By the way, I have talked with many sailors about this coupler and no one has ever seen it on a boat. I was reviewing a boat supply company that had a link to the manufactor of this coupler. It is still in production. It is called a Federal Flexible Coupling. You can find it at www.henrysmith.com/couplingsfederal.htm.
Coupling removal advice needed
- Thread starter jsgonz
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It was a beast and weighed well over 15# and ugly when rusty . No I am not installing another one of these but am considering the R and D flexible coupler.
Other than that its easy as ABC.I guess I am wondering why you think you need anything other than a standard coupling. If you have a proper alignment this should not be necessary. Be sure that you take the coupling into account for the space that you need for the dripless too. It looks like a tight fit.
If you screw up your shaft could be too short!
If you screw up your shaft could be too short!
You're very lucky. Glad you were able to remove the coupling. In hindsight, I think you would have been better served by hiring a marine mechanic to disassemble the whole thing. It could have turned out where you did some major damage to the transmission, hull or other high cost item. I'm all for DIY projects, but your original question made it appear you were already over you head on what to do. Years ago, I had a salty, marine mechanic tell me you're given the test, before you get the instruction. It's always best to know what you're competent in tackling and what should be left for those who do it on a regular basis (and for a living). Good advise in my book.
Steve, the only reason why I went ahead and purchased the R and D was that the boat already had an anti-vibration coupler on it. However when I got the old coupler and shaft tube off, the evidence of mal-alignment was obvious. The shaft tube was worn thin on the bottom and to the side and crumbled along the trailing edge where the friction and contact with the shaft was worse. The mal-alginment over the years had also worn the shaft and made it thinner in diameter the entire length of the tube. Now starting all over again with new parts, I "dry fitted" the new tube, shaft and coupler and I saw that I had little room for the R and D flexible coupler. Actually, the forward edge of the rotor of the PSS was less than an inch away from aft edge of the coupler when the R and D was added. So I decided against it and concentrated on getting a good alignment.
I have carefully set the strut ( took me three times to get it positoned correctly), to make sure that the strut when sealed and bolted, was at the proper location in relation to the tube and output flange so that later, the engine alignment would require only minor adjustment. All that was done last week. Today, I aligned the engine. I lifted the engine by turning the motor mount adjustment nuts three complete turns to each of the four mounts and with a feeler gauge, the output flange and coupler were dead on and even all around. Ck'g 12 and 6 o'clock positions and then 9 and 3, all were within .001. I did this by ck'ing with one coupler fastner on but loose at each of the four holes. They are flat to each other with or without a bolt on. Outside the boat, looking from the end of the shaft (without the propeller) toward the tube, the shaft is dead center in the tube, same amount of space all around. This was obviously not the case with the old shaft and tube.
I know I will have to align again once in the water, but the engine is low on the bolts and I will have room to further adjust. Right now when in neutral, the shaft turns nicely. Most importantly, the shaft sits in the cutlass bearing un-pinched and contact with the rubber insides of the cutlass bearing is even top, bottom and all around on the forward end and aft end of the strut. Before adjusting the mounts I found out that you really have to observe carefully how the shaft sits inside the stut. It is subtle. Looking closely though, you can tell if the shaft is pressing on one side within the bearing more than the other if not laying in the strut straight. The motor allignment took care of that. Turning the propeller is easy all the way around with no feeling of tightiness or pinching at any point. All is new so the fit is snug but it rotates evenly.
Ron, I have read alot on this subject as I typically do when jumping into this sort of thing that is, something I have no experience in. But I had help from folks at the local West Marine store and got much guidance on the phone from the folks at PYI and Deep Blue Yatch where I purchased the shaft, coupler and tube. I bought the PSS and the R and D from PYI. I hate to admit it, but in addtion to the marine mechanic who came out to the boat to give advice on removing the Federal coupler, I even contacted the guy who has a You Tube instruction video, Woodie's Restoration, on engine alignment and he was kind enough to speak with me at length about my questions on undertaking this installation. The Video invited the call and I took Woodie up on it. He knows his stuff. It has been a learning experience but the proof will be in the pudding and known only after I launch. The boat will either shake rattle & roll, or purr like a sowing machine. But really, after I understood what was necessary in this installation and why, I didn't think it was particularly difficult, save for working in tiny spaces to which Ibuprofen will help.
