I have not abandoned the boat project, but have been very busy. While discussing my boat, an electrical repairman told me his wife had just retired from a bearing store, and that they sold gearboxes as well. So I am now attempting to find one at Purvis. Cross your fingers that they have one to fit my specs requirements. Need a fwd/rev gearbox rated for at least 40 hp, 2800 rpm, and a torque of 60 lbs/ft. Also needs 5.5" long drive shaft of 3/4" dia. with a 1/4" key channel slot.
Finally found a gearbox that will work. ZF 15 M is a marine boat transmission manual shift gear box. Found best price on eBay. There are several to chose from per your needs, so I suggest you look at the charts to select what will fit your needs. I selected the gearbox that was rated higher than my needs. Unfortunately I will have to extend the shaft to be able to use the torque converter, and buy a special connector for the shaft coming out. Also the main drive shift is a 10 tooth splined shaft, so I had to buy a pair of yokes to convert from a 1 1/8" 10T spline to a 1" keyed shaft. Then I needed a sleeve to reduce the shaft to a 3/4" keyed shaft to fit the torque converter I already had.
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Below are the photos of my concept gearbox alignment, and the almost completed welded cradle. Soon as I finish, will have to move the motor over a foot. Sure wished there was a cheap way to go from a 1 1/8" 10 spline to a 3/4" keyed shaft that only took 4-6" of space. instead of this two foot conversion. Found a pair of jawed couplers, but the splined end was 11 tooth instead of the 10 tooth I needed.
Finished welding the cradle. All ready to be painted.
Assembly all put together. Now I have to move the motor and install. I extended the shaft for the torque converter to stiffen the play due to the yokes.
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9/6/2016
GOD loves me!. I was initially going to set up the gearbox the same as the old one, which would require me to move the engine over about 1-2 feet. But this would have caused the engine to be way off center line. Then it came to me to just place the gearbox assembly behind the engine and just move the engine forward. Of course this would require me to also rotate the engine 180 degrees. What is great is that the torque converter was already placed on the assembly in the behind the engine direction, so God must have lent a hand. Now I just need to know what the distance was between the driver and the torque converter, and guess what. I had actually written it down in my blog. Yea blog!. To be able to move the engine forward I had to remove the gas tank, which will just be strapped on the aft side out of the way. Luckily the cover of the gas tank fit perfectly in the empty space. If I do this form of propulsion again, I would make it so that the gearbox assembly fastened to the aft wall, and get an engine where the muffler would not be in the way of the belt.
GOD loves me!. I was initially going to set up the gearbox the same as the old one, which would require me to move the engine over about 1-2 feet. But this would have caused the engine to be way off center line. Then it came to me to just place the gearbox assembly behind the engine and just move the engine forward. Of course this would require me to also rotate the engine 180 degrees. What is great is that the torque converter was already placed on the assembly in the behind the engine direction, so God must have lent a hand. Now I just need to know what the distance was between the driver and the torque converter, and guess what. I had actually written it down in my blog. Yea blog!. To be able to move the engine forward I had to remove the gas tank, which will just be strapped on the aft side out of the way. Luckily the cover of the gas tank fit perfectly in the empty space. If I do this form of propulsion again, I would make it so that the gearbox assembly fastened to the aft wall, and get an engine where the muffler would not be in the way of the belt.
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Bought a set of $20 pillow block 1" bearings and they work great. Decided not to permanently place cables and wires till I know that the propulsion system works this time. Been using Amazon to buy my supplies lately, and have bought a lot of HUB CITY products. Added a few more suppliers in my links.
Finally got engine to start. Had to replace battery and fuel filter, but it is running now like a champ. Hooked up all the control cables and the intermediate shaft between the gearbox and the paddle wheel. Now I am cleaning up the boat for a trip tomorrow. Wish me luck!
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9/9/2016
Still no power. Nothing smoked or made bad noises, so guess still too much torque for motor to handle. Two ways to go about reducing it. I can shorten the paddles, or add a set of reduction gears. Will go with the reduction gears. Going to add a 40 tooth to a 10 tooth gear set. At 2800 rpm and right now have a 40:10 to paddle wheel, so wheel attempts to spin at 700 rpm, but with another 40:10 gear reduction will bring paddle wheel to a 175 rpm. Also think maybe the belt was too slack, so might move engine forward 1".
The videos are the engine....while being towed back to trailer. The wind was more powerful than the propulsion.
Still no power. Nothing smoked or made bad noises, so guess still too much torque for motor to handle. Two ways to go about reducing it. I can shorten the paddles, or add a set of reduction gears. Will go with the reduction gears. Going to add a 40 tooth to a 10 tooth gear set. At 2800 rpm and right now have a 40:10 to paddle wheel, so wheel attempts to spin at 700 rpm, but with another 40:10 gear reduction will bring paddle wheel to a 175 rpm. Also think maybe the belt was too slack, so might move engine forward 1".
The videos are the engine....while being towed back to trailer. The wind was more powerful than the propulsion.
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9/14/2016 (Decided might be best to add dates.)
Boat worked better. Was able to leave and return to trailer under own power. Going to add the 7" paddles back on and waiting for my new 60 tooth gear to arrive to replace the 40 tooth one I have on now.
