Removing shaft coupling from tranny

[Chris Patterson]

Oh ok, I just wondered if it was still on the coast. My sister lives in Clemmons there on Main St. Probably not for from you. Mainly I just wondered if it was close enough to have a look at. Stern tubes. Tommays did a fine pic article about re glassing in another stern tube, as that is the way it should be. Possibly the manufacturer did that, but I have never seen it before. At the least, I would take it to a machine shop and cut down those threads. And additionally, I see little reason that that shouldn't work in the long term. Removing it altogether does indeed entail glassing in another tube. You can buy those tubes at GOOD chandleries, namely Fisheries Supply out of Washington state. Simply buy the correct outer dimension tube, and glass it in, bearing in mind the geometry of the shaft, which a piece of string will do. Very simple, don't 'over complicate' it. And leave just enough tube for the two clamps, there is zero reason to have it any longer.

And be careful of slide hammers, the tranny will not like that. As Ron said, little tappy, tappies. Never a slam.

And I use a four inch angle grinder with thin cutoff wheels on it. This tool gets used about as much as my wet-vac.

 

[kito]

I think I am going leave the shaft coupling alone and focus on just removing the shaft from it. I might have better luck getting the grub screws out than getting the flanges apart without major work and cost. And wouldn't you know they used square head bolts for the grub screws....makes it even harder. At least I can install new motor mounts,cut down and rebed that funky stern tube, replace the cutlass bearing and get the stuffing box installed. Just not a fan of using threads as a barbed hose nipple.

 

[kito]

Wooohooo!!! I got the flange loose!. And old pair of vise grips, a block of oak and a hammer did the trick!

 

[Chris Patterson]

Cool deal. Might as well invest in a 5/16" eight point, (square drive), socket. I run into those regularly. Makes easier work of a set screw..

 

[kito]

Well the shaft won today. I couldn't get it to budge a bit. Between corrosion and the grub screws maybe creating burrs on the soft bronze that thing is stuck good. At least I got the shaft coupling off the tranny. After reading back into this thread I understand now what svchickadee was saying about 4 longer bolts and nuts and pipe fittings. At the time I was wanting to just release the 2 couplings. He was talking about removing the shaft coupler from the shaft, which I need now. Bolt the two flanges together with longer bolts and stick a pipe nipple between them that's a smaller diameter than the prop shaft and tighten them together to press the coupler off. Thanks svchickadee , I will try it tomorrow after soaking in PB Blaster again tonight. If this don't work then it's my angle grinder with a cutoff disc.

 

[Sandy Stone]

The longer bolt / pipe nipple trick worked for me (I used a socket) but it put a big strain on the flanges. Be aware you may bend or break something. Good luck.

 

[Anonymous 121765]

I have seen one time a solution for separating flanges.

A friend of mine used an aerosol can of freeze. You can pick this up at Radio Shack & maybe some auto parts stores, there are different brands. The Radio Shack can boasted a drawdown temp of -165°F.

I believe his coupler flange had the male keyway on the coupler flange. You need to know what flange has the male & chill that one.

He sprayed the flange hub while rotating it until it was quite cold & showing ice. In his case, the shaft was still attached. He then took two hammers & from opposite sides & tapped the flange edges while rotating, thus creating a shock effect which loosened the seizure. When he called out to me, I used the shaft puller & three slides later, the flanges separated.

CR

 

[woodster]

ron if i am not mistaken the shaft and the flange both have the keyway cut in them ...the key fits in both at the same time ....both sharing the key...that would make the keyway slots the female and the key the mail...just an observation on my part ...correct me if i am wrong.......i do like the idea about the freeze thing it would come in handy when installing a new shaft and coupler together

 

[seadaddler]

Heat

I did this recently and tried everything even longer bolts too but the thing
that really worked was some steady heat with small benz o matic torch.
The the torch was just the right amount of heat as I tightened the bolts,
I heated the shaft and than all of a sudden it starting pulling off the coupling,
I maybe might of heated the coupling too but mostly the shaft.
My 2007 H-36 all went back together with out replacing or cutting shaft or coupling,I did clean everything with wire wheel on drill and sand paper.
I have found over many years that small amounts of heat does help a lot.
Nick

 

[Anonymous 121765]

Re: Heat

I maybe should have added that freezing metal contracts & condenses the material. Heat does the opposite. Both have their uses in different applications. I would want to freeze the flange that has the male flange face keyway.

