How bad is a slightly bent Prop shaft?

[KCLOST]

I don't know how this may have happened... I got this boad from dad and never paid any attention to the prop rotation until recently changing the lower unit oil...<br /><br />Anyway the prop(s) that he has used throughout the life of the boat have been damaged slightly and repaired. But the shaft has definitely been bent also somewhere during that time. It's not bad (imo) about a 1/6" side to side movement when turning the shaft/prop. What do you think?<br />50hp Merc. 1984

 

[ehenry]

Re: How bad is a slightly bent Prop shaft?

Hey Kclost, if its bent it doesn't matter how much it needs to be fixed. I just went the same thing. If you run it with it bent it will eventually whip out the bearings and seals. If you can't do it yourself, find someone that can take the lower unit apart and get the shaft out for you. A reputable maachine shop can straighten it for you. I've had mine and others that I've owned straightened on a number of occasions. A new prop shaft for that engine is probably around 3 to 400 bucks.

 

[KCLOST]

Re: How bad is a slightly bent Prop shaft?

Thanks efhenry, I did some searching for previous questions like mine and I get the drift (which is what I'll be doing if I let this go)....<br /><br />One more question.... I think this shaft has been bent for a long time (several years if not 10+ years). My dad had it in the water for 3 years straight, down in Arkansas and ran it several times a year with it in this condition (no vibration is noticeable). I'd say it probably has (this is an estimate) 200 to 250 hours of operation on it since it was bent... So with that in mind, are the bearings probably shot also? I mean will i need to get new bearings when I have the shaft repaired? It turns pretty freely as it is now, so do you think they are alright? BTW, I found a site that sells the shaft for $208 and a machine shop that will straighten it for $30. What other seals, bearings, and stuff do you think I need to replace...<br /><br />BTW, in my previous post I meant 1/16" movement...