I have a
Volvo Penta QL Bow Thruster - model QL CT900. It has been in the
boat since launch in 2003 and as far as I know it has the original toothed belt.
The belt failed some 9months ago but apparently the
boat needs to be lifted to change the belt - Yes I know it seems daft to me too, that the
cheap weak link
repair needs an expensive
lift to fit a new belt. So we put up with this non working thruster whilst we were cruising from N.
Sicily up the
East Coast of
Italy to Venice where she is moored over
winter.
She is due to be lifted and put
on the hard at the end of April for the annual
maintenance hull and to fix the bow thruster. There is no handbook for this model. It was originally designed and made by Engbo of
Norway but they were bought out by Sleipner who it appears modified the design and
sold it as EB90 which appears to have finished production soon after 2015. She details for this thruster on line but the shaft shown is very different to the drawings of the QL shaft. But only an exploded
parts diagram of the QL CT900 model and no workshop manual or
advice for this
repair.
I have now sourced the toothed belt and a seal kit, plus just in case a bearing set for the shaft. BUT I have lots of questions about the right procedure for
removal and
refit. Does anyone know the
Volvo Penta QL CT900 Bow Thruster?
I assume that the shaft must be pulled out with a slide hammer from inside the tunnel after removing the thruster prop, drive pin and circle, but am concerned about the toothed drive and key on the shaft clearing the bearing mounting / hole.
Is the bearing likely to come out with the shaft (I have some blind bearing puller fittings for the bearings if necessary)
When reinstalling, which way round do the the two
seals fit. They have been sent as a kit without any instructions.
Would this be better if I remove the lower thruster assembly from the tunnel, but am concerned that as this is bonded as well as bolted onto the tunnel, that
removal may damage the tunnel.
Obviously this repair is likely to be much later due to the Pandemic but I am trying very hard to get some
advice to ensure I get it right. I would be happy to have a boatyard do this but so far no takers and this was all requested well before Italy's closedown (3months).
So it is down to me........ Any advice gratefully received