[Public-List] stern tube question

[David Fay]

Clay,

Interesting that you mention shaft alignment because, when I removed my bearing housing, my shaft was not centered in the stern tube. I'm about to tackle that problem. If it is off-center but doesn't wobble, I guess I have an alignment problem. If it does wobble, either the shaft is bent or the shaft is not aligned properly with the gearbox flange.

I think the problem began when I had a bad rope wrap around the prop shaft last fall in a squall. It didn't stop the engine but the rope melted from the heat. Since the rope was attached to the bow of the boat (a long unstowed bow line), it could have exerted some sideways force on the prop shaft when the rope tightented. I doubt it would be enough to bend a 7/8" stainless steel shaft, but what do I know.

Complicating the whole matter is that I have a flexible coupling between the shaft flange and the gearbox flange. It could be that the flexible coupling was damaged and needs to be replaced. Or perhaps just re-aligned. We'll see.

David
Blue Teal #284

> On Jan 30, 2019, at 9:59 PM, Clay Pass via Public-List <public-list at lists.alberg30.org> wrote:
> 
> I would check to make sure the shaft is coming directly out of the center
> of the stern tube and rotate it by hand to make sure it doesn't wobble on
> rotation.