Quote:
Originally Posted by tuskie
Don't stress too much about the SD50. There are heaps in use with very happy users, the few problems are widely broadcast but the majority are happy and silent. Treat them well and they will give good service. If the cones do start slipping they are easily repaired by lapping with grinding paste, either by a mechanic or yourself. There are plenty of instructions on internet for how-to. The SD60 may prove to be a more serviceable saiłdrive, but it's still fairly new and we'll have to wait to find out. In the meantime I'd be keeping the SD50s unless they couldn't be trusted, and spending the money on about a thousand more important upgrades. More efficient refrigeration, shade covers, solar panels, etc.
Why is the need to use a different oil in saiłdrive such a HUGE advantage? I haven't found the need to carry a small bottle of Mercruiser transmission oil for the SD50s such an imposition.
Happy shopping.
|
Thanks Tuskie,
I guess at this stage I simply don't have much confidence in the SD 50. I realise that people will scream loudly on the
internet about something that gives issues and stay quiet when they are having no problems. It's just that there seems very few people with different
saildrive issues compared to the
SD50. Also, 250 hour inspections and possible replacement/lapping of a
clutch seems far too often for me. Also, it seems that only very experienced
yanmar mechanics are familiar with shimming the shafts correctly to ensure good
service, and the output shafts wear at the seal location. I guess I could do all that
work myself, but I like to minimise doing too much
engine work if possible, much prefer prefer reliable
equipment like toyota's
.
I have the manual for the SD 60 and the recommended
maintenance is simply change oil @ 250 hours ( from within the
engine room without the use for compressed air and possible seal blowout), and grease prop spline @ 500 hours.
Also most people recommend using synthetic oil in the SD50 which is 3 times more expensive than the oil based version, but I agree that isn't really an issue by itself.
The big question is how reliable will the SD60 be. It seems
yanmar has pretty much admitted previous issues with the info on the new SD60. My catapiller
mechanic friend told me that they went to multi disc wet clutches on their
marine drives for exactly the same
reliability issues.
Sorry for the thread drift, but to me this is an important consideration when
buying a L400, and the choice of
saildrive. The 29 HP yanmar had none of these issues with its dog
clutch.