Drive Shaft Removal (Direct Drive)

(kenteck) · (kenteck) **Join Date: Jan 2005** 05-25-2011, 8:59 PM

I am taking the boat in to get the shaft straighten, I was wondering if somebody knows how the shaft comes out, through the bottom? From the top? Also if it comes out the bottom, how do you take the brass collar or end piece off? I can’t see it coming out the top and if you take the collar off, when you put the shaft back in, doesn’t that collar have to be put on just right to line up correct……

(h20king) · (h20king) **Join Date: Dec 2009** 05-26-2011, 6:01 AM

The coupling inside the boat gets removed there is a nut on the inside of it that has to be removed then it slides out from below the boat,I suggest replacing the shaft if it's damage and not trying to straiten it will never be right.The coupling and the shaft have a key way so it goes back on the exact same way it came off

(cadunkle)

Before bolting the coupler to the output flange of the transmission, do an alignment. If everything is straight you should be able to get under .003" gap at all points around the coupler. I aligned mine to .0015" last time I had the shaft out, as that's the smallest feeler gauge I had.

Also, is your shaft bent from hitting something or are you suspecting it while chasing a vibe or wobble?

(kenteck) · (kenteck) **Join Date: Jan 2005** 05-26-2011, 10:08 AM

cory
I just picked this boat up last month and it vibrates around 30 - 40 mph, the guy said he had it straighten, but not sure if there was any truth in that conversation, i took the bolts out last night and there is more of a gap just on one side...

(cadunkle)

Get a set of feeler gauges and align that engine. Also try to wiggle the shaft around in the cutlass bearings if you have any movement at all the bearings are worn and need replaced. My vibration and shaft wobble was caused by excessively worn cutlass bearings. My shaft runout measured about .002". Guy at a performance boat shop that measured it for me in his lathe said it doesn't get any straighter than that. After new cutlass bearings (XPC from skidim) and aligning the engine (mine was off by .007" on the bottom and .005" on one side) it runs real smooth. I'd still measure your shaft runout, just to be sure. I don't know what the acceptable limit for shaft runout is though.