I Give Up on this thing!! Please Help!!

[LS6CTSV]

Hey guys, So I got a New Miss Geico a few weeks ago and before even putting it in the water I hit up OSE & Kintec and Ordered all kinds of goodies. One of which is the Kintec Upgraded Flexshaft with New Liner. Not knowing the Issues in the past other people have had or What I was about to get myself into, I pulled the old Flexshaft and Liner out.

My first attempt at getting the New Liner in was a Crash n Burn, It's not even close to fitting in the Stock stuffing tube, After many tries this Liner was shot (Bent, Creased, Torn, Etc...) So I went to my LHS and bought some more.....

On my second attempt I was a little more prepared. I got a 24" Octura Liner and 1 Stock Pro Boat Liner (PRB4113). The Octura Liner is to Big, although I says its a .150, it doesn't work. So I lube everything up and try the Stock Liner it actually FIT!!!! Yay!!....... Not so fast, It comes to a DEAD STOP about 2 inches from the other side and it WILL NOT go any further. So I am guessing there is a Bend, Kink, or Some kind of Obstruction in the Stuffing Tube stopping the Liner from going all the way through.

After hours of research for tips n tricks, Here is what I've tried, 1. Put the Liner in the Freezer and try to Stretch it to make it "Thinner". 2. Lubing the living heck out of everything. 3. Lastly I tried, Spinning the Liner while in the Stuffing Tube, Putting the Flexshaft in as some reinforcement to prevent the Liner kinking and put a lot of pressure on it, and I actually tried Lightly Hammering it with the blunt side of a Screw Driver. All of this with No Luck!!

Does anybody have any ideas? Can the Boat be Safely ran without the Liner in place? What negative effects would take place? It seems without some Custom Fabrication, I can't replace the Stuffing Tube. Should I just get a New Hull? Should I contact Proboat for assistance?

Any advice you guys can give would be greatly appreciated, I am exhausted with this Boat and Just want to take it out on the Water already!!

[jasoncyclone]

Do you have the strut removed while installing the liner? It won't fit into the strut. Sorry, I just wanted to make sure.

[srislash]

Mmm,that's a heck of a dilemma you got there.I've got all of last years running and all the way up to now and haven't touched the liner yet. Can you get a small round file in the motor end?Perhaps there is a bur or a punch mark on the stuffing tube to make sure the liner will not spin.Home depot sells a nice little file set.I would try that before taking out the stuffing tube(which isn't as bad as you may think).If you pop the motor out don't over tighten the screws on the mount to the wood.Those blind nuts are not stainless.How do they put it around here"Ask me how I know".

[LS6CTSV]

Do you have the strut removed while installing the liner? It won't fit into the strut. Sorry, I just wanted to make sure.

Yes the Strut is removed, But thanks for the Advice anyway!!

[Tim K]

I'm not sure why FE boats are using liners in the stuffing tube , maybe someone can give a reason , but I have have never used anything and have never had a problem.

Tim K

[srislash]

I'm not sure why FE boats are using liners in the stuffing tube , maybe someone can give a reason , but I have have never used anything and have never had a problem.

Tim K

I always thought it was due to frequencies created by the metal on metal.The always also thought it was noise but my mono doesn't have a liner and isn't any louder than the other boats I have.

[Tim K]

I always thought it was due to frequencies created by the metal on metal.The always also thought it was noise but my mono doesn't have a liner and isn't any louder than the other boats I have.

25 plus years racing and never used a liner but thats Nitro , don't know about FE , can't see why it would be any different.


Tim K

[siberianhusky]

I never use a liner either, same thing came from the nitro side. I've pulled them from all my rtr electric boats and have never had the slightest problem.
No problems with metal to metal rf noise from the shaft even back in the AM radio days.
I always read about people having problems with them. First thing I noticed with them was the added drag on the driveline over a plain brass tube.
My sv had a 2 piece liner in it, you may have something like this, don't know.
I even bend up a brass liner for K&B outboard lowers instead of using the teflon they came with, never had one wear out.
Brass makes an excellent bushing material in our application.
Back when people started using flex shafts we were spraying them down with WD40 before every run! Before that it was solid 3/16 shafts with universal joints and sub surface props.

[srislash]

I never use a liner either, same thing came from the nitro side. I've pulled them from all my rtr electric boats and have never had the slightest problem.
No problems with metal to metal rf noise from the shaft even back in the AM radio days.
I always read about people having problems with them. First thing I noticed with them was the added drag on the driveline over a plain brass tube.
My sv had a 2 piece liner in it, you may have something like this, don't know.
I even bend up a brass liner for K&B outboard lowers instead of using the teflon they came with, never had one wear out.
Brass makes an excellent bushing material in our application.
Back when people started using flex shafts we were spraying them down with WD40 before every run! Before that it was solid 3/16 shafts with universal joints and sub surface props.

Oh yeah the good old days.I still have one of my oldiesmums_pics_163.jpg
Well actually 2. This one pictured will make it into the Scale section at some point.

[Steven Vaccaro]

The problem is teflon doesn't always come in the same exact size. I've had to literally sand down teflon for some boats. Its a pain in the butt.

I've since gone the way of the nitro/gas guys and started running no teflon. Lets just say, I wont be going back anytime to soon.

[martin]

This is a common problem teflon liner being oversize, the best tip i was given & it works is you stretch the liner. I had some Octura .130" liner that would go in tight about 1/2" & that was it no chance going any further. I then was told to strech the liner. by stretching it the diam reduces & it just slides in. Works evertime on a tight liner, As an example the .130" was 12" long & it stretched to 14" & reduced the diam a lot & still had plenty of clearance on the id for the flex. Martin.

[Steven Vaccaro]

I've tried that and it seems to not stretch uniformly. But I may have done it wrong