New Member - Bought boat yesterday, spun the hub, but still happy to be here!

[cityaudioprojects]

Hi Everybody, Tom here! My dream has finally come true...kinda. I purchased a 1983 14' Flare fiberglass skiff yesterday along with a 25 HP Evinrude tiller (also 1983) with a 3 blade non-thru-hub exhaust and 13 tooth spline. Water tested her on Friday, bought yesterday and almost flipped it over yesterday. We just launched and got up on a plane. Next I recall seeing a small patch of weeds (we opted for the lake instead of gulf due to weather, we're in Florida) and seconds later, RPMs shot up higher than the lead singer for Stone Temple Pilots and forward motion dropped to a halt. Killed power, pulled motor up to check for grass and nada. Drop her back in and at low power, low speed, she ran fine but I'll be darned if I tried to give her anything faster than walking speed, same thing happened. Mind you, this is within an hour of buying the rig, got it for 1200, it ran strong as all heck on Friday during the test run. From what I hear, it's a spun hub. Took her to a well-known marine warehouse and the gentleman that works in parts is also a mechanic, nice guy. He confirmed this and said I should get it reconditioned and rehubbed, can have it back by Wednesday. Only thing is, I want it NOW. Darn it!! I just bought the boat YESTERDAY. I was supposed to be FISHING RIGHT NOW!!!! The spline in the hub does indeed have 13 "teeth" and toward the back of the hub they are fine but towards the front, they are ground pretty much flat. Is that confirmation that this is the problem? I'm very new to outboards and still don't understand a thing about how they work, trying to learn and that's why I'm here! Also, on the shaft itself, the teeth are all fine but are a tad rusted, I used a spray on metal protector for the engine yesterday as well as a little bit on the shaft. I plan on applying marine grease (I think the guy said 2-4-c) to the shaft when I replace but my question in that section is, should I take a wire brush to get the rust out as much as possible? should I glob the grease on our do a light coat? Should I put grease on now BEFORE the prop is fixed to protect in the meantime, should I put grease in front of the prop, (on the lower unit where the prop goes onto? looks like there's bearings there? Sorry to ask so many questions, here they are in order to make it easier:

- Is that confirmation that this is the problem? (spun hub)
- I plan on applying marine grease (I think the guy said 2-4-c) to the shaft when I replace but my question in that section is, should I take a wire brush to get the rust out as much as possible?
- should I glob the grease on our do a light coat?
- Should I put grease on now BEFORE the prop is fixed to protect in the meantime
- should I put grease in front of the prop, (on the lower unit where the shaft goes onto? looks like there's bearings there?

Thanks in advance and happy, safe boating to all!

-Tom

 

[jbjennings]

Re: New Member - Bought boat yesterday, spun the hub, but still happy to be here!

Hey Tom,
I'll give your questions a shot.....

1. The hub in the prop is a rubber bushing that goes between the sleeve that the splines are in and the outer body of the prop, so the prop hub slipping should not affect the splines on the prop. I would hope that the prop shop would notice any obvious problems like bad splines and if there's a problem, they would let you know before rehubbing it. The spline problem sounds really strange. Since I would think that if any of the splines would be messed up, they all would be I'm thinking you won't have a problem and when you get the prop rehubbed, you'll be fine.

2,3. The grease on the shaft is mainly to keep the splines from rusting to the propshaft and making it impossible to ever remove the prop again, so just use some good marine grease and smear it on the splines real good and call it a day.
I would brush out as much rust as possible but wouldn't go overboard and try to get them spotless. You would be wise to remove your prop every few outings to check for fishline, etc. so you won't cut your lower unit seals.

4. Now or later, either one.

5. Do not put grease in front of the prop. The only bearings are on the propshaft which are oiled by lower unit oil kept internally in the lower unit behind oil seals. You should change the lower unit oil properly as a precaution since the motor is new to you. There are two flathead screws on the side of the lower unit. They should have "oil drain" molded into the casting beside them if I recall. You should get some oil drain screw washers when you go into town to get your prop. Any dealer will have them. They're cheap. Add the oil in the bottom hole until it pushes out the top screw hole. THen put the top screw with the new washer in, remove the oil bottle from the bottom hole, and replace the bottom screw with it's new washer. Marine grade 80weight gear oil is fine. One bottle will do it.

Congrats on the new rig......keep an eye on the water pump and consider a new water pump impeller for good insurance to prevent an overheat since the motor is new to you and you don't know how old it is. They don't last forever. Hope this helps.

Good luck,
JBJ

 

[cityaudioprojects]

Re: New Member - Bought boat yesterday, spun the hub, but still happy to be here!

Hi JBJ, thank you for your thorough response. I'll be sure to pick up some of the gear oil and new washers for the screws. Trying to find a new prop since I imagine that'll be the smartest thing, might as well pay the extra 40 bucks because the flattened spline at the front of the prop concerns me too. Think that's a good call?

 

[jbjennings]

Re: New Member - Bought boat yesterday, spun the hub, but still happy to be here!

How do the blades on your current prop look? How do the splines on the prop shaft look? I can't understand how the prop splines aren't perfect but the propshaft splines are. If the blades on the prop don't look new as far as nice and "straight" and not bent or dinged up, I'd go with a new prop just to have a nice straight prop. I would think that a rehub and a restraighten (if even possible with aluminum) would come close to the price of a new prop anyway. If the blades all look good and at least halfway from the end all the splines on the prop are good and just boogered up at one end, I would rehub the current prop.
Once again---just my opinion,
JBJ

 

[F_R]

Re: New Member - Bought boat yesterday, spun the hub, but still happy to be here!

How do the blades on your current prop look? How do the splines on the prop shaft look? I can't understand how the prop splines aren't perfect but the propshaft splines are. If the blades on the prop don't look new as far as nice and "straight" and not bent or dinged up, I'd go with a new prop just to have a nice straight prop. I would think that a rehub and a restraighten (if even possible with aluminum) would come close to the price of a new prop anyway. If the blades all look good and at least halfway from the end all the splines on the prop are good and just boogered up at one end, I would rehub the current prop.
Once again---just my opinion,
JBJ

Don't be concerned about the splines in the prop. You will get a new hub, splines and all, when they re-hub it.

You need to understand the anatomy of it. The splined hub you are looking at has a rubber bushing bonded to it. You can't see the rubber, but trust me--it is in there. When the rubber breaks free of the splined hub, it spins without turning the prop. The whole thing, splined hub and rubber bushing, is what gets replaced. It has to be rotated as it is being pressed into the propeller, which is why a prop shop has to do it.

The splines do not run the entire length of the hub. That's normal and just the way it is.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: New Member - Bought boat yesterday, spun the hub, but still happy to be here!

picture

 

[cityaudioprojects]

Re: New Member - Bought boat yesterday, spun the hub, but still happy to be here!

Thank you all so much! Makes more sense now, I thought the spline was stripped causing the slippage but this makes more sense now. I found a local prop shop in the Tampa area and am en-route now. Will try and take her out tomorrow morning and will update soon! Thanks again

-Tom

 

[cityaudioprojects]

Re: New Member - Bought boat yesterday, spun the hub, but still happy to be here!

Just an update folks, this did the job and she has worked like a charm! I rehubbed the prop, greased up the shaft and changed the lower unit gear oil. I've flushed and cleaned religiously and applied grease to the buddy bearrings. Next project is changing the bolts for the skids! Thanks againfor all your advice, I LOVE boating!!!!