Trojan Boat Forum

Hello everyone,

Looking for a bit of help on a few repairs I have to make before I put my f-36 in the water .

1) One of my props has some play in it, by that I mean I can move it on the shaft slightly each way , left to right while the shaft stays stationary. Not sure what the problem is there,

2) I need to replace 2 of the bolts that hold the metal disc were the drain plug threads in to in the front of the boat as 2 of the screws appear to be bent, Is this as simple as take the 2 out and replacing with new ones or should I take the whole assembly out , if so what is the proper way to re seal it. ( sorry for my lack of proper terminology )

Pictures? Sometimes they can help a lot.

For your prop, is the correct key in the shaft?

For the drain I'd need to see before I could advise.

Marklo,

1) There should be absolutely no play in the props. If the prop is loose on the shaft , I would recommend removing it and inspecting it. Be sure that the prop's bore is in good condition and free of any burrs as well as the tapered portion of the shaft. Inspect the key for wear and replace as required. If all looks good, re-install the prop using the thin nut first (tight) followed by the thick nut as the jam nut. Don't forget the cotter pin. If you have concern about the condition of the prop, you can have it inspected by The Prop Shop located inside Happy Days Boat Center in Windsor or Johnny's Boat Propeller Service in Detroit.

2) Replacing these screws might be as easy simply installing new screws with sealer. These screws don't usually come loose on their own so be sure that the holes that they thread into aren't stripped. If they are, you may want to remove the plate, drill out the holes then fill them with epoxy. Next, locate the plate and drill new screw holes and be sure to use sealer when you re-install everything.

I saw a Tri Cabin sitting in a storage lot near the train station, is that your's? If so, it looks like a nice boat from the road.

Good luck.

Yes that`s mine the one by the train station. Its in great shape. I guess I will start with taking the prop of and inspecting , I will try to take a few photos .

Here is a picture of the drain in question. They look to be machine screws with a nut on the other end. 2 of them are bent on the other side , not broken off just wondering if i could just replace the 2 or leave it ..

If it were mine I would totally remove, clean up and re-seal it with new bolts. Also on the prop double check the shaft size when you check the keyway.

what is the process to re seal it , as for materials ?

Either 5200 or 4200. Seal unit prior to reinstalling into hull and seal head of bolts and part of bolt shaft at head of bolt. Give water NO chance to enter into/thru the hull.

So I removed the prop today had a good look at everything had a good look at everything. After today I `m thinking that it is not play between the prop and the shaft , but possibly in the shaft were it enters the boat?

Check the strut to make sure it doesn't have any play, and if it is solid try shifting the shaft and see if it moves within the strut... If the strut moves, need to figure out if it is loose or the backing plate (probably a pad of plywood on the inside of the hull) is rotting out and soft... either way, fix it... If the strut is solid then your problem is probably the cutlass bearing.

Could you be talking about play in the tranny? The problem is that you said the shaft stays stationary so I'm a little confused, and we need clarification to assess properly. If you're moving the prop and the shaft stays stationary then the issue lies at the prop end. If there is play when you're turning the shaft left to right, then it could be the tranny. Is the play when you turn something left to right, move/shift left to right, up down?? Makes a big difference. How much play are we talking about?

Big D wrote:Could you be talking about play in the tranny? The problem is that you said the shaft stays stationary so I'm a little confused, and we need clarification to assess properly. If you're moving the prop and the shaft stays stationary then the issue lies at the prop end. If there is play when you're turning the shaft left to right, then it could be the tranny. Is the play when you turn something left to right, move/shift left to right, up down?? Makes a big difference. How much play are we talking about?

Yes there is play when i turn the shaft left to right, not much but enough to tell something is different from the other prop/shaft which turn smoothly

If you can take a picture and illustrate on it where the play is it would be helpful. You have a strut, a brearing in that strut, a stern tube, and a shaft coupler which are all potential culprits.

Sounds to me like play in the tranny, the question is how much?

Big D wrote:Sounds to me like play in the tranny, the question is how much?

Agreed ,It could be normal ( or not ), you may not feel in the other shaft due to drag of a cutlass or stuffing box. Get someone that knows to feel it .