Prop shaft alignment

Ummm...is my propshaft supposed to look a little offset? I just bought a "new" 98 Tige 2200V and while looking at it today, noticed that the prop shaft appears to be push a little to the left (the passenger side) Specifically, it does not go right in the middle of the hole that is in the bottom of the boat. It is a lot closer on the left side of that hole. Almost like the prop shaft support got bent a little to the left. Is this normal or is she bent? anybody got a picture of where there prop shaft goes into the boat?

Otherwise, the boat runs great. No to minimal vibration.

Thanks

Bakes

How about a picture of what you are talking about

If the strut is bent, you have a problem. If the strut is in perfect shape, you are probably OK, but you may need an alignment.

Are you sure it's not just that the rudder is not perfectly aligned with the prop? Typically the rudder is a few inches to the side of the center of the prop.

the shaft not being lined up with the rudder is normal. the shaft not being centered in the shaft log isn't uncommon. the alignment between the strut, shaft, engine is more important than where it is in the log....unless it's rubbing a hole in the shaft log.

The rudder is definitely a couple inches to the side of the prop. I understand that is normal. Where it goes into the boat, it is almost touching the brass thingy that forms the hole. In fact, the shaft is a little "blackened" at that point. Almost like it rubbed a little of the brass away until it no longer touched (*Although I can't see any rub marks in the brass). I can convince myself that the prop support is slightly bent.

The only thing I really don't understand is why it does not vibrate. You would thing that if it had hit something and bent the support shaft it would have also bent the shaft a bit and would make the whole thing vibrate.

Assuming it is bent and bad, what future problems am I looking at running it this way?

Thanks

Bakes

Pictures??

If it's not vibrating or rubbing you aren't hurting anything running it that way.

If it's bent, the prop would wobble as it spun. It would feel like driving a car on an unbalanced wheel/tire.

Get a cell phone picture of what your talking about.

And look at the coupler where the prop shaft comes into the boat & joins to the shaft that goes into the v-drive. This is where the alignment is done.

Specificaly, the coupler would be where you would measure the alignment. The engine/tranny mounts would be where you would actualy make any adjustmemnts.

Check your alignment (unbolt and then check for difference in gap on opposite sides/up and down) and then figure what to do from there. If the alignment is on and there is no vibration then you're *probably* fine.

Here are some pics

Kinda hard to tell, but it looks like your strut is bent in the picture. It should go straight down and not curve over like that.

The prop blade is hiding it a bit, but it looks bent to me in that last pic.

(Message edited by rio_sanger on May 05, 2009)

^^Agree. Not only does the propshaft support look bent, it matches the direction the propshaft is over where it enters the hull. (Towards the passenger side)

(Message edited by wake_upppp on May 05, 2009)

Also, it can be straightened but I believe you have to have the prop shaft out to do it. At the same time I would have the propshaft checked for runout. (bent possibly)

Strut sure looks bent to me

I would not worry about the how the shaft log is mounted.
If it is bent like it looks in the picture I would think at any speed over 25 you would be getting lots of vibration. maybe one more picture with the prop blade out of the way

It goes 40+ without any vibration....that being said, it does pull pretty hard to the right when I let go of the wheel.

I think it is bent....I just can't figure out why it runs so well.

Bakes. I have a '98 pre2200v WE (wake edition). Let me take a look tomorrow in the day light at my set up. i will take pictures if you want.

I agree the strut looks bent, the fact you get "little to no vibrations" does not mean something is not right.

As for it pulling right, I would say that with a prop shaft/prop angled to the port side, as in your picture, you would more likely turn left when you take your hand off the wheel. Your Tige 2200V pulling to the right is normal for that stock rudder (if that rudder is in fact stock) My boat pulls hard right as well, the rudder is purposely shaped asymmetrically to allow that. I believe it is a ski-boat design that helped the driver to keep the boat tracking perfectly straight without getting that "floating" feeling of side to side like you will find on boats with symmetrical rudders. My buddies VLX "floats" like this, its nice cuz you can take your hand off the wheel for a second without the boat turning so hard, but it is a bit tougher to keep a true straight line.

You definately have a bent strut. The questions is has someone masked it by realigning the motor at an angle to minimize vibes. It could be putting your tranny under alot of stress and shortening its life. I would be fixing that promptly as you are asking for a bigger repair bill in the future if you dont.