Bushing loose in strut. Both brand new. What to do?

[fla350tt]

Bought both strut 21 and bushing from Speed Master. The bushing just slipped inside the strut where as my other ones I had to press the bushing into the strut. when I ran the boat today the bushing slid out of the strut. what can i do to get the bushing to stay in place?

[Fluid]

Do nothing. This is how they work. Just keep the bushing and shaft well lubricated.

[fla350tt]

OK. so I need to set my drive dog closer to the strut so that the flange on the bushing stays in the strut?

[dana]

Leave a small gap. The bushing will slide out but it's designed that way

[fla350tt]

thanks for the info. I damaged one strut because I was to close, now I am to far away, I will make adjustments and find the happy medium.

[jcald2000]

3/16" gap required.

[100 mph jet boat]

how far dose the stuffing tube go in the strut???

i have seen the stuffing tube only go in the strut about 1/2in and thats not far enuff. The bushing should be going in the stuffing tube

im new to this stuff but have ran into that problem . Just a thought

i was allways told the the gap should be the thickness of the flex cable 4mm = 4mm 3/16 = 3/16

[fla350tt]

i have exactly 3/16 gap, but the flange on the bushing is only 1/8. so if the bushing slides out then the bushing is really loose and not supporting the shaft properly. this really does not seem acceptable to me!!!

my stuffing tube goes in and over laps the bushing about 3/8".

[100 mph jet boat]

thats the problem i had found
made a longer tube so it went allmost to the end over 7/8 of the bushing so when it dose come out that 3/16 it's still supported by the stuffing tube

it should slide in and out but not move up down or side to side hope this makes sents

with my SM strut i can put the bushing in the tube and then slide the strut on and the bushing out side edge is flush with the strut edge so when the bushing backs out 3/16 it's still in the tube

[JonD]

I tried a Speedmaster bushing and it was loose in the strut - just fell in and had sideways movment. There has been mention several times that they are "supposed to be loose". But I couldn't come to terms with the fact. Just seemed to go against sound engineering practice to me. So I removed it and pressed in a pair of leaded Teflon bearings in instead. Now one year down the track, and they don't seem to have worn at all.

[dana]

The bushing actually goes into the stuffing tube. A 1/4 brass tube should be inside of the strut the the bushing goes into that. Never had problems with mine.

[JonD]

The bushing actually goes into the stuffing tube. A 1/4 brass tube should be inside of the strut the the bushing goes into that. Never had problems with mine.

Ah hah! That could be the problem. It was a year ago and I'm not 100% sure now, but I don't believe my stuffing tube came all the way through to the prop end of the strut. Is that how it's supposed to be with this set up?

I've still got the Speedmaster bushing somewhere, I'll go back and check its fit in a 1/4 brass stuffing tube.

Thanks Dana!

Cheers,

Jon

[dana]

Yeah that's how it should work. Try it out

[fla350tt]

thats the problem i had found
made a longer tube so it went allmost to the end over 7/8 of the bushing so when it dose come out that 3/16 it's still supported by the stuffing tube

it should slide in and out but not move up down or side to side hope this makes sents

with my SM strut i can put the bushing in the tube and then slide the strut on and the bushing out side edge is flush with the strut edge so when the bushing backs out 3/16 it's still in the tube

I do understand, thanks.

[KartRacer]

Ah hah! That could be the problem. It was a year ago and I'm not 100% sure now, but I don't believe my stuffing tube came all the way through to the prop end of the strut. Is that how it's supposed to be with this set up?

I've still got the Speedmaster bushing somewhere, I'll go back and check its fit in a 1/4 brass stuffing tube.

Thanks Dana!

Cheers,

Jon

Well that sounds interesting! If I understand this correctly then mine is wrong also. The stuffing tube only goes into the strut about 1/4 to 3/8 inch. I'll be pulling it out to check the fit. I could have misread the sheet shipped with the strut, thought it said should come through hull 1/8 inch.