Sheared Driveshaft on X10

[NoSubstitute]

Anyone ever seen anything like this? We were tubing the kids for about 30 minutes when on we idled back to pick up a tuber, and felt the boat vibrating a bit. We took off again, and felt major vibration, so I stopped immediately. But the boat into reverse, thinking we might have picked up some seaweed. Went forward again idling, and then a load clunk. No forward motion. Got towed back to the dock, put the X10 on the trailer, and couldn't believe me eyes. Prop had slide back into rudder. We don't recall hitting anything. The shaft looks straight. No dents or dings in the prop or the rudder. Any ideas?

[Jim@BAWS]

Bad alignment !!!

Purchse NEW driveshaft
get PROP refurbed
Check the bushings in the strut
Install

Alighn

That easy

Jim@BAWS

[JimN]

It needs to have the motor and strut alignment checked. If it's misaligned by too much, the stress at the point where the shaft enters the strut will cause fatigue. Remove the prop and look at the plastic in the strut bearing- it will be much thinner in one area.

[munkymush]

is it my eyes or is the strut badly bent in the second picture.. it looks bent to the left to me ?

[TMCNo1]

Originally Posted by munkymush

is it my eyes or is the strut badly bent in the second picture.. it looks bent to the left to me ?

I agree, and if the strut was bent from a previous collision with something, that could be the reason for the shaft break
I'd like to see a straight on picture from behind the rudder forward, with the rudder straight ahead and see how much if any the strut/shaft is offset to the right of the rudder.

[bigmac]

The strut is clearly bent over to the left. Needs a new shaft and strut, plug alignment and prop rebuild. Rudder may need to be dressed up too.

[NoSubstitute]

Looking straight on from the back, you're right, it is definitely bent to the left. The strange part is the boat never vibrated until right before it snapped. How difficult is it to remove and replace the strut? Does the alignment have to be done at a dealer, or can it be done on a trailer/hoist?

[TX.X-30 fan]

How does one grease the strut bearings??? And how often??

Must have gotten bent before and just was not noticed huh??

[TMCNo1]

Originally Posted by NoSubstitute

Looking straight on from the back, you're right, it is definitely bent to the left. The strange part is the boat never vibrated until right before it snapped. How difficult is it to remove and replace the strut? Does the alignment have to be done at a dealer, or can it be done on a trailer/hoist?

Exactly what I figured. I bet the boat didn't pull to the right.

Next thing ya know the rusty steel cotter pin on the prop shaft would have rotted away and fell out and you'd have lost the prop.

[TallRedRider]

I once bent a strut and never knew about it. I do remember the prop strike in retrospect, but it never vibrated. It was a mild strike and did no damage to the prop. Although that was back in the day and the prop was stainless. Those things could really take a strike! Dealer noticed it probably 6 weeks later.