Spun hub or lower unit problem?

[ldv5379]

Im not sure if this is the right place for this so someone please let me know ....

Went to Texoma camping this weekend and took the boat. 1985 Procraft 1750V with a 150 hp Evinrude. Now my father-in-law gave my wife and I this boat and he had it trailered/garaged and started it periodically but not on the water. SO needless to say I have replaced a LOT of worn ouut parts that didn't show up until putting it in the water. Enough history .... So SAaturday morning I got the boat and was going to meet everyone at the dock. I wanted to run it before I pickup them up so I tried to holeshot and in the middle lost thrust and it sounded like I had the throttle(not shifter) wide open. I backed off and it seemed fine, however when iI picked up my people, when gas it again. for want of a better word, it broke loose and sounded like the throttle again. At camp, I googled it and everything UI read sounded like a spun hub. The motor free spins in neutral, locks in reverse, but forward spins freely clockwise with a slight "ting" but you can also go counterclockwise but tens to be difficult to move. Because its a 1985 and I have no idea when or even if the hub nas ever been replace, I think I'm going to go ahead and replace the hub. Could it be an adjustment on the shifter cable? I plan to check that tomorrow by taking the shift cable off and work it by hand. But as I said, reverse seems to work. Any suggestions??

 

[alldodge]

Sure sounds like the hub, don't think it's the cable

 

[Chris1956]

Agreed, sounds like the hub. If the prop is newer and has the modular hub, it will be easy to replace. If older with the pressed in hub, you need to find a prop shop, or buy a new prop and modular hub.

 

[ldv5379]

I had the hub replaced, there were no splines at all on the hub. Reinstalled the prop, same problem, put in forward gear and it still spins with the "tinging". Its a 104 outside so tomorrow ill disconnect the shifter cable and try shifting it into gear by hand. If that doesnt work, looks like the shop. Any more suggestions?

 

[alldodge]

Has to be the cable with a new hub, guess I'm not understanding everything that is happening.

With a Alpha drive you should be able to put drive in forward and the prop will lock rotating counter-clockwise. Rotate the prop clockwise and it will click, click, click etc. This is the dog clutch slipping in/out

If the dog clutch is not fully engaging, or if the dog cluck teeth are badly worn it will not hold in gear under heavy load

 

[ldv5379]

I have read where people say to disconnect the shifter cable and try to shift it by hand. So I tried it and voila it shifts into forward and locks the hub put the cable back on and adjusting as far as I can, it doesn't go into gear. But if I manually push the gear shifter it shifts into gear. Now this is a 1985 procraft 1750V with Evinrude 150 hp that my wife and I were gifted by my father-in-law and I'm more than reasonably sure he never replaced it. Im no expert but it seems my next step is to replace the cable. If it is the cable, I was thinking that I should just replace both. Ideas?

 

[Chris1956]

Some of the older control cables have a screw clamp that holds the end on. If you have that, you may be able to loosen the clamp and move the end to shorten the cable a bit. Post a picture of the engine end of the cable.

 

[ldv5379]

Some of the older control cables have a screw clamp that holds the end on. If you have that, you may be able to loosen the clamp and move the end to shorten the cable a bit. Post a picture of the engine end of the cable.

Before I saw your post I decided to mess around with the cable. Where it was located wasnt working so I took off the clamp and turned the adjustment wheel clockwise. Then replaced and tried it. Lo and behold reverse and forward seem to be working, both lock the hub while neutral spins freely. I tell you, I learn something new every day that I work on this boat. I did take the control bov apart and while there was some damage I dont think its enough to replace it right now. Cant find a compatible control box anyway. In the future Im sure I will need to replace the cables and box but for now it should work!!

 

[alldodge]

Cable is worn, you will be replacing it soon

 

[Chris1956]

Gee, I thought you said it was at the limit of it's adjustment. Control boxes should be readily available.

 

[ldv5379]

Gee, I thought you said it was at the limit of it's adjustment. Control boxes should be readily available.

You would think they would be. Cant find it online. Lots of control boxes, mine has a place to connect the tach that I dont see on the others. Ill have to call. I made an adjustments to the cable by taking it completely out of the bracket and turning the trunion to make it a little longer. Tried it in my driveway, had reverse and forward. I know it isnt under load yet but its an improvement. Going to try and take it out Saturday if I can find an open boat ramp.

 

[Texasmark]

Has to be the cable with a new hub, guess I'm not understanding everything that is happening.

With a Alpha drive you should be able to put drive in forward and the prop will lock rotating counter-clockwise. Rotate the prop clockwise and it will click, click, click etc. This is the dog clutch slipping in/out

If the dog clutch is not fully engaging, or if the dog cluck teeth are badly worn it will not hold in gear under heavy load

I bought a 110 HP Mercruiser decades ago in an 18' Starcraft Holiday, 1965 model as I recall, well used.....er ah abused, and under power it would break loose. After a lot of head scratching since I was new to tearing into something with which I had absolutely no experience, I disassembled the gear train in the lower unit (getting the spanner nut off to allow the rear bearing carrier out was almost impossible), and sure enough the tips on the rear of forward gear (part of the clutch dog function) were rounded off. So it happens.
Solution is new F gear and new spring part of the clutch dog function inside the front of the prop shaft, and the clutch dog itself.....if F gear is worn, the front sawtooth of the dog surely is worn too.