Wire drive slippage

[BILL OXIDEAN]

Good morning gentlemen,


I'm new to big wire drives, I have one on a mono and it keeps slipping the coupler when the prop jumps out of the water a few times. I've thought of flattening a wire here it seats in the coupler, and suggestions how to keep those things fastened?

I'm 'bout ready to ditch it for a cable, I need reliability..

[Darin Jordan]

Bill,

What kind of coupler do you have??

If it's the set-screw time, then definitely put a small flat in the wire.

I've had very iffy results with the set-screw type couplers. If they aren't made correctly, the set-screw till not seat all the way against the wire.

What size wire-drive??

[BILL OXIDEAN]

Bill,

What kind of coupler do you have??

If it's the set-screw time, then definitely put a small flat in the wire.

I've had very iffy results with the set-screw type couplers. If they aren't made correctly, the set-screw till not seat all the way against the wire.

What size wire-drive??

Wohlts .062 wire and coupler..

[Darin Jordan]

Wohlts .062 wire and coupler..

OK, so basically the same stuff I've used. He makes his couplers fine. I'm sure he will recommend putting a small flat in as well. If it's a double-set-screw coupler, with the set-screws both on the same side, then make sure the flat is long enough to catch both of them. You DON'T have to make it a very "deep" flat... don't go into the wire too far. Just make it enough to give the screws a positive seating area.

You might ask Jeff, but it might help to flatten the set-screw ends as well, if they are the concave style. Just a quick blip in a sanding wheel is usually all it takes.

I put the flats in my wire using the flat side of a cutoff wheel on a Dremel tool... Just a quick pass or two is all it takes.

Hope this helps...

[BILL OXIDEAN]

Thanx for confirming. Any other suggestions welcome as well..

[martin]

Bill i seem to remember Jeff Wohlt saying put a flat on the wire when someone was having trouble with slipping, where possible the wire drives ive made i use collet couplings but thats not allways possible as you are restricted on coupling sizes with wire. Martin.

[Darin Jordan]

i use collet couplings but thats not allways possible as you are restricted on coupling sizes with wire. Martin.

For 1/16" (0.062") wire, I always use these:

1/8" to 0.062 wire

http://www.offshoreelectrics.com/pro...oct-ocfhe18062



Or these:

5mm to 0.062 wire

http://www.offshoreelectrics.com/pro...ct-ocfhe5mm062



Depending on the motor shaft size. NEVER have an issue with these...

[Fluid]

Wilmer, ditch the set screw coupler for a flexhex. From an engineering standpoint it is much superior: it grabs a larger area of the wire, you don't have to weaken the wire with "flat spots", there are no screw tips to cause stress risers, and no screws to loosen in the soft aluminum. I've used up to 0.94" wire in compression couplers without any issues. What size wire are you using?


.

[BILL OXIDEAN]

Wilmer, ditch the set screw coupler for a flexhex. From an engineering standpoint it is much superior: it grabs a larger area of the wire, you don't have to weaken the wire with "flat spots", there are no screw tips to cause stress risers, and no screws to loosen in the soft aluminum. I've used up to 0.94" wire in compression couplers without any issues. What size wire are you using?


.

I was actually gonna PM you on this..
.062

Randy despises wires, but I bet he's got that coupler for me, I'll call him..

[BILL OXIDEAN]

My uncle suggested flattening both sides of the wire, but only up where the top 2 set screws bite that way it only weakens the tip of the wire, but I'll probably just go flex hex ultimately..

[martin]

Yep thats the ones i use that Darin shows, thay hold very tight on the wire.

[Darin Jordan]

My uncle suggested flattening both sides of the wire, but only up where the top 2 set screws bite that way it only weakens the tip of the wire, but I'll probably just go flex hex ultimately..

That will work too (I'm assuming you have a set-screw on either side of the coupler??)... But you are going to get really tired of having to line up that flat every time... Go with the Octura style couplers... BOOM... done with it!

[Basstronics]

With opposing set screws you need only flatten one sude not both.

I dont like the octura. There are other collets for wires...

[Darin Jordan]

With opposing set screws you need only flatten one sude not both.

I dont like the octura. There are other collets for wires...

I'd be interested in seeing your links for other wire-drive couplers that you find better than the Octuras. Always on the lookout for quality equipment. Do share, please...

[martin]

Ive tried a number off collet couplings for wire & flex ie various stainless ones, Etti & Octura, i find the Octura a better coupling than the others because the Octuras are hardened. I find with most others ive use their not hardened & get marked up inside where the flex is held ecsecially if you do have a shaft turn in the coupling for what ever reason. It dosnt seem to mark the hardened Octura in the same way.

[Darin Jordan]

Ive tried a number off collet couplings for wire & flex ie various stainless ones, Etti & Octura,

Yeah... the Etti's I've used have to be tightened down with care. They get all twisted up inside if tightened too much. Just soft material. I've had an Octura or two over the years that weren't quite "true", but it's pretty rare. I've used them for years without issue...

