How do I Convert my Dominator Bowl to a Greased Bearing Instead of Water Lubed?

[DeputyDawg]

I know this can be done and I would like to do it. Is it a big deal? How is it done?

[sdpm]

American Turbine sells the assy. Find a machine shop that can bore the bowl for you and press it in. .0015 of press works great.

[Wally_Gator]

Someone with mor info than me can add to this..
Last year when I had Jack at MPD rebuild my pump, he told me a few things about the rear bushing...
1. Most boats do not put alot of pressure on this and lake water does fine to lubricate this.
2. If you were to use grease, how would you keep it in the bushing? It is not under constant pressure and therefor would dissapate and be replaced by water.
3. The gear lubed bushings tend to be a little better at lubricating due to the viscosity of the lube.
I may not be 100% right here, but I am sure that somewone will correct me..

[sdpm]

Have you ever had sex in the shower or pool? Water does not make for a very good lube!! Try to run your boat out of the water on the hose! The sleeve assy. is sealed with a lip seal and snap ring to keep it in place. If you are good about greasing your pump, after years of use and when you pull the bowl, you will be very happy you did it! I have done many of these.
But I guess if MPD said it is must be true, but I will keep on installing them. :D

[DeputyDawg]

The funny thing here is that I called MPD and talked to Jack about this very thing and he told me that since I run in sandy water a lot that I should definitely convert it over to the grease lubed set up as well as switch over to a different wear ring. I like my wear ring and have not seen any ill effects from sand in that area, but I can certainly see where grease would be a better lube than gritty sandy water. Or to put it into terms that spdm uses, have you ever had sex on a sandy beach after just getting out of the water, it ain't real comfortable.

[sdpm]

Hey Denis, no, I can't say that I have. Allthough it sounds about the same!
You got that boat done yet?

[sdpm]

Hey Dawg, does your pump still have the original Dominator style wearring in it? Is it the style with the thick plastic blue or black sholder on it? You do understand what Jack is talking about. Right? If it is still working fine then leave it until you begin to see a perf. drop or slip.

[DeputyDawg]

I have an Ultimate Wear ring. What are your thoughts on them. Jack doesn't like them and niether does Don Bowers. A lot of guys around here run them and they seem to like them rather well.

[sdpm]

Have never ran one or installed one so I can't say. If you like the way it works for you, that is all that matters. I use Legend's and American Turbine products. Have been very happy with both product and service for many years.

[DeputyDawg]

Anybody know how much the kit costs, I can't find a price on it.

[sdba069]

I've run Dominator stuff since Bruce Simmons was a pup, and never had a problem with the water lubed bushing. I don't care for the grease type, but do like the oil bath like Berkeley. Oil will get in there, nothing to make the grease get into the tight spots. A lot of people will pump grease into their Berkeley bowls and I've probably seen more bushing failures from that than from water in the oil. The grease will make a shell around where it needs to be after a while or at least, thats what it seems like to me. I guess if you were to pump grease into the bowl before every use, it would be okay. I ran Dominator bowls on all my drag boats and lake boats until Aggressor started sponsoring us and furnished new bowls for the race boats and still have them on my lake boats. My .02.

[sdba069]

Not meaning to knock Oblander's stuff, I buy quite a few Jetaway's from him and he treats me good, but I've never cared for the Ultimate wear ring. You dare not start the engine out of the water if you have no way of disengaging the pump. I tried one a few years ago in a Pro Limited Jet and saw absolutely no difference between it and a regular old shouldered wear ring. I was running a "D" cut impeller. I have removed several wadded up ones from customer's boats. They may be the best thing since pockets on a shirt for some folks, but I'll stick to the regular old bronze wear ring and insulator deal.

[pops1]

We (Aggressor) makes a conversion kit for the Dominator and to repair most bowls. What we can not do is make it like our Bowls, as casted. We have 4 broached channels which run behind the bushings and has 2- resorvoirs for capacity within. Most all Aggressor Dealers have repair - rebuid sleeves.

[Taylorman]

Have you ever had sex in the shower or pool? Water does not make for a very good lube!!
LMAO, your 100% right about that.