HELP Prop shaft slid out, jammed rudder... Transmission related

[Zach]

Stuck in Coinjock, NC.

My propeller shaft has slid back and jammed my rudder. Atomic Four engine, Pearson Triton.

I lost all forward and reverse in the Curituck sound, the prop shaft turned when in gear. The motor reved up to about 2500 rpm, which it only can do in neutral. I thought i lost my prop.

Hopped in the water once at the dock, still had a prop, thought the key might have shared. Called a diver, he tried to pull the prop... which was stuck on. (Had a three blade and a diver at the same time...) He hammered back on the old prop and the shaft slid back and jammed my rudder.

Now when putting it in gear, the shaft no longer turns.

The hub is still attached to the shaft, the transmission side of the coupling appears to have slid out of the transmission. It turns easily, I do not know if the shaft is splined, or how it is connected. Perhaps a pin?

Do you guys have any solutions? I'm working on a fairly tight timetable... it is tempting to hammer the shaft back off the rudder and hang an outboard on the back. This would probably damage the transmission...

Thanks
Zach

[Zach]

Update: Adjusted the forward clutch and the prop shaft rotates in gear again. The shaft is still to far back, and is hitting the rudder.

There appears to be an 1/8th inch clean ring around the transmission side of the coupling slid back.

[Alan Wheeler]

OK, on the drive plate from the back of the gear box, you should have a socket that the shaft slides into. You should have a keyway on the shaft. Ensure the two are lined up and then slide the shaft into the socket. This can take some doing. But ensure it goes allt eh way home. To ensure this, you need to measure the depth of that socket and make that depth on the shaft and then sink that shaft to the mark.
One thing that can make this difficult is the shaft may have a wear mark on it where it normally rested in the Cutlass bearing. This wear produces a small lip which is sometimes just enough to catch on the bearing and stop it from sliding all the way in. Once you hav the saft forward of the rudder enough that it clear's it, you can sometimes cheat and place the running engine in fwd gear and the thrust will work the shaft home. DO NOT place it in Rev or it will slid back out again.
DO ENSURE, you turn the shaft by hand first to make sure you are not hitting anything. The prop hitting the rudder will damage something somewhere.

[OldSarg]

Damn! Your good Alan.

[Inthewind]

I did some work on a boat with an Atomic four. I replaced the whole shaft,prop and zinc's while the boat was floating. I replaced the coupler too. The coupler has three screws and nuts holding it on to the drive plate on the back of the transmission, I was lucky as they were not rusted on when I had to take them out.. The shaft end has an indention machined in it and a screw on the coupler is supposed to tighten down into that indention. A shear pin or keyway is used to hold the shaft in place.

If what Alan said doesn't work you may need to pull the prop, undo the coupler and tap it on the coupler end until it is seated properly. You could possibly use a block of wood and a mallet to tap it in from the prop end but if it doesn't go easy,then use first method.Put some WD40 on the coupler end to help it go in easier. You need to make sure you get that set screw tight into the indention. Good Luck

[Alan Wheeler]

Damn! Your good Alan.

Maybe or maybe not. But one thing is for sure. I can't spell to save myself. I just re-read what I wrote and thought, man that's bad. I reallyu must proof read more often

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Zach

Called a diver, he tried to pull the prop... which was stuck on. (Had a three blade and a diver at the same time...) He hammered back on the old prop and the shaft slid back and jammed my rudder.

This doesn't help you now, but I recommend you never use that diver for prop work again. He clearly didn't have the tools or the knowledge to properly remove or install your prop. He hammered your prop off?!!?

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by OldSarg

Damn! Your good Alan.

I'd have to agree with this. What a good response.

[Alan Wheeler]

Nah please, a big head is the last thing I need. Besides, there are many answers to a problem and everyone else has given great replies as well. Mine was just closer to the mark in this instance. Nothing more special than winning a Lottery. Now if I could just have the same luck with that.

[Zach]

Well...

It is more internal than what I was thinking when I first posted.

Alan:

The shaft is firmly in place inside the coupler. The coupler doesnt spin when the tranmission is put into gear.

I'm thinking the main shaft of the transmission snapped inside the rearmost bearing. Managed to slide the coupler back up into the transmission enough for it to clear the rudder, but only just. Still feel it in the tiller when it passes center.

I think the diver only knocked the broken output shaft out of the rearmost bearings inner race.

In any event, I've fitted a 6 horsepower outboard... which besides being hard to reach (Tritons have a little poop deck!) is marvelous for docking! No prop walk... and a stern truster. I think I'm in love.

[Alan Wheeler]

Sounds like you have a major and pulling the gear box is the next big job on the list.

[Zach]

Update:

Pulled the engine forward and seperated the shaft coupling. Nut backed off the transmission side, sheared the key.