Cause of Drive Shaft breaking underway?

[jcaesar625]

I have a 1999 Johnson Ocean Pro 225. I had the lower end unit built after reverse wasn?t always engaging. Replaced the forward gears, reverse gears, pinion, clutch dog, etc. I had it out on its 4th trip this weekend since the rebuild, and while it we were running about 20 knts in < 1ft seas, it acted like it just popped out of gear. No loud noises, engine just rev?d really high, and we weren?t going anywhere. Couldn?t go forward or reverse. I actually thought I spun a prop. Got towed back to the dock (thank god for Sea Tow), and it was apparent there was nothing wrong with the prop. I had my mechanic look at it the next day. It wouldn?t shift into forward or reverse gear. The helm controls would move, but he said it wasn?t engaging. He tried shifting it by hand at the engine, and the shift lever would move, but still not engage. He removed the lower unit today to take it to the shop that rebuilt it, and he said I had a busted lower drive shaft. The shop that rebuilt it said that I HAD to hit something. We definitely did not hit anything that I?m aware of. I think we would of heard it? Anyone know what could have caused it? Could the lower unit not being installed back right by the Mechanic caused it?

Secondly, would this be covered by insurance?

Thanks.

 

[wayneo99]

Re: Cause of Drive Shaft breaking underway?

Insurance covers you if you hit a submerged object like a log or rock etc. You did say that youdid hit something right?

 

[wilde1j]

Re: Cause of Drive Shaft breaking underway?

I've had only one case of a drive shaft failure in my own motors. It was a J 140 '85 that had the shaft fail just below the water pump and it wasn't associated with a strike, because there was old corrosion on 75% of the shaft area, indicating a crack was present for a very long time. All it took was one more shift into fwd and bang, that was it. It might be covered, but I doubt it.

In my case, I suspect the crack existed from when the shaft had been manufactured and it escaped QC. It took over twenty years to fail!