Need some shaft strut advice

[Larry]

Inspecting the boat yesterday I discovered what I consider to be too much slop in the shaft strut bearing. Just eyeballing it, it moves about 1/8" in all directions...I assume it's too much and they should be repaced.
Looking in the Glenwood catalog, there are 2 different types: rubber for $66 each and another that isn't defined for $12 each.
Which will provide a longer life?
Any other preventative maintenance I should do while I have the shaft out?
1981 Cole TR2...lake boat.
Thanks for any advice. :rollside:

[DetroitJim]

Do not run rubber bushings. You need the hard bushings, they are brown and made of a fiber type material. They normally come in about a 4 inch length, you saw it in half and use the two pieces for the front and rear of the strut. It's best to keep them lined up in the orientation or the shaft may bind a little. You can get the bushings from Rex or CP, never asked Glenwood myself.
DJ

[GofastRacer]

Good time to change the shaftlog seal if it's getting to be borderline!.. Make sure you draw a line down the bushing before you cut it, and when you install them make sure the lines match up!..

[CircleJerk]

7 years ago, we knew nothing about v-drives, and installed a rubber bushing in our racing Lavey. It had a worn out strut bore! I have run over sand bars, raced for 6 years (12miles every race 5 times a year) with no noticable wear! We are told we would be faster with the fiber style but would have to replace it more often. Heck, I do enough work on that boat as it is, but will probably never have to change my RUBBER dealie! For lazy folks like me...........use the rubber!

[V-DRIVE VIDEO]

The rubber bushing makes for a tighter fit, this can be benificial if your prop shaft has some miles on it. If you do run the rubber bushing never make the mistake of starting the boat in gear while its out of the water, it will ruin it in a blink. :cool:

[Morg]

Larry,
Any idea how long the worn out bushing as been in the boat?
Stuff out of ballance or bent can make the bushing wear quickly.
BTW- I run the fiber bushings

[Roaddogg 4040]

I ran the rubber bushinigs in both Raysons and my Schiada and never had a problem with them at all. Of course none of then were FAST! but the rubber still worked well... :rollside:
Steve

[Hallett]

The rubber bushing makes for a tighter fit, this can be benificial if your prop shaft has some miles on it. If you do run the rubber bushing never make the mistake of starting the boat in gear while its out of the water, it will ruin it in a blink. :cool: How long does it take to
ruin. Jerry. :)

[VD CRUISER]

I run the rubber bushing in my cruiser, and as long as I don't sling prop blades off, it will last 3 to 4 years, maybe longer.

[GofastRacer]

The rubber bushings work great in cruisers or any lower rpm applications, and if you run in dirty water they are forgiving on the crud passing thru, also they will componsate if you have a slight misalignment on the v-drive, but I've seen them burn up on high rpm overdriven applications, also if you have a strut that has a step in it that the bushing goes against the back bushing will not get enough water to keep it lubricated at high rpm's, and that goes for the fiber ones too. With the fiber bushings, crud will shorten the life of the bushing, also misalignment will have an efect on the life of the bushing, but for any high speed, high rpm application the fiber bushing is all I will use!...

[CircleJerk]

In all due respect Art, both of us are way beyond high speed!! You are right, this bearing needs lots of lubrication from water and I even recommend drilling a hole in the strut for adequate supply to the rear one. If you think you will be fast, by all means install the fiber cheaper one!

[GofastRacer]

In all due respect Art, both of us are way beyond high speed!!
We are??, now that's some funny $hit there, LOL.. But plans are in the works for more speed!.. :D

[VD CRUISER]

Yea, my prop shaft speed is only about 9500 rpm, so I don't need the fiber one. :) But thats only for short bursts.

[Larry]

Thanks for the replies, looks like either will do the job based on the different opinions.
This is a pretty low time boat, so I guess they may be the original bearings.

[PETEROC]

Darn, I just put in the rubber ones, now I will be slower? Bummer. Really how much difference could it make if everything is aligned correctly? Any one know? This will be about an 80 mph lake boat.

[Roaddogg 4040]

You will be just fine...
Steve

[Sanger D]

Ran the rubber bushing........3 years and NO visible wear or slop!!!!!!!!,wd-40 after pulling it out of the water,(1inch shaft...Blackfish bushing!!!!)But I know ALOT of the bigger hardware boats run fiber,I think its just personal prefrance and a BIG price differance too.

[GofastRacer]

Darn, I just put in the rubber ones, now I will be slower? Bummer. Really how much difference could it make if everything is aligned correctly? Any one know? This will be about an 80 mph lake boat.
You won't be slower and it'll work just fine for you, the better the alignment the longer the bushings last, no bind!..

[Fiat48]

Thanks for the replies, looks like either will do the job based on the different opinions.
This is a pretty low time boat, so I guess they may be the original bearings.
Probably are original.
Your Gel coat boat is so original. Id like to put one of alcohol motors in that.

[Larry]

Id like to put one of alcohol motors in that.
I'd like that too :D