V-Drive Tom or anyone else who can Help???

[Dans66Stevens]

Tom as we talked last night I removed my old Log. I checked it to the new one I had in stock. I only have to re drill two holes.
My problem Is I put in the new log and it looks great. I have no clue why the old one was worn through by the prop shaft. It looks to have a = space all the way around.
Im wondering now if it is moving when I put the Hammerdown. I am completly stumped....Help.

[superdave013]

Just a thought here. Maybe your v-drive plate is flexing or moving around?

[Dans66Stevens]

Thats what Im thinking. How the hell can I tell. I hate to ruin another lob...Besides I don't have anymore.....

[Dans66Stevens]

Tom is there a # I can call you on so Im not useing your nickel? I hate to have you call me again. e-mail it if you want. Thanks Dan

[Jetboatguru]

Earth to Dan!!!!!!!!
Close your eyes,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Click your heels together,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
click your mouse and scroll to the top of the page,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Open your eyes,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
dial the number that you see to Menkens V-drives..........

[Kurtis500]

My friend has the same problem. I sold him an old Spico flat without the drivetrain. He picked up the v-drive and all the other stuff a month later. Having no clue, I kept telling him to bring it over and we would rig it the right way. He decided instead to slap it all together and surprise me with it at the lake.. I couldnt see the v-drive/coupler/prop shaft when I first saw it. Anyways, first trip out its running pretty good but at the end of the day 'SNAP' the output shaft on the v-drive breaks. I let him deal with it. Month later, same lake, day or two into the trip 'SNAP' prop shaft breaks off in the coupler. 2 weeks later, same lake, he backs the boat in the water and water is pouring in from the log. He pulls it out, parks it, and wont ask for help. I go over and look it over with a fine tooth comb. He originally mounted the v-drive in a such an angle from the strut that you could SEE the bend in the propshaft going into the coupler. This snapped both shafts and rubbed out the lip of the log. Said it wasnt installed with a bend until after he replaced the v-drive shaft.???... I'll see him again this weekend, interesting to see whats next. Anyways, yours could be due to an alignment problem, hopefully not as bad as this guys.

[schiada96]

Dan if you have a c-500 you might need to brace it my friend had one before he put a split case in his. He has a lot of hp and the c-500 wanted to rotate. I made some braces and it fixed the problem.

[Dans66Stevens]

Well I have a old Top Loader Casale. I think my super duper motor may be makeing things move around. Im going to tighten up all the bolts and maybe try to rip it tomorrow.

[boatguy222]

Dan,
do you have a whip strut on the boat? could the propshaft be whipping under big hp? what kind of material so your prop shaft?

[Dans66Stevens]

I do not have a whip strut. The H.P is around 400-450. I think Im going to put it together and see what happens. I will tighten up the mounts for the Casale.

[nitro557]

dan how come you havent posted a comment about not knowing toms phone #,ive talked with you on the phone about lake anna a couple times then weeks later you e-mail out of the blue like you know nothing are you ronald reagan ?

[Dans66Stevens]

Ok what I was asking for was a phone # from Tom so he wouldn't have to call me back on his NICKEL!!!!!!!!GET IT!!! I know how to call him........

[nitro557]

its a ??????? if you get it?

[superdave013]

Dan, When you take it out again just look at it when your getting on the throttle. You will be able to see it move if it's flexing the mounting plate. Putting braces from the v-drive back to the stringers is pretty common. I have made them out of 3/8" alu plate and also have used tubing with heim joints. Both ways will stiffin it right up. That is, if it's in propper alignment to start with.

[nitro557]

dan im just trying to mess with you dave is the best at given advise on this board always the correct or dam next to it advise ,

[superdave013]

Originally posted by nitro557:
dan im just trying to mess with you dave is the best at given advise on this board always the correct or dam next to it advise ,
Me the best?? no way, I try to only give advice on things I'm sure of but I don't know all! Tom @ Menkins has forgot more then I'll ever know I bet. Lots of others around here that know and have done more then me also. It's pretty easy to tell who they are. Jetboatguru, Costello, Headsup, LeE ss13, Gofast Racer, boatguy222(and his dad is a walking text book) and Infomaniac are just a few.
But hey, thanks for the kind words though.

[Dans66Stevens]

I know your just trying to break my BALLS...
As far as the braces I have a cast aluminum mount that bolts to the box. On the back of that mount is two braces one on each side that come back and bolt to the stringers. I can't see how it can move but it must.
I hope to run it before Anna. The Susqahana River where I run it all the time is way to HI.....

