Who would you recommend for chrome plating a sail drive prop shaft?

[Ostinato]

I have a ZF SD10 prop shaft that has small amount crevice corrosion where the seals touch the shaft. Else where in this forum there is mention of correcting this type problem by hard chrome plating that area of the shaft.

Does anyone have any recommendations on who could do it? I am locate in Florida right now but anywhere in U.S. would be great.

[boatbod]

Too fix the crevice corrosion you would have to have the shaft ground down sufficiently to remove the pits, then built up with hard chrome. Try your local crankshaft shop - if you give them the grinding job they may be able to advise where to go for chrome.

If ur were mine, I'd probably just replace the shaft. Cheaper & easier in the long run.

[svlamorocha]

I would use Speedi sleeves. The gold-colored ones last long.

[boatbod]

Originally Posted by svlamorocha

I would use Speedi sleeves. The gold-colored ones last long.

Yes, that is an expedient option that we've used to repair drives before. Under such circumstances I recommend ordering a new shaft so you'll have it ready in case the speedi sleeve wears out or fails.

[Ostinato]

I've heard mix results about sleeves and new shafts according to ZF need replacing every 1400 hours. They also don't like to sell them to you; they'd rather sell an entire leg. (The part number for the shaft doesn't even appear on their diagrams made available to the public.)

Chroming should provide better life (based on comments in this forum) even if more expensive initially.

[Captain Bill]

Marinepro in Cocoa Florida put sleeves on the shafts of our Yanmars. They turned the shafts down slightly on a lathe then put on the sleeves. New SD60's from Yanmar look are made by ZF and look just like an SD10 so they can probably handle it. They are not affiliated with any particular yard and will come out to any local yard where you have your boat hauled. We had our boat hauled at Scorpion Marine in Port Canaveral. They have a nice wide travel lift suitable for Catamarans up to 28 feet wide and a reasonable day rate for being on the hard. Since you know you have crevice corrosion am I to assume you are already hauled and the drives disassembled? Florida is a big state, a little more specificity in your location might help putting you in touch with someone local.

[Ostinato]

Right now I am in Florida panhandle near Tallahassee.

[neilpride]

Do you have a type of dry lip seal stufing box?

[Ostinato]

No these are sail drives unfortunately. No stuffing boxes.

[boatbod]

Shafts for Yanmar drives are definitely available but they often have to come from Japan so lead time is measured in weeks.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Ostinato

I've heard mix results about sleeves and new shafts according to ZF need replacing every 1400 hours. They also don't like to sell them to you; they'd rather sell an entire leg. (The part number for the shaft doesn't even appear on their diagrams made available to the public.)

Chroming should provide better life (based on comments in this forum) even if more expensive initially.

Replace every 1400 hours??? Good grief!

And folks wonder why some of us prefer shaft drives...

But I've lost the plot here: are we talking about simple wear from the lip seal, or are we talking about damage from electrolysis? The former could be addressed by the Speed Sleeve approach, but I wonder if the latter would do as well with that treatment? Lack of symmetry might be a problem better dealt with by grind/chrome/grind, and the chrome might even give better wear life.

Jim

[Ostinato]

Yes exactly Jim. I am willing to spend the money especially for the extra wear value. The question is where?