Do Drive Dogs Need to Be Balanced?

[dmitry100]

Hey guys,

I'm thinking to use some tapered 3/16 TFL drive dogs and it seems like they aren't a perfect size for 3/16 prop shaft-- they seem to go on a little loose.

Would this have any effect on the prop performance at all ? I don't want these cheapo drive dogs to be the cause of extra prop vibration etc.

[Fluid]

Way too much time is spent worrying about perfectly balancing props, etc. Believe me, any small-magnitude vibrations caused by a drive dog or slightly out of balance prop is nothing compared by the huge vibrations caused by the prop slapping the water surface 800 times a second.

Waste your our time perfectly balancing your driveline if it makes you happy, but decades of FE experience has demonstrated that close has no downside.


.

[kfxguy]

Way too much time is spent worrying about perfectly balancing props, etc. Believe me, any small-magnitude vibrations caused by a drive dog or slightly out of balance prop is nothing compared by the huge vibrations caused by the prop slapping the water surface 800 times a second.

Waste your our time perfectly balancing your driveline if it makes you happy, but decades of FE experience has demonstrated that close has no downside.


.

Agreed. I've found that spending two hours on balancing a prop perfectly is 1.75 hours of my life wasted. I've seen no difference in one that's perfect and one that's close....performance wise or reliability wise. If it's badly balanced it could contribute to premature wear on your stut bushings. Can I prove that? No. Lol. Theory.

[dmitry100]

Hmmm well is that true for SAW though?

Figured with the kind of high RPM's that are being pushed with typical SAW boats that anything small sort of magnifies into a big one.

[oscarel]

Hmmm well is that true for SAW though?

Figured with the kind of high RPM's that are being pushed with typical SAW boats that anything small sort of magnifies into a big one.

Check the record book, Jay's name is in there a few times.

[kfxguy]

Hmmm well is that true for SAW though?

Figured with the kind of high RPM's that are being pushed with typical SAW boats that anything small sort of magnifies into a big one.

Im no professional or record holder but a couple of my boats go over the century mark. I guess that would be considered saw. I don't waste my time getting everything in perfect balance and I credit that time savings to Jay.