Busted Off My Skeg

[irishtex]

I broke off and lost my skeg on my Force 70 O/B. Of course the Manf. says I have to buy a lower unit to fix it at the toon of $1200. I have seen the new replacement Skegs mad of Stainless Steel but I am not sure it will work because my old skeg was busted pretty close to the case. Does anyone have advice as to how I can get this repaired without practically buying a new motor? Thanks!

 

[pgattuso]

Re: Busted Off My Skeg

I was able to heliarc mine back on, tongston element. I ground off some of the alu housing to allow to form a v for the alu rod to fill into. Find a good welding shop familiar with cast aluminum. If it looks suspect after the repair bolt on a skeggard avail at most online marine stores

 

[JB]

Re: Busted Off My Skeg

Yo, Irishtex. A Skegguard only needs about 1" of skeg to bolt to. $100 and about half an hour.<br /><br />Good luck.<br />JB

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Busted Off My Skeg

I purchased an older (1978) Johnson and it also had a broken skeg. I looked at the Skeg gaurd and looked at the price. I took a piece of cardboard and make a cardboard model of the skeg. Went to a local sheet metal manufacturer and had a skeg made from a sheet of 14 guage (almost 1/8" thick) stainless steel. It is bent in half with the closed end facing the front of the motor. A trip to the hardware store and attached it with stainless steel bolts. The toughest part of the job was drilling the stainless steel - I used a cobalt bit. My total cost $22.00 including the bolts. Good luck.

 

[mbb]

Re: Busted Off My Skeg

A replacement aluminum skeg is $15-20. The welding is easy takes 5 min., work is in the grinding to prepare to weld. Me, I used my mig welder to repair mine (made about 3-4" of missing skeg) when I bought old merc 90. took about 30 passes and a lot of grinding, and a little touch of bondo, but looks perfect. Also had to re-make lower unit where prop fits in, had broken out a large chunk allowing exhaust gas to make prop cavitate by 200 rpm.

 

[JB]

Re: Busted Off My Skeg

Hi, Bob. Very creative. I'll bet you would be a great wrench, if you aren't one already.<br /><br />Smooth waters.<br />JB

 

[kevlar3000]

Re: Busted Off My Skeg

oh ya, well I made one out of a piece of twine and some chewing gum.

 

[walkingfish]

Re: Busted Off My Skeg

Hi Irishtex,<br />Ive had a similar problem, in that my skeg broke off REAL close to the housing, (there was no skeg left!).<br />I was told to remove the gearbox from the housing to make sure that heat would not effect the seals inside or boil the oil.<br /><br />I had this done for me and a new skeg cut out and welded on, then the gearbox reinstalled, and i couldn't be happier with the result, unless of course the skeg hadnt broken at all.<br /><br />My local enginering firm charged bugger all to make and attach the skeg (aluminium) it would work out to about 30 american.<br /><br />Can you weld stainless to aluminium?<br /><br />Good look and happy, safe and dry boating to you!!<br />W'fish