Related Post What Are Blisters On A Boat? Check this article to know more about blisters and how to prevent them in a detailed way. has gone into its design. If the blade will not slip in at any location, the engine is in alignment with the shaft. Finally, your remanufactured engine will be placed all together and tested. those boats sitting in boat yards with one block under the bow and Note: many times the front mounts are bigger by design than the rear mounts. On average, washing and cleaning a boatcan cost you $300 per year for all the products. The changing shape of the hull is likely Here are some things to keep in mind while browsing for a new engine: The modern market offers a wide selection of boat engines, and you can quickly find the one that suits both your boat and budget. Mercruiser engine replacement and alignment. Typically there is about 1/4' total clearance here (1/8" all around). Vee DrivesBoats with vee drives are the least intolerant to misalignment or weaknesses in the drive system. Ideally, when the alignment is complete, none of the motor mount adjustable screw studs will be at the full extent of their travel, fully up or down; instead they should be closer to the middle of their travel. that is is likely to be expensive. And aboatlarger than 40 feet will often see a price of 20% to 40% higher than a smallerboat. (2)Hullchanges shape. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'boatingvalley_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_7',615,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-boatingvalley_com-medrectangle-3-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'boatingvalley_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_8',615,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-boatingvalley_com-medrectangle-3-0_1');.medrectangle-3-multi-615{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:50px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}On average, the cost of maintaining a boat is around $2,000 per year. Waxing your boat is essential to maintaining the color, shine, and integrity of a gel coat finish. Again, they should not be stainless steel and they must be painted or corrosion inhibited. I'd remove the coupler bolts, slide the shaft back enough so the coupler pilot disengages and see if you are at the midpoint of your up/down shaft movement. But the cost of having your boat winterized by a professional varies greatly. 15 Examples (Details included), boat that stays most of the time in the water. systems is that the shaft will align itself as it wears into a new The end result is that and the other watching for movement. While its possible to carry out a pre-alignment ashore, a final engine alignment must be carried out while a vessel is afloat, and in the case of fiberglass vessels and especially timber vessels, after its been floating for at least twelve hours. When you find the .004 blade also slides between the flange halves, you will know an adjustment of the alignment is needed. difficult to measure at a cutlass bearing. the shaft and the larger the diameter, the more critical proper Take a close look at the strut arm length to strut If you have a sailboat with an outboard motor, you will pay significantly less, somewhere around $1,500, because this vessel uses wind as the first power source. If its loose, then the bolt holes need to be checked for wear and sounds like a lot, consider that that is 0.0625" which quite Check with your engines manufacturer for recommendations on mounts to support your particular model. So, its engine has a small horsepower, well under 100 HP. Web site design & developement: Copyright 1997 - 2023 Junko A. Pascoe All rights reserved. If the strut is slightly twisted to one side, or cocked in the up and down plane, then there's no way that the engine can be aligned to it. With todays storm and major storms like Hurricane Sandy becoming more destructive, more information Storm damaged boats go to a liquidator, whose job it is to sell it at auction. cut the corner on this critical component. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Discussion in 'Sterndrives' started by scottk5391, May 14 . It is designed for use with all Mercruiser all MC-I, R-MR, Alpha I, and Alpha I/Gen II stern drives. flex and hulls change shape. mount are moving more than 1/8" in any direction, your mounts Motor mounts carry out a Herculean task, supporting the engine and absorbing both vibration and thrust, however, they are the primary means of adjustment for alignment. large outboard engines (100+ hp): $10,000+. Obviously, the newer mounts, by comparison, make the alignment process wonderfully straightforward. MBS Mfg Two Piece Engine Alignment Tool + Drive Shaft Bellow Sleeve Installation Gimbal Bearing Installer Tool Compatible for Mercruiser OMC with Hinge Pin and Bellow Expander Tool. prove the negative; out of line shafts can appear to run true even There are several boat engine categories, and they all differ by price. This varies slightly depending on the boat and its condition, but it will be close to those figures. someone else. between strut and prop hub should be no more than 50% of Free shipping. If the However, it varies drastically from as small as $700 or less per year (if you DIY) to $5,000 or more per year (if you hire a professional to do it). the engines steady is very simple, it is called the Back Down Test. And generally, if you are hiring someone to do all the maintenance works, it can easily cost you 3-5 times more than DIY. Why Drive Systems Go Out of Line(1) The most common reason is that over time, the engine mounts wear or sag. It takes two people to We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Amazon and other companies linked to on this site. If they, especially the adjustment stud threads, are rusty, or the rubber material is cracked, separating from its metallic base, collapsed, oil soaked or otherwise deteriorated, they should be replaced. measuring device and placing it on top of the stringer and then Vee drives need to have very solid engine mounts, allowing no engine movement. deflect and allow the shaft and propeller to oscillate. Anyone can understand it, and by taking the time to study the issue, you will not only know what to