Alpha 1 Lower Unit Busted, Need Advice

[philliamp]

Today I hit something with my lower unit. I was going about 30 mph in 12 foot of water when the engine started racing. I cut the power and then started again. When I put it in gear I went nowhere.

After jumping in to check the damage, it seems I hit something hard. (this was the middle of a river). My propeller blades are gone and there's a big hole in the front of the lower unit.

My question is this.... what am I looking at in possible repairs? What else could possibly be damaged? When it hit, we didn't feel it but whatever it hit was hard. Am I safe in just getting a new lower unit and propeller? What else needs checked?

Just curious before I tow it to a repair place.

Thanks!

 

[achris]

Re: Alpha 1 Lower Unit Busted, Need Advice

If there is a hole in the front of the lower unit then the top unit will also need to be stripped and cleaned. The oil galleries are connected... water in one means water in the other.... If the casing is damaged beyond repair you may be better off with a new lower unit, complete. I think someone on this forum said that a company call SEI does a lower for about $650... I also think you can buy them from iBoats....

Chris.........

 

[wca_tim]

Re: Alpha 1 Lower Unit Busted, Need Advice

I have one... the lower is a little more than that, but it's holding up really well and shifts smoother than the original... Judging by the description of how bad you thrashed yours, it will probably be a lot cheaper as well as easier to just got that way...

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Alpha 1 Lower Unit Busted, Need Advice

You need to replace your lower unit at a minimum, and should have your upper rebuilt. So before you do all that, you go to the store here on iboats and buy a complete SEI Alpha 1 Gen 2 drive for $1395. Bolt it up and go boating!

 

[betayv]

Re: Alpha 1 Lower Unit Busted, Need Advice

hi there that happen to me too before you replace the lower you will have to inspect the upper to be sure is ok, SE have the lower unit for about 695$ and a complete unit for 1295$ I bought the whole unit because was better spend 1295$ and have everything new back there. By the way check ebay too.

 

[Don S]

Re: Alpha 1 Lower Unit Busted, Need Advice

Carefully inspect the gimbal ring, gimbal housing and bellhousing (Actually the complete transom assembly) for cracks/breaks or damage.
When they get hit that hard, it usually does more damage than just the lower and prop.
PS: Contact your insurance company, that sort of damage may be covered depending on your policy.

 

[philliamp]

Re: Alpha 1 Lower Unit Busted, Need Advice

Thanks for the advice everyone.

I've been looking at the SEI replacements and reading my SELOC manual to see how hard it would be to replace. I'm also going to replace the exhaust bellows since it has been broken in two for most of the summer.

 

[novicetech]

Re: Alpha 1 Lower Unit Busted, Need Advice

I did the same thing earlier this year, I also broke the gimble housing and ring as well. I picked up a whole transom assembly complete with lower and upper
and lower units off of craigs list for $700.00. By the time I bought all new bellows, shift cable, and various other seals and components, I had well over $1000.00 in parts alone.

With about 12 hours labor, I had it ready for the water again. If you only damaged the lower and upper, it is an easy job. If you are going to replace the bellows, it becomes a little harder and you should replace them all and check the the shift cable as well.

If the motor rpm's went up you may have damaged the engine coupler as well and that means the engine has to come out to replace it.

 

[novicetech]

Re: Alpha 1 Lower Unit Busted, Need Advice

And yes mine was covered by insurance.