Torque Shift Prop

[morey1]

Hi Bondo & Co.<br />These forums are great...thanks for all of the insight. I have a torque shift prop, and am looking for some advice. I love the setup, but am having the following problems...<br /><br />The prop seems to BIND at the high setting...and will only shift back to "base" setting if I manually grab 2 prop fins and force it back down. Reverse does not work. Also, when I start from standing start...engine winds up and when I trim up it seems to clunk a bit right into the highest pitch, and then upon slowing back down the engine is sluggish because the prop remains there. The binding is worst when on vacation on a large but sandy lake. I usually have to take it apart and clean it at least once in the week on vacation.<br /><br />This is about my third season with the prop, and it started acting up like this last season.<br /><br />Thoughts? Bondo, you mention in many posts lubing it once/year, though the manuals don't recommend it. I don't want to attact MORE sand by adding grease to the unit. However, my prop seems to be crying out for some lubrication in my opinion. What do you lube with? What thoughts do you have overall?

 

[Doug Durako]

Re: Torque Shift Prop

I am sure Bondo will be along with advice, but it sounds like your springs might be shot. Are they easy to get on and off? They should be a real bear to remove if they have life left in them. Maybe a stronger set of springs are called for?<br /><br />Also, are your cams showing visible wear?

 

[morey1]

Re: Torque Shift Prop

Thanks for the fast reply. Yep, I 've gotten pretty good at tearing her apart and putting back together. Springs are a bear...it's not for lack of tension that it won't spring back into "neutral". It's binding up for some reason. I"ve replaced cams and springs and the new cams didn't look much different than the old ones I replaced.

 

[WSUDERMAN]

Re: Torque Shift Prop

one other thing to check would be the bushings inside the housing that the prop shafts ride on. these have some kind of coating or lining, maybe yours are warn out or scratched?

 

[AdamB]

Re: Torque Shift Prop

All the above have good answers, plus check that you didn't cut into the diffuser ring (plastic ring) (while adjustijng the limit screws) which would cause it to bind on the hub. I take mine off and sand it with very smooth paper like 1200 or 1500 or 2000 to make sure it stays very smooth. When it is apart, and no blades are in, my diffuser ring with spin very easily on the hub.<br /><br />Basically, when I take mine apart and don't have the springs in it'll shift very smoothly.<br /><br />I also have to take mine apart after each time running in salt water with sand. Also, I noticed that my cams appear to rust too, which they shouldn't do if they were meant to run in ocean water. I think in the future when in the ocean I'll just run a normal prop.

 

[morey1]

Re: Torque Shift Prop

These are also good ideas. I checked the inside of the cam shaft housing and that looked good. I did also sanded the diffuser ring and hub as per Adam's suggestion. It seems smooth, but I'd like to put some lube on there. Anyone else lubricate theirs in any way like bondo? If so, what do you use?<br /><br />Adam, my diffuser ring does move better now without springs, so that may have done it, but I'd still like to lube it.<br />Thanks...

 

[AdamB]

Re: Torque Shift Prop

If it's a new prop, the parts have to wear in properly or it'll be stiff. I wouldn't lube mine personally. <br /><br />I had a problem with mine getting stiff, and when I took it apart there was gunk on the cams etc. Seems to have come from the grease I put on the prop shaft. I have been putting a lot less on the shaft even.<br /><br />The water is the lube that helps it shift when wet. I believe (my own opinion) is that those bearings work better when wet. Did you try taking a hose to it to see if that helps?

 

[jlshields]

Re: Torque Shift Prop

One thing I learned when I had my TorqueShift. 'You ain't gonna git no help from the manufacturer!'