Merc 150 hrs Broken Skeg

[mspring]

Yesterday I looked at a bayliner a guy is selling for $500. It has a Merc 150 hrs Force 1 on it. Dont know the year yet. The problem is the skeg is broken off

I know skegs can be welded on but can it be done without taken the gears and seals out of the unit? I have never worked inside the lower unit and really dont want to. Also what would be good to cut the new skeg out of?

 

[JB]

Re: Merc 150 hrs Broken Skeg

Force is Force, mspring. Not Merc.

I will move this to the Force Forum for you.

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: Merc 150 hrs Broken Skeg

I took a L/U to my local prop shop and they replaced one for me. Looked great when they were done. Or if you have a couple of inches to work with you can use one of these http://www.iboats.com/Skeggard_Repa...84038032--list_time.1202056859--view_id.39561

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Merc 150 hrs Broken Skeg

A new skeg costs about 40 bucks and the welding costs about 100. If you have access to a good sized piece of 1/4 inch hard aluminum, you can make your own skeg and it will be way stronger than the original.

You need to drain the lower unit oil before welding because: Heat of welding will expand it and force it through the seals. This will create a fire hazard and also possibly destroy the seals.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Merc 150 hrs Broken Skeg

Model and serial number would help to id the motor.

Never seen one labeled "Force 1".

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Merc 150 hrs Broken Skeg

By the way: you can run it just fine, thank you, without the skeg. The skeg will help a little with steering but there, the angle of the prop really does most of the work.
And, while the skeg will also help some in deflecting debris away from the prop, if you hit anything sizeable, the prop is going to be damaged anyway.
So unless the gearcase is cracked and leaking , it's really your choice whether or not you replace the skeg.

I ran a 90 quite happily for 2 seasons without a skeg. I later sold that lower unit to another fellow who needed a gearcase and it was the only one I had to mate with his engine. I gave him a real good price though because it did not have the skeg. As far as I know, he's still running it that way.

I mainly replace skegs because it bothers me aesthetically to not have something that was there originally. --just looks better and "right" to have one.

 

[mspring]

Re: Merc 150 hrs Broken Skeg

Thanks for the replies guys. I have never seen a Force engine before. The owner told me it was a Mercury. Maybe it did not say Force 1 on it just Force.Are these good motors? I had only looked at it once briefly Saturday but yesterday I looked at it better. Turns out it has a new starter, new built in fuel tank, and a humminbird fish-finder. The guy said he would even throw in an old lower unit he has so I could cut the skeg off that one.

I may check on the price of a unit housing instead of spending the money on welding. How hard is it to take the gears and seals out?

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Merc 150 hrs Broken Skeg

It's not too difficult to change out gears in the lower unit--mostly hand tools, BUT you will need to buy or make a few special tools. And you definitely need a Clymers Manual. A picture is worth a thousand words.
And it is important to be certain that the shimming is still proper in the "new" gearcase. SO, if you do not have much mechanical ability or have never done anything similar before, I would recommend cutting the good skeg and re welding.

Force engines trace their lineage from West bend, through Chrysler, through AMF Brunswick Force, to Mercury Force. It is now a discontinued engine brand. Are they good? Some people swear by them, some swear at them.

Me? I like 'em. Dirt simple and inexpensive. Easy and relatively cheap to repair.