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Shaft adjustment and cutless bearings

Discussion in 'Carver Yacht' started by DanM, Oct 6, 2013.

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  1. DanM, Oct 6, 2013
    #1
    DanM

    DanM New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 19, 2011
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    Location:
    Racine, WI
    When I puled me 2004 Carver 396 with 200 hours for the winter a couple of weeks ago I noticed a 1/4" ring of highly polished (not grooved) SS shaft at the aft end of the port cutless bearing and an 1/8" of the same on the starboard side. It looks as if the port cutless may have had some fishing line wrapped around it at one time as it is 3/8" recessed from the aft end of the strut and is rough to the touch. It does not have a smooth edge lined up with the aft end of the strut as it is on the starboard side. The port prop is 1/4" further aft when compared to the starboard one when measuring from the leading edge of the prop hub to the trailing edge of the strut.
    I looked at the ZF80A transmission to shaft coupler and except for the shaft key it which secures it for turning I see no visible method to loosen the shaft from the coupler for fore and aft adjustment. I have pictures of all of this, I am just not sure how to post them here.
    My questions are as follows:
    Is the shiny band around the aft end of the shafts something to be concerned with?
    Is the 1/4" difference of the prop set back between port and starboard unusual?
    Has anyone removed the cutless bearing with out removing the shaft using one of those specialized tools designed for such?
    How do you loosen the shaft from the coupler at the transmission for fore and aft adjustment.
    I have a call into Carver but I have not heard back from them as of yet and my manual on the ZF 80A only goes as far as the transmission half of the coupler. If there is a thread or set of recommended articles already discussing this please point me to the site.
    Thank you,
    Dan
  2. YachtForums, Oct 6, 2013
    #2
    YachtForums

    YachtForums Administrator

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    This thread has been moved into the Carver forum, where it should have been posted to begin with. There is a warning message to Carver owners stuck at the top of YF's technical forum asking Carver owners to post in the Carver forum, otherwise your membership will be removed. This is not the first time we've moved your threads.
  3. SeaDragon, Oct 6, 2013
    #3
    SeaDragon

    SeaDragon New Member

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    DanM I can answer one of your questions. There is a large nut on the end of the shaft holding the coupler on. Unbolt the shaft coupler from the transmission and slide the shaft back a few inches. The face of the coupler has a recessed cavity in which you will find a large nut. Hopefully some one else can chime in to answer your other questions.
  4. DanM, Oct 6, 2013
    #4
    DanM

    DanM New Member

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    Location:
    Racine, WI
    Sea Dragon,

    Thank you for prompt the reply. This now makes much more sense. If the shaft is threaded at the forward end and locked in place to the coupler with a nut, unless the nut has worked its way loose the shaft should not move. The only scenario I can think of in that case is of the motor mounts have come loose which is not the case.
  5. K1W1, Oct 6, 2013
    #5
    K1W1

    K1W1 Senior Member

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    Hi,

    I doubt the coupling part is threaded onto the prop shaft and locked with a nut.

    The most likely arrangement will be a taper on the shaft and a matching one inside the coupling with a straight or woodruff key in the shaft and a matching groove in the coupling to accommodate this.

    The whole lot is pressed onto the taper by the mechanical advantage of the nut being cranked up to a pre specified torque setting and then maybe a bit more to line up a split pin hole if such is the way of finally securing it all.

    When going ahead the props are trying to push the shafts out the front of the boat, if your engine mounts are not loose but worn or your thrust absorbing device is defective the shafts could move forward in ahead and aft in astern.

    Can you grab the prop and try to pull and push the whole lot back and forth?

    Any more than a poofteenth of movement should be full investigated.