Engine/shaft Alignment

[chautauquasun]

Hey guys looking to do some stringer repair on mine this weekend and align the drive shaft. I have read the instructions on how to align but my question is...When aligning the shaft do you let the engine free float on the stringers until you have it dialed in or do you have the top bolts in loosely so that it allows some lateral movement. Wasnt clear in the directions I read. Also i am wondering if mine already had some stringer and floor work done to it.

My stringers where the engine is look differenct than the other pics I have seen. Most seem to have the engine mounts recessed into the stringer. Mine sit ontop....also the mounts are not crossbolted on the bottom just top bolts and I see no holes where they could have been bolted in. Any ideas?

[Salty87]

if you can leave a hoist or whatever attached, it will be easier.

the last check is on the water though.

can you see a line in the bilge where new fiberglass overlaps old, a new layer? unless someone was really anal about grinding it, you might see lines on both sides of the bilge running fore to aft if there were new stringers.

[csuggs]

Hey guys looking to do some stringer repair on mine this weekend and align the drive shaft. I have read the instructions on how to align but my question is...When aligning the shaft do you let the engine free float on the stringers until you have it dialed in or do you have the top bolts in loosely so that it allows some lateral movement. Wasnt clear in the directions I read. Also i am wondering if mine already had some stringer and floor work done to it.

My stringers where the engine is look differenct than the other pics I have seen. Most seem to have the engine mounts recessed into the stringer. Mine sit ontop....also the mounts are not crossbolted on the bottom just top bolts and I see no holes where they could have been bolted in. Any ideas?

Dan -

My enigne mounting bolts are the same on my '86. Mounts sit atop the stringers and only one cross bolt on bottom, where there could have been two.
What are you planning to do with the stringers this weekend?
Clint

[chautauquasun]

Dan -

My enigne mounting bolts are the same on my '86. Mounts sit atop the stringers and only one cross bolt on bottom, where there could have been two.
What are you planning to do with the stringers this weekend?
Clint

Not really sure yet. My bolts are really loose and I need to find a way to tighten them up. I just dont know what I have under the fiberglass. I am hoping to be able to remove the mounts in the back one at a time and use a jack or block off wood to support the motor. I have a air cutoff tool and am hoping to be able to cut away the fiberglass on the stringers to see what is left underneath. From there I will know what I need to do...either try to scab in some new wood or if it isnt as bad as I fear may drill into the stringers and fill them with fiberglass. Looking really at a temporary fix to get it through the summer. The bolts keep loosening up and I fear that the motor could move in rough water. I want to try and get it tightened down.

God only knows what is under that fiberglass......I am visualizing the worst. We will see this weekend.

[csuggs]

I wish you the best.

[87SunSportMikeyD]

My engine mounts are also the same way. Good lucky buddy. I would maybe drill a few small holes and look at the sawdust instead of cutting it all open right away. Fill them back up with something. May be an easy way to check a larger area? GOOD LUCK!

[mapleleaf]

My tought will be with you on this one.....hoping for something dry...
As much as I don't want to know, you're gonna ahve to post some pic's......

[chautauquasun]

My engine mounts are also the same way. Good lucky buddy. I would maybe drill a few small holes and look at the sawdust instead of cutting it all open right away. Fill them back up with something. May be an easy way to check a larger area? GOOD LUCK!

Thanks Guys..yeah Mikey thats my plan right now. I am going to drill some holes first to see how bad it is. If it is still pretty solid I am going to fill them with fiberglass and epoxy and let it set up then see if I can lag bolt the mounts back in. If it is too bad then I will open up the stringers and try to scab some wood in. Looking for something to get me through the summer then maybe look at a larger tear down in the fall. Have a family reunion the middle of July and need to have it on the water by then. I will take some pics and post them next week.

[chautauquasun]

My tought will be with you on this one.....hoping for something dry...
As much as I don't want to know, you're gonna ahve to post some pic's......

Well i went up this past weekend with the worst in mind. Also found that my idea of removing one engine mount at at time really wasnt feasible. Looks like you really need to yank the entire engine out to get at the stringers.

So with plan A out of the picture I went to plan B and crossed my fingers. On my engine mounts there were no bolts in the lower bolt holes...so I removed the top bolts and lagged in bolts in the bottom...WHEWWWWW....the bottom bolts bit and pulled the mounts back into place. I was then able to find some decent wood on the top bolts and was able to tighten them down. Not perfect but I think this fix should hold through the summer and I shouldnt have to worry about the engine coming loose from the stringers........I think. Crossing my fingers that this will get me through the summer.

Thanks for all the well wishes and prayers :-)

[saltare inverts]

My stringers seem to be good. But I was wondering why aluminum plates couldnt be used. They could be angle pieces for part to sit on top and down side of stringer. They could be as long as possible then could be mounted were the wood is good. Then you will have places to tap for bolts of the motor mounts. The main problem will be the extra thickness of plates. The motor mounts could be adjusted for that I think. Seems like a good fix, maybe even a permanent addition when rebuilding old stringers.

[mapleleaf]

My stringers seem to be good. But I was wondering why aluminum plates couldnt be used. They could be angle pieces for part to sit on top and down side of stringer. They could be as long as possible then could be mounted were the wood is good. Then you will have places to tap for bolts of the motor mounts. The main problem will be the extra thickness of plates. The motor mounts could be adjusted for that I think. Seems like a good fix, maybe even a permanent addition when rebuilding old stringers.

The only problem I see would be where the rotten stringer meet;s the hull. This is where a lot of the strength comes from, so I would think it has to depend on what point you found the rot, and then still temporary...
It's easy to write about rot, knowing it's in your boat totally different..
Chautauq's really glad to hear your mounts held, gotta be another couple seasons in her yet, that's what I'm hop'in for on mine...

[chautauquasun]

Yeah I hope you are right. I took have thought about a sleeve to install over the bad stringers. Any metal fabricators out there interested in making some for me?