Need advice to see if prop shaft is bent. Mercury 650

[CharlieB]

Re: Need advice to see if prop shaft is bent. Mercury 650

A prop is much like any other tool, you get what you pay for.

Alum is cheap material and very cost effective IF you keep it out of contact with anything other than the water that it is meant to run in.

SS has performance advantages, slicker, doesn't deflect as much under load, pretty, more durable if contacting submerged objects, repairable, but at a much higher price than alum.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Need advice to see if prop shaft is bent. Mercury 650

A prop is much like any other tool, you get what you pay for.

Alum is cheap material and very cost effective IF you keep it out of contact with anything other than the water that it is meant to run in.

SS has performance advantages, slicker, doesn't deflect as much under load, pretty, more durable if contacting submerged objects, repairable, but at a much higher price than alum.

Charlie my man. I suggested that as my preference and he lowballed it. We gotta fix him up with an inexpensive solution.

Mark

 

[sutor623]

Re: Need advice to see if prop shaft is bent. Mercury 650

Charlie my man. I suggested that as my preference and he lowballed it. We gotta fix him up with an inexpensive solution.

Mark

Yeah trust me I used to just buy what I want, but now I kind of level things out a bit more. I have tons of time into this boat and motor as of right now.

So check it out Tex, here is what I discovered today. Did the coat hanger trick and was dis-heartened. I found a slight bend in the shaft. I marked the spot where is BARELY touched the hanger, and spun the shaft around halfway. I put a feeler gauge in between the two, and I am pretty sure that I am about .005 to .007 out. That is the best I could narrow it down without the preferred gear. Here is my plan and tell me if you think it is a good one.

The motor runs fine, and has a slight vibration at lower RPMS. Nothing to call dad about. I have 2 spare lower units that are the proper gear ratio. One has a split casing, the other has improperly worn driveshaft splines. I can definately make one good unit out of the two. (I will be sure to have the prop shafts both checked, and make sure they are in spec) It will cost me probably around $100-$200 and a few weekends time, maybe some cussing, but I will rebuild the unit. Once I do that I will buy the proper prop for my engine, and go from there. I do however, have a working boat in the mean-time and plan to put her on the water another 5-6 times before this lower unit job.

Option 2, ride it out and act like Im in spec. Seems like tons of guys on here are doing it. I mean the motor is 45 years old, and I have around $1200 in the boat and motor, so its not like it is a new 150hp Evinrude E-Tec. What you think bro?

 

[Mi duckdown]

Re: Need advice to see if prop shaft is bent. Mercury 650

Option 2. As long as your lowerend fluid is not milky go for it.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Need advice to see if prop shaft is bent. Mercury 650

Yeah trust me I used to just buy what I want, but now I kind of level things out a bit more. I have tons of time into this boat and motor as of right now.

So check it out Tex, here is what I discovered today. Did the coat hanger trick and was dis-heartened. I found a slight bend in the shaft. I marked the spot where is BARELY touched the hanger, and spun the shaft around halfway. I put a feeler gauge in between the two, and I am pretty sure that I am about .005 to .007 out. That is the best I could narrow it down without the preferred gear. Here is my plan and tell me if you think it is a good one.

The motor runs fine, and has a slight vibration at lower RPMS. Nothing to call dad about. I have 2 spare lower units that are the proper gear ratio. One has a split casing, the other has improperly worn driveshaft splines. I can definately make one good unit out of the two. (I will be sure to have the prop shafts both checked, and make sure they are in spec) It will cost me probably around $100-$200 and a few weekends time, maybe some cussing, but I will rebuild the unit. Once I do that I will buy the proper prop for my engine, and go from there. I do however, have a working boat in the mean-time and plan to put her on the water another 5-6 times before this lower unit job.

Option 2, ride it out and act like Im in spec. Seems like tons of guys on here are doing it. I mean the motor is 45 years old, and I have around $1200 in the boat and motor, so its not like it is a new 150hp Evinrude E-Tec. What you think bro?

.005 on the end of a shaft that's 5" long. Heck that's a sheet of paper thickness. You could have made that much of an error in your measurement. Everything has tolerances, nothing is perfect. Sounds to me like it could be the mfgr. tolerance when the shaft was machined. Put your new Alum prop on there, after you measure your rpm's and go!!!!

Mark

 

[CharlieB]

Re: Need advice to see if prop shaft is bent. Mercury 650

Ditto, run it

 

[sutor623]

Re: Need advice to see if prop shaft is bent. Mercury 650

Thanks guys!! That is great news!!

 

[AlKay]

Re: Need advice to see if prop shaft is bent. Mercury 650

Hi Everyone,

Had similar issues at one time and found the rubber bush in the prop was cracked with age. They managed to replace,re balance and center the prop at a fraction of the price as there were no damaged areas on the prop itself. If I recall it was about $35-40

Regards
Alan

 

[sutor623]

Re: Need advice to see if prop shaft is bent. Mercury 650

Yeah my prop is shot. I am in the market for a new one. Man Im going to be mad the first time I hit something with my brand new prop. I think a power tilt and trim system is close in my future.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Need advice to see if prop shaft is bent. Mercury 650

I think a power tilt and trim system is close in my future.

Some of the finest money you will ever spend.

Mark

 

[sutor623]

Re: Need advice to see if prop shaft is bent. Mercury 650

Some of the finest money you will ever spend.

Mark

Agreed Mark. This is my first season running the motor, so I just want to make sure it is going to be a reliable motor before going all out on it. It has been so far! Luckily it is only a 65hp and can still really move the boat with 4 pretty big guys on it. When I switch over to a Power T&T will I need to change the mounting bracket as well? I figured that the whole motor will need to come off and back on again.