POD uppers resealed, Ceramic coated shafts installed

Discussion in 'Pod Drives' started by JamesT, Mar 12, 2021.

  1. JamesT

    JamesT Active Member

    250
    Oct 7, 2013
    Somers Point, NJ
    2011 470 Sundancer
    Cummins 480s w/ Zeus PODs
    Per my previous post, Cummins came today to lower both my pods and reseal all seals on my upper pods as well as the king pin plates. All looked great to him. He resealed them, re-hung them and also installed my newly ceramic-coated prop shafts with new seals. All is back together and the boat is ready to launch. Some photos of the day.

    Inner shaft-coated
    IMG_4435.JPG

    Outer shaft coated. (The top is just electrical tape to protect the threads in shipping)

    IMG_4452 (2).JPG

    Upper POD with King Pin Plate removed:

    IMG_4479 (2).JPG

    King Pin Plate (the side that is up faces downward when installed)

    IMG_4481 (2).JPG

    This is one of the pods in a custom made lift. He locks it into place and wheels it away from boat.

    IMG_4480 (2).JPG

    And here's everything all put back together. Note the green film on outside of pod. That's gear lube leaking out from the top, which is why I had them resealed.

    IMG_4485 (2).JPG

    IMG_4486 (3).JPG
     
  2. Shaps

    Shaps Well-Known Member GOLD Sponsor

    Nov 4, 2019
    Long Island,NY
    2010 Sundancer 500
    2015 Brig Falcon 330T
    Twin Cummins QSC550 DTS w Zeus
    No skegs?
     
    techmitch likes this.
  3. JamesT

    JamesT Active Member

    250
    Oct 7, 2013
    Somers Point, NJ
    2011 470 Sundancer
    Cummins 480s w/ Zeus PODs
    I roll without skegs ever since one fell off in open ocean and got fouled in my props. Lost a blade off one, the other was chewed up and I got a nice ding in the hull. They do nothing for performance and are there to “protect” the props haha, no thanks!
     
  4. Shaps

    Shaps Well-Known Member GOLD Sponsor

    Nov 4, 2019
    Long Island,NY
    2010 Sundancer 500
    2015 Brig Falcon 330T
    Twin Cummins QSC550 DTS w Zeus
    We run in shallow water here on south shore of long island. Id rather lose a skeg then the pod. To each their own.
    I do make sure the pins are red loctited in.
     
    Tripsdad likes this.
  5. JamesT

    JamesT Active Member

    250
    Oct 7, 2013
    Somers Point, NJ
    2011 470 Sundancer
    Cummins 480s w/ Zeus PODs
    Here’s photo. I was on my way to a 3 day weekend for Labor Day. Major bummer. I now carry a pair spare props. 8119A50B-DE47-4963-9BDB-F3CC25D7E04E.jpeg
     
  6. Blueone

    Blueone Well-Known Member SILVER Sponsor

    Jan 24, 2007
    Lake Erie, Ohio
    2004 420 Sundancer
    Cummins 6CTA 450's
    So the skegs are bolted on?
     
  7. Dunigan

    Dunigan Member

    56
    Nov 21, 2018
    2013 Sabre 42
    twin cummins qsb 6.7
    Re ceramic...what did the Cummins tech think of the ceramic solution? Re the skegs: There are updated skegs that don't fall off. (So Mercury says.) Don't know if you had the old style. My 2013 Sabre still has the old ones. BTW, your pic of your prop damage looks like blade failure to me. This failure is more common than you would expect. The previous owner of my boat had the exact same issue and I have heard of others experiencing this as well.
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Mar 13, 2021
  8. Blueone

    Blueone Well-Known Member SILVER Sponsor

    Jan 24, 2007
    Lake Erie, Ohio
    2004 420 Sundancer
    Cummins 6CTA 450's
    Same...shiny edge or bright metal was what was left when it let go
     
  9. Shaps

    Shaps Well-Known Member GOLD Sponsor

    Nov 4, 2019
    Long Island,NY
    2010 Sundancer 500
    2015 Brig Falcon 330T
    Twin Cummins QSC550 DTS w Zeus
    No they are pinned in place with these
    PXL_20210313_171019730.jpg
     
  10. Blueone

    Blueone Well-Known Member SILVER Sponsor

    Jan 24, 2007
    Lake Erie, Ohio
    2004 420 Sundancer
    Cummins 6CTA 450's
    That seems just a little problematic
     
  11. blaster

    blaster Well-Known Member

    May 23, 2011
    potomac river
    2010 sea ray 205 sport
    F-250 CCLB 6.2 4x4 3.73 rear.
    Mercruiser 4.3 mpi alpha 1.62
    How do you get under there to change props on the water?
     
