AQ130/280 drive unit drops suddenly on its down travel

[BAron Sportsman]

I have a Volvo AQ130 with a 280 drive and having problems getting a simple answer from anywhere. The leg travels up and down ok, but on the travel down, it gets almost to the bottom and then drops suddenly. It's not a big drop and doesn't drop all the way down, but it drops a short distance just the same.
I had it to a Marine shop and they replaced the worm drive in the lift drive as part of a $900 service and they said it worked fine. I got it home and expected it was now finally fixed and proceeded to tilt the leg down and "Bang", It dropped at the same point as it always does and has still continued to do it every time since. I haven't removed the unit as yet to have a look at it myself, but it's almost like a tooth or two missing of a gear?
I don't want to have to replace the whole unit if I can help it, becasue they are quite expensive. Surely this problem is consistent with a part inside that simply needs replacing but know one will tell me the answer. I can't be the first person ever to have had this problem.
I have looked at an exploded view of one of these complete lift drive units and there is parts everywhere and clueless where to start. If I just knew what part is faulty, I'll simply removed the unit, pull it apart, replace the faulty part and put it back together again.
Can anyone give me some clues,,,,,Please....?
Thanks in advance.

 

[sqbtr]

Re: AQ130/280 drive unit drops suddenly on its down travel

You need to adjust your drive release lock rod, it is protuding too far out of the yoke. As the vise rod is retracting it is hanging on the release rod. Adjust it shorter.

 

[captmello]

Re: AQ130/280 drive unit drops suddenly on its down travel

Welcome to iboats!!

being that the lift unit is screw driven, I don't know how that would cause the drop. I think you should look at the outdrive itself and watch as it comes down. Watch how the foot of the lift contacts the lift arm on the outdrive and see what is hanging up. Have someone run the lift while you watch the outdrive go up and down. See what you find. It could be the sleeve on top of the rataining pawl is not sliding down into the lifting arm of the outdrive and is hanging up until it gets low enough and lets go.

Here is a pic of the sleeve coming up through the lift arm, which screws onto a rod from the retaining pawl. as you lower the tilt down the foot of the lift rolls around the lift arm and makes contact with the sleeve. If the sleeve doesn't slide down into the lift arm and is binding, it may cause the bump when it finally releases and drops down into the arm.


Here's what it looks like with the drive installed. you can see the sleeve and the foot from the tilt directly above it.



Let us know what you find out.

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: AQ130/280 drive unit drops suddenly on its down travel

Not sure there is a parts problem.
Possible the drive as it lowers it contacts with the lock system It's held up in the air till it works past the lock then clunk when it drops down.
Check the lock mechanism.???????
The release that the worm gear hits might be stuck or the aluminum needs to be cleaned from that area.Where #43 goes through the arm.J


Looks like two others posted the same thing about the same time.So maybe we all are right???

 

[PiratePast40]

Re: AQ130/280 drive unit drops suddenly on its down travel

Here's what the lock mechanism looks like:


Another theory:

Those nuts on the side (just above the springs in the picture) are supposed to be backed off a flat so the weight of the outdrive will allow the mechanism to move down against spring pressure and the rod on the transom plate will move into the slot formed by the latch pawls. If those nuts are too tight, it may hang up for a second or so.

Just another thought to throw into the mix and something to check.

 

[BAron Sportsman]

Re: AQ130/280 drive unit drops suddenly on its down travel

Thanks all you were right.

I thought I replied to this a long time ago and just stumbled back on it by accident looking for yet more parts. That long lifting arm has been broken before I got the boat and welded up. The top of it comes up through the hole in the lifting fork thingy and strikes under the piston that's at the bottom of the lift motor. Becasue the arm has been cut and shut by someone it was catching on the side of the piston instead of hitting it dead centre, hanging for a second and then dropping.

Adjustment was already at it's max. With the help of a mate watching it travel, we ended up putting the adjust nut right back to the bottom, put a strong sleeve spacer around the shaft above it allowing the adjuster nut to begin it's travel right from the bottom. With the adjuster nut fine tuned a tweek or two, It's been working fine like that for a season and a half and doesn't look like bending, weakening or falling off. It's still right where we set it.

Incidently, the sleeve spacer just happened to be an old part off something else, that has been sitting in the top of my tool box for years. What it came off of, dont ask me...I have no idea. It's an old car part clamp of some description. We new we needed to space it and my mate just happended to look over at the top of my tool box, saw it, picked it up and said that'll do the trick, what's if off. Don't know I said, just use it. It didn't cost me a cent. The adelaide Volvo bloke cost me $900 first up and didn't fix it...Interesting eh?

Now for the new bits's I'm looking for.
New Exhaust manifold, elbow, boot, gaskets etc....Just about need to remortgage the house to afford one. Anyone know the cheapest place in Australia to find one? I'm Adelaide. Dont even think about mentioning that Don bloke. There's got to be a cheaper option on the east coast somewhere, even with postage. Any help here would be greatly appreciated. Heaps cheap out of America but then postage is just as much again and works out not much cheaper over all.

And the latest problem I just discovered yesterday is a leaking raw water pump. I've taken it off and stripped it down, I just need to locate an affordable option here also for a new pump kit.

Thanks all again for your help on the lift problem.

I have a Volvo AQ130 with a 280 drive and having problems getting a simple answer from anywhere. The leg travels up and down ok, but on the travel down, it gets almost to the bottom and then drops suddenly. It's not a big drop and doesn't drop all the way down, but it drops a short distance just the same.
I had it to a Marine shop and they replaced the worm drive in the lift drive as part of a $900 service and they said it worked fine. I got it home and expected it was now finally fixed and proceeded to tilt the leg down and "Bang", It dropped at the same point as it always does and has still continued to do it every time since. I haven't removed the unit as yet to have a look at it myself, but it's almost like a tooth or two missing of a gear?
I don't want to have to replace the whole unit if I can help it, becasue they are quite expensive. Surely this problem is consistent with a part inside that simply needs replacing but know one will tell me the answer. I can't be the first person ever to have had this problem.
I have looked at an exploded view of one of these complete lift drive units and there is parts everywhere and clueless where to start. If I just knew what part is faulty, I'll simply removed the unit, pull it apart, replace the faulty part and put it back together again.
Can anyone give me some clues,,,,,Please....?
Thanks in advance.