I have carefully set the strut ( took me three times to get it positoned correctly), to make sure that the strut when sealed and bolted, was at the proper location in relation to the tube and output flange so that later, the engine alignment would require only minor adjustment. All that was done last week. Today, I aligned the engine. I lifted the engine by turning the motor mount adjustment nuts three complete turns to each of the four mounts and with a feeler gauge, the output flange and coupler were dead on and even all around. Ck'g 12 and 6 o'clock positions and then 9 and 3, all were within .001. I did this by ck'ing with one coupler fastner on but loose at each of the four holes. They are flat to each other with or without a bolt on. Outside the boat, looking from the end of the shaft (without the propeller) toward the tube, the shaft is dead center in the tube, same amount of space all around. This was obviously not the case with the old shaft and tube.
I know I will have to align again once in the water, but the engine is low on the bolts and I will have room to further adjust. Right now when in neutral, the shaft turns nicely. Most importantly, the shaft sits in the cutlass bearing un-pinched and contact with the rubber insides of the cutlass bearing is even top, bottom and all around on the forward end and aft end of the strut. Before adjusting the mounts I found out that you really have to observe carefully how the shaft sits inside the stut. It is subtle. Looking closely though, you can tell if the shaft is pressing on one side within the bearing more than the other if not laying in the strut straight. The motor allignment took care of that. Turning the propeller is easy all the way around with no feeling of tightiness or pinching at any point. All is new so the fit is snug but it rotates evenly.
Ron, I have read alot on this subject as I typically do when jumping into this sort of thing that is, something I have no experience in. But I had help from folks at the local West Marine store and got much guidance on the phone from the folks at PYI and Deep Blue Yatch where I purchased the shaft, coupler and tube. I bought the PSS and the R and D from PYI. I hate to admit it, but in addtion to the marine mechanic who came out to the boat to give advice on removing the Federal coupler, I even contacted the guy who has a You Tube instruction video, Woodie's Restoration, on engine alignment and he was kind enough to speak with me at length about my questions on undertaking this installation. The Video invited the call and I took Woodie up on it. He knows his stuff. It has been a learning experience but the proof will be in the pudding and known only after I launch. The boat will either shake rattle & roll, or purr like a sowing machine. But really, after I understood what was necessary in this installation and why, I didn't think it was particularly difficult, save for working in tiny spaces to which Ibuprofen will help.
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Hey Ed ... what brand/make is the shaft saver in your picture???
Ed .. that shaft saver in your picture looks like the one in my Vision 32 ... can you tell me who makes it / who sells them??
THANKS!
Ed .. that shaft saver in your picture looks like the one in my Vision 32 ... can you tell me who makes it / who sells them??
THANKS!
For those that might be interested, here are a few pictures of the strut and shaft going into the boat. I will remember to get a picture of the attached coupler and PSS next time I am there.
Attachments
I looked for the receipt and was unable to locate it. I believe I ordered this thru Marine Hardware in Redmond Wa. 1-800-526-5971, or PYI which you can get the number from the web. You might want to ck with Get-a-Prop. If I run across the bill for this, I will post it. I recall that I paid about $150.
Do you have a....
better / complete picture of your strut. Both Larry and I are looking for a strut for out 30's. I did contact Marine Hardware, and they did have designs for what appears to be the correct strut, but want about $560.00 for it. Must be custom made. I would like to compare your strut to the one we need.
thanks...
better / complete picture of your strut. Both Larry and I are looking for a strut for out 30's. I did contact Marine Hardware, and they did have designs for what appears to be the correct strut, but want about $560.00 for it. Must be custom made. I would like to compare your strut to the one we need.
thanks...
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