[TheShaughnessy]

i'm using a .78 wire drive with the octura long coupler. It has two set screws on the motor shaft side and cinches down nice and tight on the wire drive, plenty of issues with the boat but the wire drive slipping isn't one of them.

The octura couplers are HARD i was trying to drill a hole in one so i could install a magnet, used for the rpm sensor I have. I ended up just opening up one of the set screw holes because i couldn't get a dril bit to bite into it.

[martin]

Yes the Octuras are hard but also strong, ive had to machine the hex on a couple to miss the mounting screws on a couple of small motors & just got away with it with a new carbide tip tool. The Ettis are very soft indeed & you can twist them off centre with some of the smaller ones when tightening & undoing.

[Basstronics]

Billy beat me to the link.

I see the topic of hardness was brought up. As you may or may not know, when you harden steel it also becomes more brittle. Ive had two octrua couplings now break and finger off.

Another point about the hardness. If its hard it will only grip on the high spots of the flex. The softer materials such as the brass inserted collets will give in turn providing more holding power. The 3 piece collets are more of a compression system over a pure clamp.

Now when it comes to a wire drive, its sorta different but sorta the same. The wire is pretty much round (maybe minor oval). Now think of how the collet works. There is an oversized hole, slots cut into the material to make room for it to be wedged down onto the material by a cone. So what you are doing is applying a lot of clamping force into a small area at the sharp point of the hole. Harder material wont give much, maintaining a small area with a lot of pressure. Softer material will give slightly allowing the pressure to be distributed more.

Just saying. Food for thought.

[Basstronics]

The couplers I twisted off were 5mm to .130 cable.

A bit back someone mentioned grinding the point type surface off the setc screw. FWIW thats called a "dog point" and it is designed to dig into the surface.

[detox]

In addition to using the Octura coupler I would also use Blue Loktite. You could also roughen up (crosshatch) the wire end with sandpaper by chucking propeller shaft in a drill and spinning.

[detox]

One bad thing I noticed when using collet couplers with wire drives is excessive woble or runout at wire after tightening collet.

The Wohlt aluminum couplers have almost zero runout. I used Blue Loktite with these to prevent slipping. You can heat slightly to remove for greasing.

[T.S.Davis]

Octura makes a coupler for .078? I did not know that.

I've tried a bunch of different methods. I like the Octura collet on .062 myself.

The collet I dislike with a passion is the the Octura 5mm x .187. That thing is misserable. Have to crank the poo out of them to get a good grip and then they're hard to get apart because.....well, I just cranked the poo out of it.

On some of my set screw types I ditched the grub screw and ground down 2 cap screws of the right thread size so that when torqued down the head is almost all the way down to the coupler. The screws need to be very close to the same length for balance. With a cap screw instead of a grub screw you can really reef on a 6-32 thread to hold wire or cable in place. I use that on 1/4" cable even.

[Darin Jordan]

Octura makes a coupler for .078? I did not know that.

I don't think they make them... I think that Jeff Wholt has figured out a way to machine a .062 out to fit .078. I have a couple of them and they work great.

[properchopper]

Octura makes a coupler for .078? I did not know that.

I've tried a bunch of different methods. I like the Octura collet on .062 myself.

The collet I dislike with a passion is the the Octura 5mm x .187. That thing is misserable. Have to crank the poo out of them to get a good grip and then they're hard to get apart because.....well, I just cranked the poo out of it.On some of my set screw types I ditched the grub screw and ground down 2 cap screws of the right thread size so that when torqued down the head is almost all the way down to the coupler. The screws need to be very close to the same length for balance. With a cap screw instead of a grub screw you can really reef on a 6-32 thread to hold wire or cable in place. I use that on 1/4" cable even.

Since I started using this stuff on the Octuras, no poo-cranking. Helps even out the torque-tightening and un-tightening. Ex-wife said it tastes funny 'tho.

DSC03227.JPG

Never had a problem with Oct collet wire couplers either. Just lucky I guess

[martin]

Darin Octura make a 5mm - .078", Steven has them in the OSE store

[martin]

Tony do you use the anti seize on just the collet nut or on the flex as well. thanks Martin.

[properchopper]

Tony do you use the anti seize on just the collet nut or on the flex as well. thanks Martin.

Just the collet nut. Jay Turner gave out this tip.

[JIM MARCUM]

Since I started using this stuff on the Octuras, no poo-cranking. Helps even out the torque-tightening and un-tightening. Ex-wife said it tastes funny 'tho.
DSC03227.JPG

Never had a problem with Oct collet wire couplers either. Just lucky I guess

Thanks Tony!!! Now I have a few thoughts that I can't share. JIM

[TheShaughnessy]

I assume mine is an octura but it actually came with a boat I picked up from Tony so he may be able to elaborate.

Slightly unrelated but i was using the collet without the nut to tighten it on an airplane. The plane props would thread right onto it and it seemed to spin more true then an actual plane prop adapter. it survived multiple nose dive crashes and found its way back into my Vegas. Perhaps this is just Tony's lucky collet though.