[GofastRacer]

Dan, I had a V-Drive like yours before, that mount is stout and since it's a cast piece, if it did move it would brake, I don't believe that's your problem. It sounds like alignment or you have a long shaft and need a whip strut. One more thing, even though the shaftlog is self aligning, if it's too far off, it will wear the log, wouldn't hurt to check it......Just my thoughts....... http://free.***boat.net/ubb/confused.gif

[Dans66Stevens]

Well a little up-date....I found that the bolts that hold the braces were very loose on one side. The otherside one was loose and the other one was gone. So I drilled them out to 3/8 and put in new bolts. I think that problem is solved.
Now I found a bad u-joint. I hope I can just go to a parts store to get one.

[Infomaniac]

Originally posted by superdave013:
Me the best?? no way, I try to only give advice on things I'm sure of but I don't know all! Tom @ Menkins has forgot more then I'll ever know I bet. Lots of others around here that know and have done more then me also. It's pretty easy to tell who they are. Jetboatguru, Costello, Headsup, LeE ss13, Gofast Racer, boatguy222(and his dad is a walking text book) and Infomaniac are just a few.
But hey, thanks for the kind words though.
Thanks SuperDave for including me in that sentence. Do not be modest. You always give outstanding advice. I know you are always there but only speak up when necessary.
The last time I put my prop shaft back in, I had a friend help. He had never worked on a v-drive. I wanted to make sure I did not damage the seal when it came through the shaft log. It hit the coupler perfectly. He was utterly amazed. My shaft is way longer than 6'. I wish I could take credit for the alignment. That will have to go to Cougar.
Tom at Menkins helped me with my plate adjustment when I had the small block DiMarco. What a great guy. Mettler is from around here. I have only talked with him once at Choteau.

[Costello]

Dave, I am a knuclehead really. I'm having a hell of a time finding the correct spark plug for my boat at the present time. I'm glad I have you all fooled though, Thanks. http://free.***boat.net/ubb/biggrin.gif

[V-Drive Tom]

MMMAAAAAN!!! I go off Vintage Motocross racing for the weekend and look all the yackin I was missing. I talked to Dan on Friday evening before I left. He told me his shaft log was worn through, at the bottom. He told me he had another one that is the same. I told him to take it out, make certian you get the v-drive lined up properly with the prop shaft.(never splitting the prop shaft coupler open any more than it takes to slide it on the shaft) Get the v-drive bolted in good, even if it means drilling new or larger holes. Then install other shaftlog.(first we established that he had good strut bushings in it) Sounds like it all worked out good by the time he got done. I always answer my phone if I am in the building, if the machine comes on, talk to it and I'll call you right back!!

[Dans66Stevens]

Well I thought all was well. I got the new log set in the boat and looked great. I bolted it all in and put the shaft up through the hole and its off. It doesn't touch the side but is like 1/8 away on one side and maybe a 1/4 on the other.
Im not sure if I should slot the holes in the log? I tried to move the Casale or the mount but no go.

[V-Drive Tom]

Dan, Once you have lined up the v-drive with the prop shaft, you can't move it. You HAVE TO take the time to make the shaft log fit. If it needs to be up off the floor then use marineTex epoxy. You can't afford to slot the holes very much.(A small washer has to cover) Do what you can to get it as close as you can, your seal will last much longer.

[Dans66Stevens]

Tom the up and down looks great. It is the side to side. It is off by like 1/8 inch. It probaly would be ok but I just would have liked it closer.Maybe a little more than a 1/8?

[126driver]

Hey Dan,
I re-read all of the posts but maybe I missed something. Is the propshaft aligned with the output shaft?
Scott

[Dans66Stevens]

Yes it lines up perfect.

[PGF545]

I am not up on the boats that you guys run...because there aren't any around here http://free.***boat.net/ubb/frown.gif. But we have been running flatbottoms for several years, I know that there used to be different angles on the shaft logs ie: 7, 8 degrees. We had one with the wrong angle on a boat one time and it rubbed pretty hard but never rubbed all the way through. That might be something else to look at???? I know that the bottoms on our dragboats are awfully thin and flex alot, so we brace the strut and vdrive really good along with paying very close attention to the shaft alignment, the last time I lined up the shafts it took forever to get it the way I wanted, so be patient and get it right.
[This message has been edited by PGF545 (edited May 20, 2002).]
[This message has been edited by PGF545 (edited May 20, 2002).]