Honda sheer pin woes

[Bill Welsch]

Backing out of our slip the other day I pushed the lever on my four cycle Honda (5 hp) forward and...nothing. Sheer pins decide to sheer in such exciting circumstances!We were able to muscle our H 240 against the sterns of our neighbor boats and get the sheer pin changed.My question is that we seem to go through a sheer pin at the rate of 1-2 times per year. The propellor never hits ground (we sail on an inland lake and rarely run aground). Is it typical to eat through so many sheer pins? Is it possible that the 240 is simply too much boat and puts strain on the sheer pin of a 5 hp motor? Am thinking I need to routinely switch out the sheer pin each spring when I change motor oil and then again mid season.Any input appreciated.Bill WelschS/V Renewal

 

[Russ King]

Call Sherlock...

A shear pin should not break under normal use, even if it was clamped to a dock piling. Things to check:1. is it the right shear pin for your motor?2. bite marks on your rudder (from your prop).3. bite marks on dock pilings, underwater obstructions, neighbour's anchor chain, or mooring chains (from your prop).4. rough spots ("jaggies") that might be damaging your shear pin.5. bite marks (from your prop) on turtles, large fish, loch ness monster, swimmers, other aquatic creatures that have amorous intentions toward your boat.6. act of god (not covered by your insurance policy).Good luck!

 

[Ray Spindle]

Had same problem....

I was going through pins like crazy, took it apart several times looking for any kind of problem, but none that were obvious. Tried lowering the idle speed amoung other things. I had been talking to the local Honda dealer with no help. I final took it to a Honda Marine dealer and they said that some of the 5 hp engines did this, the only thing that worked was to take a 8 hp stainless pin and shorten it. I tried it and I have not had any problems in 2 years. I have taken it apart to inspect and all looks good.

 

[Mark Kissel]

Could it be...

...that you are not allowing the motor to come to throttle down before shifting from reverse to forward (vs. versa)? If the prop is still spinning rapidly in one direction and the shifter is abruptly changed and throttled up, that may cause enough force to shear the pin. In 15+ years of using outboards, the only time I ever lost a shear pin was when I hit a submerged tire near the shore.Mark KisselKittiwake/98H240

 

[mike epp]

my motor

Hmmmmmm.......that's my motor but I've not had this problem. Appreciate this thread though and I'll be lookin at the shaft now. Thanks