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  #1   IP: 45.48.80.165
Old 09-22-2020, 11:07 AM
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Columbia 30 Vdrive Alignment

Hi, just got my boat out of the yard.
I am trying to figure out how to do this. It seems that the propshaft couupler sits about a 1/4" to the right.

So all the videos I have watched it talks about moving the motor mount nuts, but do I actually need to start at the motor mount bolts themselfs?

It just seems with a Vdrive it makes the alignment alot more difficult.

I am just looking for some resources to wrap this around my head.

Thanks.
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Old 09-22-2020, 03:34 PM
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Here is a picture of my current set up. Just curious, is there another coupler that should come off of the V drive to meet up with the propshaft coupler?
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Old 09-22-2020, 04:39 PM
Dave Neptune Dave Neptune is online now
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You will need to slide the mounts over a bit. If on standard mounts you should be able to loosen and slide the whole engine around. Get it as close as you can get it aligned then time to adjust the vertical alignment with the "block mounts". You may need to repeat a few times to really get it close.

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Old 09-22-2020, 05:33 PM
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Horizontal alignment is just as important as vertical. What you're trying to do is minimize the bending stress in the shaft. Too much bending and the shaft will break. Trust me on this. I've seen a boat with a 16" shaft lose propulsion when the shaft broke.
Typical A4 installation has good adjustment capability in the vertical direction. You can shim between the oil pan and the engine bed, or play with the nuts on the resilient mounts. But there's rarely provision for adjusting the horizontal alignment or holding things in place once you manage to get it good.
My practice was to get the vertical alignment first. Then I'd horse things into place for horizontal - then pour some filler between the stud and the oil pan to hold it there. During a spinnaker knockdown, there are enough other things to worry about (keeping the crew on board) without worrying about engine alignment.
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Old 09-25-2020, 11:30 AM
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Thank you guys, I had a mechanic come down, that I became friends with. He showed me how to do it.

Now I have a coupler stuck on the prop shaft, I am about to order the split coupler, but in the description, it says not for use on vdrives. Can I still use the split coupler?
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Old 09-25-2020, 04:37 PM
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I believe the OEM part numbers are different. Hence the warning. Ken should have the info. Give him a call.

Bill

Last edited by W2ET; 09-25-2020 at 04:43 PM.
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Old 09-25-2020, 05:37 PM
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The propshaft is 1" I had to get a machine shop to make a new one. The coupler is 1", the current coupler is 1". I don't see where I could go wrong. I called Ken, no response yet. Thanks.
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Old 09-25-2020, 06:04 PM
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Check that the number, radius, and pattern of bolt holes are the same.
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  #9   IP: 45.48.80.165
Old 09-25-2020, 06:11 PM
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Ok i just checked on the online catalog. No measurements there.
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Old 09-25-2020, 07:43 PM
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The following was copied from Westerbeke's parts manual for the A4. Note that the part numbers differ, depending on model (direct drive/reduction gear/v-drive).
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Old 09-26-2020, 10:17 AM
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Thanks yes I see that, so do you know where I can buy one?
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Old 09-26-2020, 10:51 AM
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I did find one Google hit for a coupling using the part number for a v-drive and a 1" shaft. Click here. That doesn't necessarily mean the item is actually in stock. Presumably, this is not a split coupling. The price seems ridiculous, which is typical for Westerbeke OEM parts. There must be something cheaper, even if starting from scratch.

Note Ed's advice:
Quote:
Check that the number, radius, and pattern of bolt holes are the same.
If you have that info, maybe MMI might be convinced to special order one for you? What did Ken have to say?

Bill

Last edited by W2ET; 09-26-2020 at 11:04 AM.
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Old 09-26-2020, 11:08 AM
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Yea, ok i was doing some searching as well. Ken hasn't called me back yet. I did call on pst time. My boat has a direct drive coupler, and the previous owner was running the boat. Since I had a new shaft built at 1" then a couoler from moyer should work. I don't freaking get it..
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Old 09-26-2020, 12:11 PM
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two years ago I went through this process on my project C&C33 1976. Needed to completely rebuild the stub tube and re-align everything form the prop skep forward to the V-drive. 1) as others have stated - axial alignment with the shaft is essential 2) the coupling on the end of the shaft must be square with the axis of the shaft as well. If it has any angle it will try to create a bend in the shaft causing a wobble that wears the stuffing box.

In my case both were off and the shaft was banging against the stub tube in forward and had worn the fiberglass very thin on the starbord side. Not sure how the PO tolerated that banging (like Poseidon with a ball-peen hammer!). In reverse the rearward force of the prop exerted just enough pull to stop the banging.

At that time Moyer did not have the right coupler. I checked with the Walther co in NJ and they might be able to find the right coupler.

I ended up taking my shaft, prop, and old coupler to a shop here north of Boston to manufacture a new coupler, square it, and check the entire shaft for any cracks and any bend I could not identify by rolling on a counter top. Not cheap but worth it to be sure my new stub tube, stuffing box effort is all good. Last season proved that part of the system as smooth as hoped for.

