prop shaft through the log issue

[SanFran 12]

If anyone can asisst with ideas, I would greatly appreciate them...

 

Had an issue with seawater coming through the log (not the speedo log, the exit box/dead wood??) where the prop shaft exits the inside and reappears on the outside... The shaft goes through a bronze bracket which houses the stuffing box (and possibly the fwd bearing, as there is a grease line attached) and is secured by two bronze bolts/studs to the block of wood.

 

We werent sure if the water was coming through the INSIDE of the bronze tube in which is cased the prop shaft, then through the threaded end onto which is fitted the stuffing box housing... OR, the water was coming up OUTSIDE of the tube and then between the block of wood (log) and the stuffing box housing.... capeche?

 

Now to complicate matters.... in removing the stuffiing box bracket, I snapped off one of the two bronze studs, leaving it in the log of wood. And to REALLY screw things up, in order to removed the stuffing box using a hacksaw blade - ie to cut the broken stud, the bronze tube has shifted in its shaft about 3mm towards the motor.

 

(start laughing about now...)

 

Situation:

The stuffbox is off the wood, (loose on the shaft);

The stud remains inside the wood... theres not enought room to get a drill down and an 'easyout' in, to remove it;

Tightening up the box on the threaded end of the tube leaves about a 2mm gap and to get it tight (watertight) it is offset from its original position, hence would need two new holes to be bored into the log of wood...(where I cant get a drill in place).

 

can anyone help me PLEASE!

[SanFran 12]

OPTION 1:

Try and obtain a 'short' length elec drill, remove the broken stud, fill and retap holes, tighten the box to the shaft, (wont go to end of thread though) fill the gap (epoxy or seka?) and hope to blazes it works...

or

OPTION 2:

Leave broken stud in place, fill old removed stud hole, drill 2 new offset holes, tighten stuff box to tube - so its tight, and off-set to new holes, (more likely to be watertight) fill with seka, and keep fingers crossed.

 

If I havent bored you all..

For added note, the exit of the shaft tube was cracked, allowing water in, so it will have to be resealled on the outside of the hull (not a major), and there was wearing on the side wall of the tube, indicating in all probabilty that the skeg with the cutlass bearing has probably had a bit of sidewards force at some stage in its long life, and is slightly off-centre.

 

You can double over, clutching your sides in laugher now, sound in the knowledge that someone else out there has greater problems than you!

[SanFran 12]

Is it possible to get a drill bit with like a universal joint to allow drilling around corners?

[too_tall 15]

Yes, sort of. You can get a right angle drive which attaches to the drill to make drilling "around corners" easier. You can also get reverse drill bits, which can often help in removing broken bolts as they heat it, apply a loosening pressure, and hopefully removing the broken bit.