Driveshaft alignment

[brad]

What is the best procedure for proper alignment/shimming a 96 xp motor? I just stripped my driveshaft and the only reason I can think that this happened is b/c the motor could be out of alignment causing excessive wear on the spline.(or the fact that I tow skiers) The motor has been out of the ski before. If there are any ideas on how to align or what caused the spline to strip let me have it.

Thanks,
Brad

[Technical Support]

See this thread.

[brad]

Sorry I found that out after I posted. Should have searched first. My next question is, the driveshaft splines appear to be intact(on both ends).I know the pto splines are shot. I was wondering if anyone can give me a vernier measurement over the od of the largest part of the pto side spline. I would like to compare to my driveshaft to see if I only need to replace the pto. Unless there is another way to tell that I have a good driveshaft.

[Bill O'Neal]

Your driveshaft is probably ok. Were you missing the rubber bumpers on the ends of the driveshaft? That will cause the pto splines to strip out.

[ September 02, 2003, 08:50 PM: Message edited by: Bill O'Neal ]

[brad]

you got it! the pto side bumper was missing for some reason. I assembled this and I am sure it was there when I installed the driveshaft initally. I took a closer look at the driveshaft tonight and the teeth on the pto side look like they are starting to go. I think i will start fresh again.

[Bill O'Neal]

Brad,
If the rubber bumper was missing on the PTO end of the driveshaft, it will strip the splines in the impellor. If you are missing the rubber bumper at the impellor end, you will strip the splines in the pto.

It is common for the front bumber to fall out when you push the driveshaft through the driveshaft bearing carrier. You must watch for that as you slide it forward when installing it.

[nasty88r]

I have a similar prob with a 95 xp the driveshaft pushed forward toward the motor and the driveshaft was not engaging the impellor because the splines weren't engaged in the pto. There was some sort of clamp sliding around on the shaft between the bearing and pto I thought was supposed to hold the shaft from sliding forward. So I got a screw type hose clamp and slid the shaft back into the impellor put the clamp on the shaft and tightened the clamp against the pto to keep the shaft from sliding forward. The question is ,is that safe to do??? What should I do . It seems to be OK but I didn't ride it yet..

[Bill O'Neal]

No it is not ok.
There is no oem "clamp" to keep a driveshaft in the proper position.
When a driveshaft is correctly installed, it has two rubber bumpers, one on each end, that allow for about 1/8 th inch end play in the driveshaft.

You should remove the pump and driveshaft, replace the bumpers and re-install the shaft the way it is susposed to be installed. There are tech articals here at the SBT site and at www.impros.com to explain the proceedure.

If you don't, you will ruin the driveshaft and the PTO or Impellor.