all the jam nuts on the engine feet and the trunnion pins on the trunnions.

2. Recheck the engine alignment after the jam nuts and trunnion pins have been tightened. If it is still within tolerance you may proceed.

Reinstalling the Bolts:

- Install the bolts (3/8-24 x 1 " S30400) through the couplers and install the 3/8-24 Nylock Stainless Nut.
- Torque the bolts to 25-30 Ft Lbs.
- Double check that the jam nuts on the engine and the cotter pins on the trunnions are tight.
- Double check that the shaft coupler bolts are torqued to 25-30 Ft Lbs.

Replacing and Adjusting the Shaft Packing.
- Replace the shaft packing. Be sure to install two or three pieces.
- Loosen the jam nut on the shaft-packing gland.
- Back the gland nut off the packing gland assembly.
- Dig out all the old packing material.
- For a DD one inch shaft, cut two to three pieces of 1/4"dia. packing material strips so they are 4 1/8". Place one of the packing strips into the packing nut. The end should butt together. Place another piece in the packing nut, this time orienting the seam 180 degrees from the seam of the first piece.
- For a Vdrive 1 1/8" shaft use 3/8" diameter packing.
- Slide the packing nut up the shaft.
- Slide the shaft through the Packing gland assembly and into the strut.
- Screw the packing nut onto the packing gland assembly. Tighten it up as much as possible by hand. Then using a wrench, turn the nut a 1/2 a turn forward and a 1/4 turn back. Then turn the nut a 1/2 a turn forward and a 1/4 turn back. Then turn the nut a ½ a turn forward and a 1/4 turn back. This will pack the packing fairly tight.
- Back the packing nut off the assembly again. Then thread it back on. Tighten it only as tight as you can get it using your hands. This should be almost the perfect tightness for the packing gland so that it does not leak, yet not too tight so that the packing burns up.
- Tighten the Lock Nut up to the Packing Gland Nut.

If you want to add the third piece of packing, do so when you back the nut off after you packed the packing. Then tighten the nut only as tight as you can get it using your hands. This should be almost the perfect tightness for the packing gland so that it does not leak, yet not too tight so

[DOCDRS]

THIS SHOULD BE PART OF YOUR WINTERIZATION/SUMMERIZATION

IT IS A SIMPLE TASK TO CHECK THIS WITH ONLY 2 WRENCHES AND A FEELER GAUGE NEEDED

very easy and quick on a vdrive a little more time on a ddrive

JUST DO IT

[squeeg333]

I am slightly confused about this procedure... well, about one part of the procedure. Do the bolts HAVE to be removed, or can they just be loosened?? And I assume the shaft that is spun during the checks is the propr shaft, and not the v-drive shaft??

[DOCDRS]

They can just be loosened.

[brain_rinse]

THIS SHOULD BE PART OF YOUR WINTERIZATION/SUMMERIZATION

IT IS A SIMPLE TASK TO CHECK THIS WITH ONLY 2 WRENCHES AND A FEELER GAUGE NEEDED

very easy and quick on a vdrive a little more time on a ddrive

JUST DO IT

I did this tonight... not as easy as I had hoped with my ballast pumps in the way, but I got it done. I didn't take the bolts out all the way, just loosened way up so the shaft could move around easily. Also a business card works as a .005 feeler gauge in a pinch.

[pmoomba]

Anyone have some pictures of this process? I'm newer to things on the maintenance end but have been pretty good so far between winterization/summerize, fluid replacements, replacing things like the spark plugs/fuel filter, replacing a propeller, etc.

I haven't gotten around to anything with the prop shaft alignment though and am pretty intimidated. Just the thought of having to remove the floor is intimidating

This is all great info but I think seeing it would help a ton.

[brain_rinse]

The floor is just 4 Phillips screws so no big deal. But for me the floor wasn't in the way at all. Maybe on a direct drive...

[cab13367]

Brad/Doc,

I have never checked this since I bought the boat new 4 years ago so decided to do it today. I loosened the 4 bolts (BTW, a 14mm wrench fits on the bolt head and nut more snugly than a 9/16th) and checked the gap with an .005" feeler gauge. I can pretty easily get it in from about the 12 o'clock to the 6 o'clock position, looking from front to back but it won't go in from the 6 o'clock to 12 o'clock position. I rotated BOTH couplers 180 degrees and checked again with the same result. So this means I need to slide the back of the engine towards the port side a bit or the front of the engine to the starboard side.

My question has to do with the trunion pins. I don't know how these pins work so once I loosen the nuts on them, do I tap them toward the back of the boat or towards the front? Put another way, do I tap the threaded side or the non threaded side?

Also, if I decide to move the back of the engine towards the port side (which is what I think I'll do), I obviously have to loosen the trunnion pins on both rear engine mounts. But do I need to loosen the front ones also? I'm thinking I shouldn't but I'm not sure.

Also, what will happen if I continue to leave it as it is? It's been like this for 4 seasons now and to my knowledge, it's not causing any issues.

Thanks for this procedure - I would never have undertaken this without it.

Al

[Boonejeepin]

I loosened all 4 which made a gap. You're saying the two flanges should be able to completely separate? This was not happening for me. If I applied pressure with my left and measured with my right there was no changes. So it sounds like they are stuck together? I had a big gap all the way around even when applying pressure.

Spin the shaft from the prop end to free the coupler.

I also found the trick to closing the gap was to push the shaft in from the prop side. I could get it close on the coupler side but was able to close the gap by forcing the shaft toward the v-drive from the prop.

[DOCDRS]

With the nuts loose you should be able to move the prop shaft and coupler front to back the amount that you loosen the nuts. Sometimes the two couplers can be stuck and a slight bump of the engine over will free them if your boat is in the water or as mentioned above holding the prop and turning or and push pulling to free the couplers if out of the water. Sounds like your not measuring between the couplers if you have a gap when the bolts are tight