Messages

Hi Matthieu -

I've had the same problem with the sheets slapping the dodger glass and leaving marks and it did crack the glass once several years back.  I let someone use the boat last week and it came back with about a dozen of those scratches/scuffs.  I don't have a solution but I'm interested in what you get for responses and wanted to know if other owners have had any luck buffing out the scuffs.  My dodger is only a year old and I'm hoping I don't have to replace the glass this soon.

Jim

Rmjohns - I replaced mine about 3 years ago when I replaced the transmission and I don't remember losing that much depth on the shaft log.  I'm pretty sure I didn't grind any fiberglass, maybe I trimmed a little on the bottom of the aft part of the hose but just at the edge.

I replaced the cutlass, shaft and engine mounts all as part of the same project so I did some major alignment adjustments at the time so I wasn't overly concerned about stress on the shaft log.  The transmission flange and cutlass hold the shaft in place, I'm not sure how much motion the hose sees from torque causing shaft movement. Anyhow, nothing has fallen off yet.

When you do your alignment, you do want to make sure the shaft at least looks centered in the log when viewed from under the hull. I thought I had pictures but I couldn't find them.

Jim

Kable -

I installed the K-75's when I replaced my transmission with a PRM90 and I think I had to raise the engine the same 10mm.  I didn't add any blocks or anything.  There was plenty of adjustability with the studs on top of the mounts.  Maybe I should have added something but my engine just sits a little higher on the mounts now and I've never had any issues.  10 mm isn't that much.

Jim

Hi Switchback -  I haven't tried this myself, other than to get parts, but maybe you could try some of the local Kubota dealers to see if they have a mechanic willing to do the work?  Jim

Kable - I ended up going with the PRM90 back in 2018.  That's what the transmission guy up my way recommended and the price was great.  He had great things to say about their design and quality and it has performed well but, I have never liked the way it sounds.  I wouldn't call it a squeal, I call it a whine.  It's a totally different sound than the old Hurth.  I'm not even sure if it's louder but I find the higher pitch annoying.  The transmission guy said he'd never heard of that but it did it on day one and it's still doing it now.  I'm not going to pull it out and replace it because of the sound but I'd pay more next time to get the ZF.

As far as hooking up the shift, mine isn't reversed on the helm.  I may have flipped the shift lever on the transmission down instead of up to get the right action but I don't really remember.  I did have to make my own mounting plate for the cable but that was easy.

BTW, hooking my old crusty flange onto the shiny new one on the transmission prompted me to finally get a new stainless shaft, replace the shaft log hose and clamps, replace and all the stuffing, get the prop balanced, have the new shaft flange faced by the pros and replace all the engine mounts.  Everything was all original so this was all overdue anyhow.  My boat is a 1990.

Jim

Can anyone identify the correct Sachs part number for Kable's Universal M25XP?

Kable -

I have the M35 engine.  When I pulled the transmission, I could clearly read the Sachs part number on the plate 1866-052-001.  I replaced it in 2018 and I think I paid less than $130 for it.  They seem to be going for $150 now.  I don't want to know what Westerbeke charges for the same part.  It might be a different plate on the M25 and maybe someone can tell you the part number so you don't have to pull the transmission 1st.

Jim

Keelson - I guess I never read the manual.  I just pop off the 3 bolts holding the cover on and replace the impeller and I've done it that way for decades.  Just remember, those are hard steel bolts and the cover is soft brass or bronze, so don't over tighten the bolts when you reassemble the pump.

Jim

You have to very carefully and very very lightly lubricate only the inside of the clutch rollers (#5 in the diagram) but don't let any lubricant get on the belt.  Try it and it will stop the clutch from popping out.  I read it in some response on some website that someone from Raymarine gave them this tip but the manual has never included it.

KW - I hope the welder already got you up and running.  I had two of these break years apart.  The second time was last year and there was no stock.  I think Hansen Marine said it would take a few weeks to get and I think it actually took 2 or 3 months before it got to me.  I had the broken one welded the next day with some reinforcements added.  I still haven't swapped it out for the new one but I need to hang onto the new part as a spare.  We extended the bottom support beyond the break and off to the side to allow the nut to fit on the engine mount.

Hi Bill -

Yes, the new coupling was bored for a light press fit, the coupling was faced, the shaft dimpled for the set screws and the shaft was checked afterwards again for straightness.  I had the prop reconditioned as well, although it needed only minor adjustment.  So all the right stuff was done.

Jim

Hi David -

I finally got my 1990 flange off the original shaft last weekend after fighting with it on and off for a couple of weeks.  I tried using a standard puller and managed to budge it maybe an 1/8" and then it just seemed to jamb up completely.  I ended up ordering the Buck Algonquin 5 inch puller 50MCP00500.  I had a breaker bar on the center of the puller in the bilge and would crank on the shaft using the propeller.  That didn't solve the problem by itself.  I tried heating the flange a few times with the MAP gas torch, protecting everything around it with aluminum baking tins but that didn't work.  I had soaked it for days with BP Blaster including filling the set screw holes, that didn't work.

I had actually given up but said to my son, "let's try one more time" and he cranked on the prop while I hit the flange with a hammer.  As I hit it it would drive the shaft forward so he'd pull it back and I'd whack it again while he cranked and we finally got the flange moving again.  After a couple of turns I went back to the prop and we helped each other keep it turning.  It must have been halfway off before it wasn't a major struggle to turn the shaft.  It was a very satisfying sound when we finally heard the flange drop off the shaft inside the boat.

I'm not sure what combination of the things we did actually worked or if it really took all of them together but nothing was moving until I started whacking away with the hammer while he cranked on the prop.

At no point in time did we put any pressure or even touch the flange on the transmission to to this.  I actually raised the engine up a bit to get it out of the way.

When this was done we pulled the cutlass bearing which allowed us to pull the shaft out of the boat to the side of the rudder.  I had hoped we could keep the original bronze shaft.  I was going to take it to have it checked for straightness but once it was out I could see irregularities where the cutlass bearing was and it had a significant groove where the stuffing box made contact and it had been eating cutlass bearings faster than it used to.  The bottom line is I could have just cut the shaft and saved a bunch of time and energy since I ended up replacing the shaft anyway.  A new shaft was not in the budget but I didn't feel like I had a choice.  I just picked up my new stainless shaft today.

Good luck,

Jim

Dan Gerhardt sells parts as well.  I just bought a new motor, orings and connector for my ST4000+ from him at a good discount.  His email address is:
C250@mydurango.net

Jim