  12. BEH

    BEH Active Member

    321
    Oct 8, 2018
    Lake Simcoe, Lake Nippissing & French River
    1990 20’ BR, Humminbird Helix 5, 3K Lb Trailer
    4.3 Mercruiser
    I don’t think so.
    Shiny smooth surface is pre existing defect and rough dull surface is sudden failure.
     
  13. Shaps

    Shaps Well-Known Member GOLD Sponsor

    Nov 4, 2019
    Long Island,NY
    2010 Sundancer 500
    2015 Brig Falcon 330T
    Twin Cummins QSC550 DTS w Zeus
    Why?
     
  14. Blueone

    Blueone Well-Known Member SILVER Sponsor

    Jan 24, 2007
    Lake Erie, Ohio
    2004 420 Sundancer
    Cummins 6CTA 450's
    They are roll pins... so the pin collapses in the hole. Each hole in the skeg and each hole in the main body have a tolerance on size and location. So not all holes are holding equally... to me it would be something that could be knocked off easily.
    Would be interested what the upgrade was...someone mentioned
     
  15. Blueone

    Blueone Well-Known Member SILVER Sponsor

    Jan 24, 2007
    Lake Erie, Ohio
    2004 420 Sundancer
    Cummins 6CTA 450's
    Corrosion dulls or oxidizes the surface of the crack...what’s left is raw metal...in the case of stainless, bronze, steel it’s bright
     
  16. Richey rich

    Richey rich Active Member

    392
    Sep 23, 2012
    Lake St Clair
    2010 Sea Ray 450 SunDancer
    Twin 480 Cummins w/Zeus pods
    I don’t understand if it’s a known issue that the pins vibrate loose causing the skegs to fall off and cause substantial damage. Why wouldn’t they use some sort of other fastener that can’t it vibrate loose. I understand that it needs to be able to break away in case of sticking something but they could still accomplish that using bolts and nuts that sheer away?
     
  17. Shaps

    Shaps Well-Known Member GOLD Sponsor

    Nov 4, 2019
    Long Island,NY
    2010 Sundancer 500
    2015 Brig Falcon 330T
    Twin Cummins QSC550 DTS w Zeus
    the roll pins along with the loctite and different attaching methods are the upgrade
     
  18. Blueone

    Blueone Well-Known Member SILVER Sponsor

    Jan 24, 2007
    Lake Erie, Ohio
    2004 420 Sundancer
    Cummins 6CTA 450's
    I have a boat next to me in storage that has Volvo pods where the props point forward... I took a good look at that setup and thought no matter what you hit it was going to be expensive.
    Mercury it seems wants to sacrifice the skeg and props instead of losing the pod if the hit is low... either way there is a lot of money hanging down there
     
  19. Shaps

    Shaps Well-Known Member GOLD Sponsor

    Nov 4, 2019
    Long Island,NY
    2010 Sundancer 500
    2015 Brig Falcon 330T
    Twin Cummins QSC550 DTS w Zeus
    you can see the difference between old and new in the attached service bulletin.
     
  20. JamesT

    JamesT Active Member

    250
    Oct 7, 2013
    Somers Point, NJ
    2011 470 Sundancer
    Cummins 480s w/ Zeus PODs
    The Cummins mechanic was very impressed and excited at the prospect of this becoming a solution he could now recommend to other clients in the same position.

    I know about those updated skegs but I'm still dubious and have PTSD from that Labor Day weekend lost. When the props turn they come within about .75 inch of the skegs and those things are some serious hunks of metal. Maybe it was prop failure, but when I saw that skeg missing and the other side hanging on by a thread.....well let's say I didn't think it was coincidence. I grabbed the port skeg and wripped it off and never went back to them.

    Heck, look at Volvo IPS pods, those props are forward facing and totally exposed and that's becoming the pod of the future. Makes you wonder why they even have a skeg, with it being aft of the props. And ZF pods for Yanmars have no skeg at all.
     

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