My JAE 21 FE....and a bit of a problem

[JohnZ]

Ok, so here's the results of several months off and on and finally painted. It will be clear coated as soon as I can but I have to do that on the front porch when it's warm enough.
There is also a bit of a problem as you can see from the photograph of the motor- flex shaft alignment.:(
So how should I take care of this? The flex shaft is resting against the stuffing tube and somehow I need to center it.:confused1:146779146780146781146782

[785boats]

The best solution is to remove the stuffing tube & widen the slot in the hull to the left a bit & re glue the stuffing tube to align with the motor shaft perfectly.
But that stuffing tube looks too big for the flex. Or is there a liner in there? If there is no liner, either add one or go down to the next size tube.

[JohnZ]

The stuffing tube is the size used for this boat. No liner is needed as per kit instructions. I talked with the company and was told no Teflon liner was used.
I think the only way is to use the Dremel and grind away the epoxy around the tube enough to bend it just slightly enough to get it lined up.
Removing it it going to be a bit of a problem.

[grsboats]

I second 785.....just remove this stuffing box heating the brass tube just to soften the glue and replace it...no need to use a liner but a piece of it will help for aligment during the re installation..Gill

[JohnZ]

Ok...never thought of heating it but yeah, it will soften the epoxy enough hopefully all I would have to do it just re-align it. All I need is 1/32 or so.

[785boats]

The stuffing tube is the size used for this boat. No liner is needed as per kit instructions. I talked with the company and was told no Teflon liner was used.
I think the only way is to use the Dremel and grind away the epoxy around the tube enough to bend it just slightly enough to get it lined up.
Removing it it going to be a bit of a problem.

It must just be the photo then. The stuffing tube just looked bigger than 1/4", if that is a 3/16" flex.

But yes, as Gill suggests heat will do the trick. I use a big 80W or 100W soldering iron to heat the brass until it can slide out of the epoxy.

[JohnZ]

I really don't want to remove the tube, just shift it slightly so it lines up with the collet. Besides I have the ski already attached to the bottom of the tub abd it would make for a bit of a difficult job removing and replacing it with another. I'm going to heat it and see if I can just shift it enough to make it line up.
It doesn't have to be much 1/32 or so, just enough so the flex won't rub against the stuffing tube.
Thanks.

[zooma]

Can you elongate the four holes in the motor mount to give you a 1/32" shift?

[JohnZ]

Can you elongate the four holes in the motor mount to give you a 1/32" shift?
That is something I have considered but I do not have the technology to do so. I would need to find someone with a small milling machine and no that does not give me an excuse to buy one either LOL. I have a drill press and have been able to do such but it always came out sloppy and not very well done.
I would also need to trim back one side of the front motor mount piece in order to provide some additional clearance.
I dunno, maybe I should consider using a different motor mount anyway. I'm using the one that I bought from Zipp Kits for that boat so it's not adjustable. I have another motor mount that I bought from OSE and maybe I'll see if that will make any difference.

[JohnZ]

Can you elongate the four holes in the motor mount to give you a 1/32" shift?
That is something I have considered but I do not have the technology to do so. I would need to find someone with a small milling machine and no that does not give me an excuse to buy one either LOL. I have a drill press and have been able to do such but it always came out sloppy and not very well done.
I would also need to trim back one side of the front motor mount piece in order to provide some additional clearance.
I dunno, maybe I should consider using a different motor mount anyway. I'm using the one that I bought from Zipp Kits for that boat so it's not adjustable. I have another motor mount that I bought from OSE and maybe I'll see if that will make any difference.

[Fluid]

The correct way to do it is to remove the stuffing tube by heating with a soldering iron, cutting out most of the epoxy, and re-gluing the tube in place. Use the flex cable and a short piece of the next size smaller tubing to center the cable in the stuffing tube. You will be much happier with the stuffing tube correctly installed. Poor alignment means more friction and wear on the cable. Now is the time to do it right.

BTW keep the motor mount, it is designed for this hull. The more you try to poor boy it the more disappointed you will be.



.

[zooma]

That is something I have considered but I do not have the technology to do so. I would need to find someone with a small milling machine and no that does not give me an excuse to buy one either LOL. I have a drill press and have been able to do such but it always came out sloppy and not very well done.
I would also need to trim back one side of the front motor mount piece in order to provide some additional clearance.
I dunno, maybe I should consider using a different motor mount anyway. I'm using the one that I bought from Zipp Kits for that boat so it's not adjustable. I have another motor mount that I bought from OSE and maybe I'll see if that will make any difference.

I was thinking you could put the plate in a vice and use a rat-tail file to elongate the four holes. A bit time-consuming. I would use my Dremel tool with a grinding bit. I looked at a few of these today, on club race day, and I thought there would be enough side clearance. If not, you could flat-file some off the tight edge. These things go like stink, I may have to get one for the club races.

Can't deny, Fluid does have the best advice.

[JohnZ]

[QUOTE=Fluid;675337]The correct way to do it is to remove the stuffing tube by heating with a soldering iron, cutting out most of the epoxy, and re-gluing the tube in place. Use the flex cable and a short piece of the next size smaller tubing to center the cable in the stuffing tube. You will be much happier with the stuffing tube correctly installed. Poor alignment means more friction and wear on the cable. Now is the time to do it right.

BTW keep the motor mount, it is designed for this hull. The more you try to poor boy it the more disappointed you will be.

Fluid, Thanks. Your suggestion sounds good and yes there is no other mount that will work for this boat. So I'm not going to fiddle with it.