Ski Boat Forum
Repairs and Maintenance => Boat Maintenance - American Skier => Topic started by: RonT on March 25, 2010, 04:04:00 PM
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I assume everyone does a shaft alignment every year or at least every other season, along with changing the trans fluid but heres a good tip or reminder when servicing this area of the boat. GREASE THE SHIFT LEVER.
1) To find, locate the shift cable, if not sure have someone shift the trans in & out of gear while you stare at the back of the engine. The shift cable is the one moving a short metal arm. now you have found it.
2) Follow the shift arm down from the cable, then with a dab of grease on your finger work it between the shift arm & trans case. I like to remove the cable from the arm & work the shift arm back & forth while pressing grease in there.
3) What you are doing is lubricating the detent ball/spring which normally gets no lube from anything else, if left for years it will begin to bind and cause hard shifting. ;)
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What is required as far a equipment for a shaft alilgnment?
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patience, feeler gage, band-aids, 9/16 wrenchs, beer, WD-40, beer, big wrenches for motor mounts, more patience, big pry-bar. If needed I can write a narrative again on how this is done.
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patience, feeler gage, band-aids, 9/16 wrenchs, beer, WD-40, beer, big wrenches for motor mounts, more patience, big pry-bar. If needed I can write a narrative again on how this is done.
haha, now that's my kind of project! I actually wouldn't mind a write up Ron, if you find some spare time, I think poor shaft alignment may be the reason my output shaft seal failed so early (500hrs).
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Did you write it up on the other site? I can find it and copy and paste for you if you did. Also Ron, I need a shirt size and a mailing address for you.
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Ron, Your assuming A LOT!!! LOL!!! I wouldnt know where to begin to align the shaft and I'm doubtful any of the marine sales & service shops around here could do it either (I'm stuck in Columbus Ohio)... Most have never even seen an inboard and are spending thier time screwing up (oops I meant tuning up) I/O's, jet boats, lawnmowers, and the like.
Anybody know of a good marine mechanic in the Columbus, OH, area??? If not, please post your instructions on how to properly align the shaft - who knows one day I might have to do it :)
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Short reply on the idea of a shaft alignment. I will look and see if I have a detailed book somewhere also. The idea is to have the flat face of the output shaft on the transmission square to the flat face on the coupling on the propshaft. This is done by disconnecting the two and inserting the same thickness feeler guage on opposite side of the coupling. If one side or top and bottom is tight and the other is loose, the motor mounts need to be loosened and adjusted accordingly so the feeler guages fit snug with the same gap all the way around the coupling. A few problems with this are 1. the strut bearing and shaft packing need to be in good shape, or this will cause vibration and bad readings 2. the shaft must be straight and not bent, as this will cause a good reading in one spot and rotate it and it will be bad 3. this procedure should be done floating in the water, as some trailers do not support the boat as well and will "bow" the hull causing an inaccurate reading 4.-1000 many times this has not been done in a long time and all the parts that need to be moved will be stuck or stick when trying to make the adjustments (hence the beer, patience, prybars, busted knuckles, lost tools (accidentally or intentionally thrown) There has got to be a dealer nearby that can do this procedure properly, but if you are mechanically inclined it is something you can easily do. It is very similar to loading a boat on a trailer in a current, lots of patience and practice!
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you notice band -aids are the 3rd item on the list ......... Ron knows I bleed on almost every job I do......... Hence the sign in my shop "The Busted Knuckle Garage"
no dings in the prop, shaft alignment, strut bearing still in service life all contribute to smooth operation
the attachment includes basic understanding and a diagram, it also states using a .020" and .023 feeler gauge which a re generally easier to handle
than the one you really should be using .003 or .002, it really boils down to basic geometry. a buddy to help is nice too
Dan T