Alpha-1 lower unit damaged, but how? pics.

[mylesm260]

Finished a day of boating, went to rinse the leg out, and noticed some damage to my lower drive.

I have absolutely no idea how it happened. I Don't recall anything coming close to the drive, and I certainly don't remember hitting anything.


I was beached for awhile, but my leg was lifted, and my stern was always deeper than my bow. If the damage occurred from being beached, you would think it would be lower in the drive.

I inspected the rest of the drive, where was no visible damage to anything else, lower section of the leg lookes fine, as well as the prop.


Anyone have any idea what happened?

I'm pretty sure I know what my options are, I've been down this road before.

1. buy a new lower unit
2. remove the lower, disassemble it, and have the break repaired and welded.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Alpha-1 lower unit damaged, but how? pics.

You didnt stop anyplace for a bite or a brew between the water and the driveway? Kinda looks like you were backed into.

 

[mylesm260]

Re: Alpha-1 lower unit damaged, but how? pics.

Nope, I was with the boat the entire time.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Alpha-1 lower unit damaged, but how? pics.

Although the prop doesn't show it, it sure looks like something entered the area between the prop and the anti-ventilation plate and got pushed up by the spinning prop. Possibly a log. Did you file that anode like that, or is that missing chunk new? If it's new, you definately had something get in the prop and jam up against the plate and break it.
Have you owned the boat since it was new? Any chance that plate has been repaired before?

 

[mylesm260]

Re: Alpha-1 lower unit damaged, but how? pics.

The anode I filed down. I had to for my 4 blade 23P prop to clear.

 

[WAVENBYE2]

Re: Alpha-1 lower unit damaged, but how? pics.

You could have been at WOT when that happened too and maybe just maybe you didn't hear it, maybe a small piece of drift wood?

 

[mylesm260]

Re: Alpha-1 lower unit damaged, but how? pics.

Ya, I think that makes sense.... lots of drift wood in the river I was on today.


Think I should bother trying to get it welded, or should I go SEI?

 

[WAVENBYE2]

Re: Alpha-1 lower unit damaged, but how? pics.

I think it's an alloy, Once it been cracked it could be a weak spot and if something else happens like that again and hits the same spot, I don't know, next time damage could be worse, hate to see that piece go flying out like shrapnal and causing more damage or an injury accure, imagine if that was just welded and that happened, but I do know a local who does weld broken skegs too that have been torn off. Maybe some one else will have different opinion on this. Just an opinion, not to sure if welding is ok, there will be more opinions on here

 

[stonyloam]

Re: Alpha-1 lower unit damaged, but how? pics.

Your local prop shop could probably weld it, there are a bunch of used lower unit (bare) gear cases on ebay ($125 and up)that you could have your internal parts installed in. If you have enough left on the port side to get a couple of bolts in, you could try a cobra plate ( http://www.cobramarine.com/ ) that mounts underneath what is left of your cavitation plate (maybe epoxy the broken part to the plate), might work. Just some ideas that might be a little less expensive than a new lower unit. Good luck!

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Alpha-1 lower unit damaged, but how? pics.

Ya, I think that makes sense.... lots of drift wood in the river I was on today.


Think I should bother trying to get it welded, or should I go SEI?

Lots of wood on the river, eh? Yep, exactly what I said happened. And see, you guys all think insurance adjusters are morons. Not this one!

The way your case is busted is different than most. Most just break the flat outer edge off, re-weld that. Your's goes through the middle and the curves. i am not sure I would trust it. And it would need disassmbled in order to do it right. By the time you pay for all that... you could have bought 3 SEI lower units at $795 (or is it $895) a piece. This is a another "no brainer" to go with an SEI drive, that is brand new with a 3 year no fault warranty. So if you do this again in the next three years, they'll send you a new one.

 

[bigskiohio]

Re: Alpha-1 lower unit damaged, but how? pics.

turn in to insurance and let them pay.

 

[jkust]

Re: Alpha-1 lower unit damaged, but how? pics.

Wow you guys are good troubleshooters but I am still stuck on how he wouldn't hear this happen. I am also impressed by how good of condition the edges of his prop are in.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Alpha-1 lower unit damaged, but how? pics.

Well, jkust, boats are noisy, and wood is not when it hits aluminum. Also, if you look real close, the edges of his prop do have some missing paint. And from a flat 2 dimesional picture, we can't see if they are bent at all.
What we can see is that there is no huge impact mark to the rear of the ventilation plate, like there would be if he backed into something. That's just about the only other way this could have happened. And with the upward displacement of the port side cav plate, impact from below seems pretty logical. Sorry it's not logical to you, though.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Alpha-1 lower unit damaged, but how? pics.

turn in to insurance and let them pay.

You could do that, but is it really worth your deductible, a claim against your policy, and increased rates for something that should cost under $900?

 

[jkust]

Re: Alpha-1 lower unit damaged, but how? pics.

Well, jkust, boats are noisy, and wood is not when it hits aluminum. Also, if you look real close, the edges of his prop do have some missing paint. And from a flat 2 dimesional picture, we can't see if they are bent at all.
What we can see is that there is no huge impact mark to the rear of the ventilation plate, like there would be if he backed into something. That's just about the only other way this could have happened. And with the upward displacement of the port side cav plate, impact from below seems pretty logical. Sorry it's not logical to you, though.

I was just thinking how quiet I/O's are plus you can just feel a thump. I haven't boated rivers yet so I don't know driftwood's potential. It is all logical but not feeling a thump or a noise isn't. Just another thing to worry about I guess.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Alpha-1 lower unit damaged, but how? pics.

2. remove the lower, disassemble it, and have the break repaired and welded.

Ayuh,... I have my own welders,+ 1 of which is always set up for Aluminum....

That crack being Soo far from any seals, or other Criticals,....
I'd weld it up Right on the boat....
At worst, the lower could be pulled, just to make it easier to see,+ lay down a decent bead...

If there was Any concerns at all about the Heat,...
A Wet rag just away from the repair area will take care of that....

 

[mylesm260]

Re: Alpha-1 lower unit damaged, but how? pics.

Makes sense,

When I bought this boat, some pieces were missing from the plate. I cut some up out of aluminum, and had a local shop weld it for me.

In the pictures, you can see one of the pieces I fabed and had welded. Right on the end of the left side, there is about a 1 1/2 inch piece. The light in the picture shows the line where it was welded. It looks like the welded section was where the damage is, and the weld didn't break, so I'm guessing welding works, and will work in this case as well.

 

[mylesm260]

Re: Alpha-1 lower unit damaged, but how? pics.

Wow you guys are good troubleshooters but I am still stuck on how he wouldn't hear this happen. I am also impressed by how good of condition the edges of his prop are in.

My boat has a pretty loud stereo. =)

 

[bigskiohio]

Re: Alpha-1 lower unit damaged, but how? pics.

there was one guy who ran water thru it as he welded to protect seals

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Alpha-1 lower unit damaged, but how? pics.

bond-o, thanks for the real world experience of welding even through those areas. Do you still feel it should be welded even though it's been welded before? At what point is it too much/too often?
Believe me, I am a total cheapskate. But if that were my drive, I wouldn't weld it again. But if I did, I'd have sei ordering system on speed dial. Cause I just have a feeling that it's going to break again. I "guess" if a nice guy like bond-o said he'd weld it for $100, I'd do it. But arounf here, guys seem to think they should get unionwages, and they would charge $250 to do that job.