Bent strut or prop shaft?

[Centurion53 4]

 

Is it me or does the strut or prop shaft look bent? I had the family on the lake over the weekend and hit floating log what felt was dead on.

 

Afterwards it seems that there is a slight vibration once above 20 mph.

 

Once I got it back on the trailer I inspected it and noticed what appears to either a bent strut or bent shaft but looking for other's opinion.

 

I assume the gap space where the shaft runs through the strut should be even but it appears that the gap is larger on the left side and appears to be almost no gap on the right side.

 

Has anyone experienced this before?

 

Thanks

 

 

 

 

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[Centurion53 4]

Here is one more picture.

 

 

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[DarksideR 1,679]

From those pics it looks like the strut is bent. Have you tried turning the prop by hand to see if the gap changes. If it does, then I'd say the shaft was bent. If it stays looking like that, the strut is bent. The gap should be equal all the way around.

 

Either way, it's a bummer.

[NW Boat Sports 232]

It does look twisted to the port side, get a pic from the transom, easier to tell that way. Shaft is supposed to be offset of the rudder slightly...

[Kevin Baugh 78]

If the strut is bent I would not be surprised if the shaft was also bent

[Cdifranco 463]

If the strut is bent I would not be surprised if the shaft was also bent

My thought too, unless that shaft has some elasticity to it but I doubt it

[Centurion53 4]

Thanks for the replies, fellas. Yeah its definitely a bummer.

 

Dark - thanks for the advice, I'll check that out today.

 

 

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[enzo101mo 98]

If your getting Vibration it is bent. I bent my prop when I came to close to shore and hit a rock and the Vibration was real bad. I changed the prop went back out and it was still Vibration. Took it to the boat shop and I had bent the shaft cost me around $ 1,000.00 to replace it and the seals

[DrNate 426]

If your getting Vibration it is bent. I bent my prop when I came to close to shore and hit a rock and the Vibration was real bad. I changed the prop went back out and it was still Vibration. Took it to the boat shop and I had bent the shaft cost me around $ 1,000.00 to replace it and the seals

 

I was just gonna say.....

 

If you're replacing the shaft you might as well go ahead and install a PSS shaft seal while you're at it if you haven't already. Best mod ever

[Tipat 0]

Hey centurion 53

 

What was the end conclusion of that ?

I got the same type of picture on my strut, there was a vibration turning on the left side or accelerating hard.

I noticed that my clamp block for the steering was worned out and there was a little bit of play on rudder....so I m planning on changing it plus changing seals on rudder.

I removed the prop and looks perfect, the shaft looks completely straight.

I noticed the shaft like yours according to the strut.

The plastic sleeves inside the cutlass bearing is worn out on that side on both bearings.

no resistance to turn the shaft and when I disconnected the shaft coupler from v-drive didn t moved so I m thinking alignment is right on too.

Could it just be related to worn strut bushing ???

 

any ideas?

Edited September 1, 2016 by Tipat

[chenige 84]

I just changed out my strut bushings. Had the engine pulled over the winter and a new PSS put in.

 

First thing I noticed In the spring was a vibration, which sounded like it was at rear of boat. Bushings were worn out. Moving the shaft did something.