I have always used an angle finder (available at the hardware store), but a straightedge will work to get you close. When it's right, the propshaft should slide easily into the coupler without force, and come out the same way.
We are putting the boat back together after a complete disassembly to do the floors. Any tricks to getting the V drive to line up with the prop shaft, I was just going to use a straight edge to check it. It had washers behind the brackets for adjusting the angle.I'm assuming the engine angle isn't that critical because of the u-joints. Any advise greatly appreciated.
I have always used an angle finder (available at the hardware store), but a straightedge will work to get you close. When it's right, the propshaft should slide easily into the coupler without force, and come out the same way.
Since my friend wouldnt listen to me a while back when I wanted to help him install the v-drive and shaft in a boat I sold him, let me tell you what can happen if you dont get it in right.
1-broken output shaft
2-stripped out collar
3-broken prop-shaft end
4-broken lip on log seal (wanted to sink, but fixed with half a tube of silicone)
5-seized bearings in the v-drive from imbalance and miss-alighnment
4 of these each ended thier own trip to the lake, two happened at once.
I think itsa all fixed now, but a simple mistake can be expensive.
Dragboat Dad:
We are putting the boat back together after a complete disassembly to do the floors. Any tricks to getting the V drive to line up with the prop shaft, I was just going to use a straight edge to check it. It had washers behind the brackets for adjusting the angle.I'm assuming the engine angle isn't that critical because of the u-joints. Any advise greatly appreciated. Actually engine angle is "very important", in that it needs to be "parallel" to the vdrive top shaft and offset vertically between 1-3 degrees.
Here's a recent thread on this subject:
Driveline angle
And here's a link to a driveline angle tech page:
Driveline angle 2
[ March 22, 2003, 01:25 AM: Message edited by: Rexone ]