I remember when dropping in a newer engine, one flange face had the male keyway, the other, the female. Wood brought up a point, but I was referring to the mating flanges only, not the keyway between shaft & hub.

One other off-the-wall idea I might try would be, to take the thickest putty knife that can be tapped down between the flanges & heat the blade to expand it. Maybe turn the flange at different angles & repeat the process. It's that first "pop" that should break the seal & rust loose.

CR

 

[kito]

The longer bolt / pipe nipple trick worked for me (I used a socket) but it put a big strain on the flanges. Be aware you may bend or break something. Good luck.

I ended up just cutting the stinking shaft. Got fed up with messing with it and busting my knuckles. I tried the long bolts/socket deal and thought I was going the bust the flanges first. Looking at the shaft coupler after I cut the shaft, there was no way that shaft was coming out....massive corrosion. Had to cut a notch in the skeg to get the shaft out. An easy fix since I haven't even started on the hull yet. Now to get that paper thin brass cutlass bearing sleeve out of the strut. Tips anyone?

 

[Sandy Stone]

Hacksaw - carefully. Once you can pry the bearing away from the bore of the strut, it'll come right out.

 

[jibes138]

I ended up just cutting the stinking shaft. Got fed up with messing with it and busting my knuckles. I tried the long bolts/socket deal and thought I was going the bust the flanges first. Looking at the shaft coupler after I cut the shaft, there was no way that shaft was coming out....massive corrosion. Had to cut a notch in the skeg to get the shaft out. An easy fix since I haven't even started on the hull yet. Now to get that paper thin brass cutlass bearing sleeve out of the strut. Tips anyone?

go to pbase.com MaineSail has a pictorial on how to do exactly that.

Here's the link. http://pbase.com/mainecruising/boat_projects

 

[kito]

go to pbase.com MaineSail has a pictorial on how to do exactly that.

Here's the link. http://pbase.com/mainecruising/boat_projects

Thanks Jibes....I keep forgetting to check MS's great tips. Another question....I need a new ss prop shaft and coupler for a ysm12. I noticed the store here has a shaft/coupler for a Hunter 27 but none listed for a 30. They don't tell the length of shaft for the 27. Just wondering if will work on a 30 too. I believe I need 1" x 49". The coupling most likely is the same between the ysm8 & ysm12.

 

[Anonymous 121765]

Kito,

I thought you were going to look into the shaft puller pal.
To get another shaft, that's gonna cost maybe $200.00.
You still don't have the flanges separated do you?

I replaced my shaft with the new engine due to length differences from a longer engine.
I would suggest a stainless steel shaft pal.

CR

 

[kito]

CR, got the flanges divorced yesterday. The problem was getting the shaft coupling free from the prop shaft. Decided to just cut the frigen thing off to avoid more blood shed and multiple contusions. The bronze shaft was toast anyway. I am pressing charges for boatmestic abuse

 

[Chris Patterson]

It gets worser.
A couple of years ago, I was sweating, bleeding, hadn't eat all day, bustin my tail to finish a boat; with no need for a job anyway. I sent lovely bride a text saying something to the degree of "I MUST be pathologically insane!"
She says, "yes dear...yes you are."


(My latest project)...

 

[jibes138]

It gets worser. A couple of years ago, I was sweating, bleeding, hadn't eat all day, bustin my tail to finish a boat; with no need for a job anyway. I sent lovely bride a text saying something to the degree of "I MUST be pathologically insane!" She says, "yes dear...yes you are." (My latest project)... <img src="http://forums.sbo.sailboatowners.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=79860"/>

is that a Defever?

 

[kito]

It gets worser.
A couple of years ago, I was sweating, bleeding, hadn't eat all day, bustin my tail to finish a boat; with no need for a job anyway. I sent lovely bride a text saying something to the degree of "I MUST be pathologically insane!"
She says, "yes dear...yes you are."


(My latest project)...

View attachment 79860

Hehe.........I bet you lost some weight too. I lost at least 10 pounds on this project so far...in blood, sweat and tears.........

 

[Chris Patterson]

You know Jibes, it certainly does look like a Defever, the pointed bow, itty bitty forward windows, etc. but it's a Hatteras, with a weird camera angle. By gosh the picture looks it though..

This is a Miami Boat Show half price special. I think I remember it coming in at 2.7 or thereabouts. The final fit out, yea!!