Flex shaft lubrication

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  • russmustar
    Junior Member
    • Feb 2009
    • 20

    #1

    Flex shaft lubrication

    Hello all-I am new to FE, but have raced nitro and gas boats on and off for the last 25yrs. I have always used cable grease of one kind or another with no problems as far as prop shaft staying lubed. In the old days, we used either lead teflon, oillite, or needle bearings in the strut, with a nose piece to support the stuffing box. I would lube before each race day and had no issues. Now, the preferred bearing system in nitro and gas is to use the stuffing tube all the way through the strut and a one size smaller short piece of brass tubing with holes as a bearing. With my gas boat, I can get through a whole race day(3 heats) without relubing, this is not true with my FE boats. I know they are spinning the props at a much higher rpm, and, to me, with the tubing/bearing system, there doesn't seem to be enough room to get the lube in there. After one heat, the lube is almost gone off the prop shaft, but the cable is still greasy. Am I doing something wrong or is there a better way? Thanks in advance-Russ
  • domwilson
    Moderator
    • Apr 2007
    • 4408

    #2
    Here is what others are using... http://forums.offshoreelectrics.com/...highlight=lube
    Government Moto:
    "Why fix it? Blame someone else for breaking it."

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    • properchopper
      • Apr 2007
      • 6968

      #3
      FWIW, I've been using standard marine grease with a shot of 20/50 synthetic motor oil [Harley Davidson brand]. I picked up some Grimracer grease recently & lubed the shaft of my OPC tunnel lower end with it [ with a shot of the 20/50]. This shaft makes a pretty radical bend, BTW. Amazingly quieter, and I swear the boat picked up a few mph. Today I ran it and it was FREAKY fast !! Not a controlled experiment by any means, but I'm sold on this stuff for sure
      2008 NAMBA P-Mono & P-Offshore Nat'l 2-Lap Record Holder; '15 P-Cat, P-Ltd Cat 2-Lap
      2009/2010 NAMBA P-Sport Hydro Nat'l 2-Lap Record Holder, '13 SCSTA P-Ltd Cat High Points
      '11 NAMBA [P-Ltd] : Mono, Offshore, OPC, Sport Hydro; '06 LSO, '12,'13,'14 P Ltd Cat /Mono

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      • russmustar
        Junior Member
        • Feb 2009
        • 20

        #4
        Thanks for the reply, I am just curious if other racers are greasing up before each run or are they using another type of bearing system? With FE boats, the only type of system I am familar with is the Aquacraft UL-1 type which is the 2 sizes of brass tubing one inside the other. Thanks for the help, I will use that lube on my OPC boat. Russ

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        • blakybob
          Senior Member
          • Apr 2007
          • 126

          #5
          Yes, lube before every run. I figure better safe than sorry.

          Blake

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          • sailr
            Fast Electric Addict!
            • Nov 2007
            • 6927

            #6
            At a race, with the typical three heats, I lube at the beginning of the day. Lubing after each run is overkill in my opinion but it definitely won't hurt!
            Mini Cat Racing USA
            www.minicatracingusa.com

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