Leaderboard

I am not really sure the exact question, but I have the same boat and have taken the shaft out and it wasn't that big of a deal. The shaft itself if it was bent could be straightened by my prop guy, he has the full truing stand for doing it and I used him on my brother-in-laws boat when he hit hard. So if it was me the shaft is supported by the cutlass bearing in the strut, if it has shifted up top it probably shifted your motor mounts a bit. I would undo the coupler from the V-drive to the shaft then rotate the shaft and inspect the cutlass bearing for play. If I could figure out a way to attach a dial indicated caliper to check the shaft for straight I would do that, if not it is pretty easy at that point to remove the shaft completely. Just put a socket or something between the two coupler halves and use some longer bolts and it will separate the coupler from the shaft. Remover your prop before doing so then the prop just slides out...some boats you may have to remove the rudder but that is pretty simple as well and is easy to get to from the locker. Then I would either roll the shaft across my wife's glass table to check for straight or I would run it down to the prop guy. If you know the shaft is straight then you need to align the v drives output flange to the other half of the props flange or coupler. If memory serves you are supposed to get it within .003 max....that is pretty square or you will wear out cutlass bearings or your shaft seal. If it were me, if you are this deep and don't have a drip-less seal already installed...do it. There are videos on shaft alignment and it is fairly simple, just takes a little patience and you ar doing the feeler gauge check blind...you cant really see what you are doing. Mine was perfect on the up and down and had moved side to side. The side to side adjustment is done with a crowbar...for real. you have to loosen the sleeves on the motormounts, hit them with some penetrating oil because they can be a little stubborn to slide. while prying on the one side you may need to tap on the other one to get it to wiggle. Getting something within .003 with a crowbar is where the patience is required. Up and down adjustments are done with a wrench on the motor mounts and is easier. Take time and you can get it. I wrench better than I type, it took me a couple hours to do mine, I was just doing cutlass bearings, dripless seal, and then aligning the motor...it took me 20 minutes to type this reply haha