Bad News For My Johnson (update)

[WaterWitch2]

I've been trying to hit the water for the last two weekends and something kept coming up to put it off. It was finally going to happen this Saturday except for one big problem. I happened to turn the prop today (don't know why I did) and discovered my prop shaft is noticably bent. Time to look on ebay since new price is $425. I found a few but they have the same part number with versions A, B and C so I get to tear it down this weekend and see what I have.

 

[57whitehouse]

Re: Bad News For My Johnson

Re: Bad News For My Johnson

Interesting "header", oh, i mean title.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Bad News For My Johnson

Re: Bad News For My Johnson

A bent Johnson is never good...

Sorry could not resist!

That does suck though.Always something with a boat!

 

[Dhadley]

Re: Bad News For My Johnson

Re: Bad News For My Johnson

We'll assume we're "looking" at the 78 140.

Is the shaft bent or is the prop wobbling? If the shaft is bent but the prop isn't scraping on the forward end it'll probably be OK. By the book it should not be bent. In the real world, lots are bent slightly. If it's bent bad enough that the front of the prop scrapes in the gear housing then it needs attention.

It probably won't need replacing - just get it straightened. Some dealers have the tool to do it without taking the unit apart.

 

[57whitehouse]

Re: Bad News For My Johnson

Re: Bad News For My Johnson

Is that an outboard urologist shop?

 

[WaterWitch2]

Re: Bad News For My Johnson

Re: Bad News For My Johnson

It is my '78 140. Unfortunately it's the shaft that's bent. The prop isn't rubbing on the case. I put my dial indicator on and rotated the shaft and measured about .070" total movement at the tip so the shaft is off by about .035". How would a dealer straighten it in place? A large pipe like device?

 

[F_R]

Re: Bad News For My Johnson

Re: Bad News For My Johnson

Not sure about that particular model, but some of the larger Johnsons have a two-piece shaft butt-welded together. You would never know it to look at it, but the outside end is made of different material than the end that's inside the case. You generally know it when it breaks at the weld and the prop winds up in 50 feet of water.

Yours may be about to break, or will break if you try to bend it back.

 

[WaterWitch2]

Re: Bad News For My Johnson

Re: Bad News For My Johnson

I had way too much fun today removing the two large snap rings. I wish I had the correct snap ring pliers. I wound up modifying/welding an old pair of snap ring pliers instead. Tomorrow I get to go by a thin 7/8 inch? thin wrench to finish disassembly.

 

[cougar1985]

Re: Bad News For My Johnson

Re: Bad News For My Johnson

had a 60 mariner and i took the shaft to a local machine shop and shaft was straightned in no time and that was 3 years ago now.

 

[WaterWitch2]

Re: Bad News For My Johnson

Re: Bad News For My Johnson

I just bought a used shaft on ebay today. Not too painfull. $140 with shipping. Better than $425 new. I even bought the snap ring pliers on ebay so I dont have to use my questionable home-made/modified pair to reassemble it and to save my knuckles.

 

[WaterWitch2]

Re: Bad News For My Johnson

Re: Bad News For My Johnson

I got my snap ring pliers and can't wait to try them tomorrow.

 

[WaterWitch2]

Re: Bad News For My Johnson (update)

My Johnson is straight and happy now. The correct snap ring pliers got the snap rings installed in a matter of seconds.

 

[samo_ott]

Re: Bad News For My Johnson (update)

Did uou get the old prop shaft out? Did it look really bad?

 

[WaterWitch2]

Re: Bad News For My Johnson (update)

I got the leg all back together and I'm going to bolt it back on later today. The old shaft was bent and had very minor wear where the seals ride. The used shaft I bought is straight and has zero wear where the seals ride.