Anyone beat or pressed a strut back straight

[natedog]

i have a bent strut and i have heard some have been able to use a press or jack like machine to press it straight, i would like to give this a shot before i buy a new one, i was thinking of heating it up very hot and hitting it with a wood mallet because i dont have any heavy machine access. would someone point me in a direction of a shop that might have the right tools to do this, not sure what type of machine shop to look for







.

[Ribit5]

I wouldn't heat and beat on it while on the boat.

Remove the prop, unbolt the strut, slide it off the shaft.

Then try any compotent machine shop. Some heat and a press should strighten it.

Maybe others can pipe in about the material these struts are made of and whether this can strighten it without cracking.

good luck

[natedog]

oh yea forgot to say i would definitely take it off the boat if i were going to heat it up and hit it. i don't think the fiberglass would be too happy if i did it on the boat, lol

[AirTool]

By a new one.

[natedog]

my first plan was to buy a new one but 8122pbrainard said he and other long time nautique owners have done it before to save some dough

[AirTool]

By a new one.

before you are buying a new transmission along with it.

[natedog]

very true, guess i can try to press it straight, buy the new one to compare it to and if i dont think its as perfect as the new i will keep the new one.

[natedog]

took the strut to nettles props in austin and they said they have done this lots of times but if they don't think they got it perfect after they are not going to charge me so that is nice if they can't get it straight. if they straighten it up can i just slide the strut back on and does anyone know if it needs to be aligned afterwards, the shaft did not seem to move at all when i slid the strut off.

[AirTool]

took the strut to nettles props in austin and they said they have done this lots of times but if they don't think they got it perfect after they are not going to charge me so that is nice if they can't get it straight. if they straighten it up can i just slide the strut back on and does anyone know if it needs to be aligned afterwards, the shaft did not seem to move at all when i slid the strut off.

You just need to check the "runout" with a dial indicator. Maybe nettles can do it.

[DanielC]

You absolutely have to check the propeller shaft to transmission alignment after replacing the strut. Because of the length of the propeller shaft, a fraction of a degree change in the position of the strut will swing the transmission end of the shaft easily a 1/4 to 1/2 of a inch. The shaft to transmission coupling need to be aligned to within .003, both to true position, and angularity. Ideally, less than that would be good.

[AirTool]

You absolutely have to check the propeller shaft to transmission alignment after replacing the strut.

Agree...was thinking that was obvious but my comment was way misleading using the "just" work.

[horkn]

Yes, you can easily bend a strut back to straight. I just did on my 78. While I took my strut off due to the old adhesive sealant being crumbly and needing replacement anyway. I put it on a bench and used an old piece of bar stock, but you could as I have been told leave the strut on the boat and just pull the rudder and bend it back to straight. No heating is needed.