That coupler and output flange are extremely close to the underside of the V-Drive - approx credit-card thickness. I searched for a split coupler that would fit that 2-7/8 diameter and never did find one. If you do find a split that fits, let me know :-)

Good luck
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Last edited by dplidr@gmail.com; 09-26-2020 at 12:15 PM. Reason: one more thing
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  #15   IP: 98.117.4.37
Old 09-26-2020, 04:59 PM
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V-drive output and prop shaft couplings

Rando; I don't see anything in your earlier reporting to indicate why you think you need a new output coupling. You apparently concluded that you needed a new prop shaft, and it appears that your main problem at the moment is that you can't pull the prop shaft coupling from your old prop shaft so you can remove the old shaft and replace it with your new one. This is not unusual. You may have to have your mechanic use a "Sawzall" to cut the old shaft in two pieces.

Then with the old shaft removed, you can take the part with the prop shaft coupling attached to your local machine shop and have the coupling pressed off, cleaned up, and made ready to install on your new shaft. Don
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Old 09-26-2020, 05:55 PM
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Hey Don, yes thats one of my issues, but I'm making a puller. The main concern that we are trying to figure out. Is that your couplers have descriptions that state, not reccomended for v drives. Just trying to figure out why. If its ok to use a coupler from your site then I will be buying as soon as you give the green light.
Thanks
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Old 09-26-2020, 09:11 PM
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Output and prop shaft couplings

Rando,

The engine output couplings, and all of the prop shaft coupling options in our online catalog, are designed to work only on direct drive Atomic 4s.

The demand for output couplings and/or prop shaft couplings for V-drive and Reduction gear models of the Atomic 4 is so low that it would cost you more for us to have one custom made than if you took your coupling in to a local machine shop to have one made.

I'm still uncertain why you think you need a new coupling (output or prop shaft coupling). The photo you posted at the beginning of this thread appears to show that you have an output coupling on your V-drive as well as on your prop shaft. Don
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Old 09-26-2020, 09:19 PM
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I just got done swapping motors in this boat, also just came off the hard. Had to have a propshaft machined due to the boat not having zinks on it for probably many years. I just acquired the boat this last April. I went to put the old coupling back onto the new propshaft. Come to find out it wouldn't fit, so I started taking a mallet to hammer it on further.

Now im stuck with the coupler stuck on the propshaft, so i was going to buy your split hub coupler.

And yes the v drive has a flange. It seems to be part of the vdrive. But that coupler mates up with the propshaft coupler.

Just had the engine aligned, been putting a Ton and ton if work into this boat. So just needed to know if the couplers on your site would work.
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Old 09-26-2020, 09:22 PM
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Here is am example of the v drive flange. I just can't get it to the set screw mark. I was just thinking to drill a tapered set screw hole and just leave as is. But that is probably not going to work, someone said I could wind up splitting the shaft.
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Old 09-26-2020, 09:23 PM
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Here are the images
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Old 09-27-2020, 11:03 AM
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I just dont see why your couplers on your site won't work. I had a 1" propshaft made. It should work.
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Old 09-27-2020, 11:28 AM
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Coupling compatibility

Coupling compatibility depends on more than just the shaft diameter. The bolt patterns and facial features on the couplings are different between direct drive, V-drive, and reduction gear versions of the Atomic 4. This is why none of our direct drive couplings would work in your V-drive installation.

It appears that your new shaft may be a bit oversized. The really professional solution would be to take the new shaft and your prop shaft coupling in to the machine shop that made your new shaft and have one or the other adjusted for a nice slip fit. It shouldn't take more than gentle tapping to seat the coupling onto the prop shaft. Don
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Old 09-27-2020, 12:08 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Don Moyer View Post
The really professional solution would be to take the new shaft and your prop shaft coupling in to the machine shop that made your new shaft and have one or the other adjusted for a nice slip fit. It shouldn't take more than gentle tapping to seat the coupling onto the prop shaft.
I used to go further than that at the factories, my shafts could be slid in by hand and let the coupling set screws (set in generous shaft dimples) do all the holding. It brings a tear to my eye when I see yard employees installing shafts with sledge hammers on wood blocks.
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Old 09-28-2020, 09:38 AM
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Hey guys, I received a response from Walter's customer service. Maybe save as a sticky for the part number. Thanks again for your help guys.

I'm almost done with my boat!!!!! Yewwwwwww! Well at least done with the functional aspects. Been going full steam since April lol!

Randy,

For a model RV-10D WALTER V-Drive and 1" propeller shaft, our part number is #10-25-1". Cost is $178.00, in stock.

If you need the (3) coupling bolts and lockwashers #10-25B, they are available at a cost of $3.35 each
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Old 09-30-2020, 10:38 PM
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My installation is the one that triggered the note on the Moyer store that the split couplings don't work with a Vee drive. Too many differences - face indexing/register pattern, bolt distance from center, very little space between the shaft and the engine to accommodate the wider diameter of the split coupling...my machine shop flatly refused but nicely talked me out of it too.

https://www.moyermarineforum.com/for...ad.php?t=11504

Don has been offering split couplings for years but only until this season did somebody with a vee drive try to put one on. Well...two somebodies. Welcome to the club!

I bit the bullet and bought that pricy Walter coupling when I dealt with this in 2001. Ended up reusing that coupling. The moral of the story is...pay up and cry once.

As for getting the shaft out of the coupling: this is a terrible job in the confines of the engine room, and a puller might not do the trick. I cut my 3/4" shaft with a cheap Harbor Freight oscillating saw and some midpriced Bosch bimetal blades. Took less than 15 minutes. A Sawzall would have been faster but could not be maneuvered into that tiny space. Replaced the shaft easily online from Deep Blue Yacht Supply - but take the measurements of your old shaft carefully!
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