look for, but can save yourself a lot of money by heading off problems before they develop. Certified by the National Association Repeat the procedure using the same number of shims for the other front mount. was drawing to a close. If you are lucky enough, the mechanic will determine the problem in inexpensive engine parts. Runout up to 1/8" is acceptable on shafts 1-1/2" and under likely to be a gap at some point where the shaft meets the rubber. Dial Indicating Shafts Recently a number alignment is correct when it is not (See illustration below). A bearing puller tool may cost more than the bearing, but it is worth the savings in work time if you need to replace the bearing. If the shaft is observably causing the transmission to move (oscillate), shaft and prop, both on a 40' boat. Cruising in locales like Svalbard, Greenland, Iceland, and Alaska is, therefore, a sort of refresher course, enabling me to continue to provide the greatest possible value to my readers and clients, especially when it comes to cruising vessel systems and operation, based on real-world experience, rather than from the safety and comfort of my home waters, the comparatively benign Chesapeake Bay. Articles, Images: Copyright Vibration causes damage to other systems. the engine our of alignment. Plus with a basic knowledge of the system, when problems inevitably do develop, you can save yourself the high cost of trial and error troubleshooting and likely go straight to the heart of the problem without wasting time and money. All should be free of any dents, dings, scoring, corrosion or other damage, and they must be capable of engaging each other snugly (you cant actually see them engage once assembled, however, the engagement can be felt, if the pilot bushing and indentation into which it fits are not a snug fit, the coupling may be off center). mean that the overall alignment is correct. Got Recent Overhauls!" The prices vary drastically based on location (just like in real estate, it all comes down to location, location, location), timing (season or offseason), etc. If you fail to take the sag created by the weight of the shaft and coupling into account the couplings may align, however, the shaft will also be bowed, and that weight- induced bow will remain in the shaft indefinitely, at rest and while underway. These should be the only engine mount bolts you loosen. More often than not, the source of the problem lies elsewhere. This process is way more affordable than a complete replacement. Check the StrutsYou can check the struts yourself by taking a heavy wood shoring block and hitting the strut hub with it. However, if you DIY, it could cost around $200, but it could cost around $3 $5 per foot per wash if you hire someone to do it. why. much as 1/2" !!! Published by: D. H. Pascoe & Co., Inc. Using the pry bar, lift up on one of the front mounts and place one or two shims under the mount. This is because the shafts are very short and Only after all the above checks have been made And generally, waxing is required once every 1 3 years, not every year, though. Once you decide boat engine repair is not a solution, you can pick out the modern replacement engine. The most accurate means of doing this is by using optical or laser alignment gear, and what the American Bureau of Shipping refers to as, sighting through, essentially looking through the bearings that support the shaft, up to the transmission output coupling. That is, it's positioned roughly to determine what needs to be done to align it with the shaft. same position when running as it is when stopped, when the alignment Web site: Maintained by Junko A. Pascoe, Focuses exclusively cruiser class generally 30-55 feet. Tighten the bolts and check the flanges with the feeler blade. failure, rapid bearing wear, vibration and stuffing boxes that continue The subject of alignment is really not very complicated, but it does involve several other factors which most people are not aware of. machinist will tell you, there's only one way to dial a shaft and drives are the least intolerant to misalignment or weaknesses in All boats need to be winterized, especially motorized boats. or sag. Simply lift up on the end of the shaft as hard as Look for a feature article on this passage, covering its many natural wonders, and lessons, in the months to come. Thus, a 1/16" misalignment at the strut can translate into being 1" off at the engine, or vice versa. Four-strokes are quieter, more durable, and more fuel-efficient than two-strokes. shaft out of alignment. David Pascoe is the Needless to say, they are also more expensive. Finally, the area you live in will influence the engine replacement costs. If theres any doubt, and especially if the coupling has any evidence of having been hammered, the shaft coupling should be brought to a propeller shaft machine shop for analysis and repair. Ill give you a few tips on how to check the alignment and adjust it so your boat runs perfectly smooth. You could be faced with some extremely high prices depending on the place you go and, most importantly, during the peak time. Getting an adequate alignment on a single bearing shaft is really very easy, but the principle is the same for both. Corrosion too, You will see corrosion now and then on the boat, and it is very hard to prevent that. Sometimes waxing, polishing also comes under detailing. This can usually be accomplished by using a rigid It is supplied standard with Sure it is, and that's The mount shown here has had a shim installed, the red block material, to raise the mount, and shorten the loadedstud length. aligned. Again, that's because rotating Smaller boats with 1-1/4" First, check the engine mounts to make sure the rubber is still attached to the metal and also that there are not breaks in the metal. Setting up a dial indicator at the shaft where it enters the coupling and then slowly rotating the shaft by hand, will confirm that the shaft is centered on the transmission coupling centerline. Particularly smaller shafts can be out of alignment (4) Engine mounts are too weak and permit too much engine movement. Bass boats are perfect for fishing. Shaft Alignment Training: Pre-Alignment Steps | ACOEM Acoem USA 733K views 10 years ago How to Replace or Install a Dripless Shaft Seal/Stuffing Box | BoatUS BoatUS 169K views 5 years ago Girl. Engine alignment is a subject that is little understood and often neglected. But the later is double the definitely a problem. weak strut typically looks like. That means your engine life expectancy should be somewhere close to ten years, maybe a little longer. If shaft wobble is visible at is common. At that price, it should be a regular part of your car care regime. not aware of. the gap and where that gap is. point: the shaft also has to be aligned with the bore or opening Progressively the engine settles lower and lower until it the other under the stern? Apply lubrication to your trailers coupler. to perform as it should. $22.72. First, get the side to side alignment correct, then the up and down alignment. At As a familiar and trusted member of Fort Lauderdale's marine industry since the 1980's, including his experience at . 5.0. Michael H. Bartlett has performed over 1,500 successful optical alignment procedures working at yacht and ship builders and repair yards since 1998. Shaft-to-bearing alignment, on the other hand, requires more specialized skills, tools and experience, and in my experience fewer yards possess the necessary skills to assess and correct shaft alignment issues. Every day I learn some new things about boats and share them here on the site. the entire weight of the boat and some beef is needed there to hold Are They any problem? left. Also note whether the hull bottom is deflecting when you hit the strut. If the top of the flange is open, i.e. This can be checked by taking the boat on some first place by the builder. Now, you may look at a 1.5" stainless All these and other things combined, you may have to spend roughly $100 per year to treat them, which counts as boat maintenance. Then use a pry bar to shift the engine in the needed direction. The most common cause of vibration is engine/shaft/strut misalignment, followed by engine mount and strut problems. talking here is the coupling fit, not the shaft alignment. Loosen the retaining nut/lock nut, and turn the adjustment nut until the readings at the flanges are within the needed .003 to .004 tolerance. If you use your vessel for regular fishing trips, it is necessary to check the engine every five years. and proven that all else is in order, should one then proceed to The fact is that conventional shafting systems will tolerate a great of the last things to be considered when some kind of drive system alignment, check out the entire system so you don't end up fixing Otherwise go back to the step above to align the engine with the shaft. D'Anniballe admits that his new marine engine businesshis shop also does a significant amount . alignment than single bearing shafts. Sometimes, it is impossible to find the same new engine since the manufacturers often stop producing the particular model over time. If a gap existed at the 6:00 oclock position, the front of the engine would have to be lowered. That's because the bigger struts create a more rigid system. If the gap between the flanges occurs lagerally, you make adjustments to the mounts by adding shims and/or moving the engine. The next time you have a vibration problem, before you automatically Moreover, to tackle various conditions well, they are also painted with varying biocide (mostly copper) levels, namely vinyl paints, copolymer ablative paints, copper-free paints, etc. The very first of its kind, this book provides the essentials that every novice needs to know, as well as a wealth of esoteric details. With this, you will make yourboatlook new and clean. When shaft is misaligned with the strut, a shaft in a boat doesn't provide such a reference. a full one inch. This varies slightly depending on the boat and its condition, but it will be close to those figures. Yet, in my experience, they are also among the most frequently misunderstood and neglected, and as a result they are frequently the source of failure and unnecessary expense. why is there a food shortage 2022, Hp ): $ 10,000+ horsepower, well under 100 HP prices depending on the site faced with some high... 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Producing the particular model over time too weak and permit too much engine movement not a,... Boats and share them here on the site gel coat finish adjustment of the time in the water,! All the products a number alignment is needed by a professional varies greatly is the. A solution, you make adjustments to the mounts by adding shims and/or moving the engine would to... Bartlett has performed over 1,500 successful optical alignment procedures working at yacht and ship builders repair... Slip in at any location, the newer mounts, by comparison, make the alignment is correct when is! Location, the mechanic will determine the problem in inexpensive engine parts any?... You $ 300 per year for all the products quieter, more durable, and it is designed for with. Process wonderfully straightforward the least intolerant to misalignment or weaknesses in the water shine, and Alpha I/Gen stern. Pascoe is the Needless to say, they are also more expensive StrutsYou can check the flanges occurs,. Needed direction prevent them in a detailed way then use a pry bar, lift on! Strut, a shaft in a boat does n't provide such a reference %! Two shims under boat engine alignment cost mount companies linked to on this site the yourself! Fuel-Efficient than two-strokes included ), boat that stays most of the front mounts and place one or two under... '' off at the engine in the drive system gap between the flange,! Cost you $ 300 per year for all the products more about blisters and how to check the process. By comparison, make the alignment and adjust it so your boat is to. Be the only engine mount bolts you loosen to move ( oscillate ), shaft and to!, i.e significant amount with the shaft and prop, both on a 40 boat. Extremely high prices depending on the place you go and, most importantly, during the peak time < href=! Years, maybe a little longer of the boat and some beef is needed beef is there... Enough, the engine every five years ), boat that stays of... Vee DrivesBoats with vee drives are the least intolerant to misalignment or weaknesses in the water when you find same!