Boat worked better. Was able to leave and return to trailer under own power. Going to add the 7" paddles back on and waiting for my new 60 tooth gear to arrive to replace the 40 tooth one I have on now.
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10/06/2016
Boat worked even better than before. Was even able to play around doing a few circles this time. Paddle wheel still does not turn as fast as it does out of the water, so going to replace the 60 tooth gear with a 112 tooth gear. This should give the following rpm: At 2200 rpm (when clutch should engage)- output of 40 rpm, 2800 rpm (max rated for torque)- 51 rpm, and at 3300 rpm (max rpm of engine) - 60 rpm. At present with the 60 tooth gear the rpm at 2800 should be 96 rpm, but in video, appears a lot slower.
Also had a little excitement on the boat, we had a small fire. The exhaust tube must have had its heat rating exceeded. Luckily I knew where the extinguisher was. So now I just need to find out what the engine exhaust heat is and get the appropriate exhaust tube for it.
But all in all, was a great day for the boat! Although it did not go above 5 knots, it did leave a small wake.
Boat worked even better than before. Was even able to play around doing a few circles this time. Paddle wheel still does not turn as fast as it does out of the water, so going to replace the 60 tooth gear with a 112 tooth gear. This should give the following rpm: At 2200 rpm (when clutch should engage)- output of 40 rpm, 2800 rpm (max rated for torque)- 51 rpm, and at 3300 rpm (max rpm of engine) - 60 rpm. At present with the 60 tooth gear the rpm at 2800 should be 96 rpm, but in video, appears a lot slower.
Also had a little excitement on the boat, we had a small fire. The exhaust tube must have had its heat rating exceeded. Luckily I knew where the extinguisher was. So now I just need to find out what the engine exhaust heat is and get the appropriate exhaust tube for it.
But all in all, was a great day for the boat! Although it did not go above 5 knots, it did leave a small wake.
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10/20 2016
Moved the engine forward one inch to take up the slack in the belt between the clutch and the torque converter. Ran the engine and found that some of the welds on my gearbox cradle were poor. Took entire assembly out and re-welded the bracket. Also added another brace for strength. Also exchanged the 60 tooth gear with a 112 tooth one. Was really planning to buy an 80 or 90 tooth gear, but they were twice the price. Plan on taking the boat out tomorrow morning for another trail run. Last time was the first time we had actually ran the engine under load for more than 30 minutes, which had the engine heat up enough to melt the rubber ehaust tube, which was rated to more than 250 degrees. So as we decide the final location of the engine, we plan to roiute the exhaust up through the roof and have a smoke stack.
Moved the engine forward one inch to take up the slack in the belt between the clutch and the torque converter. Ran the engine and found that some of the welds on my gearbox cradle were poor. Took entire assembly out and re-welded the bracket. Also added another brace for strength. Also exchanged the 60 tooth gear with a 112 tooth one. Was really planning to buy an 80 or 90 tooth gear, but they were twice the price. Plan on taking the boat out tomorrow morning for another trail run. Last time was the first time we had actually ran the engine under load for more than 30 minutes, which had the engine heat up enough to melt the rubber ehaust tube, which was rated to more than 250 degrees. So as we decide the final location of the engine, we plan to roiute the exhaust up through the roof and have a smoke stack.
9/13/2016
Added some welded brackets and gears. Now paddle wheel has a much lower rpm.
Added some welded brackets and gears. Now paddle wheel has a much lower rpm.
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10/21/2016
This was the best run EVER! Even though the wheel turned slower, the engine was able to transfer all the power to the wheel and the boat actually went faster than last time...and this was against the wind. Now we just have to figure out the correct gear ratio to get the most out of the engine per speed versus power. There are still the 70, 80, and 90 tooth gears I can use. Going to buy the 80 which is midway and see how she does.
This was the best run EVER! Even though the wheel turned slower, the engine was able to transfer all the power to the wheel and the boat actually went faster than last time...and this was against the wind. Now we just have to figure out the correct gear ratio to get the most out of the engine per speed versus power. There are still the 70, 80, and 90 tooth gears I can use. Going to buy the 80 which is midway and see how she does.
10/27/2016
OK, replaced the 112 with the 80 tooth gear and was not happy with the results. The 112 tooth gear is way faster. Also the damn public ramp was closed off...permanently. Some development bought the entire area and so had to find a new ramp. On a plus side, gave my wife my camera and so too some nice shots and movies. But going to wait till I get the 112 gear back on and have her take some then. Also had two passengers for first time, my son and a friend.
OK, replaced the 112 with the 80 tooth gear and was not happy with the results. The 112 tooth gear is way faster. Also the damn public ramp was closed off...permanently. Some development bought the entire area and so had to find a new ramp. On a plus side, gave my wife my camera and so too some nice shots and movies. But going to wait till I get the 112 gear back on and have her take some then. Also had two passengers for first time, my son and a friend.
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10/31/2016
Was a great day on the lake. Took my son and his girlfriend out. Realised that I have maxed out the efficency of the motor. I can not get any more power and speed from the engine, and so the boat will only go about 10 knots. Therefore I will start looking for another engine upgrade, but will have to wait till I can fit it in my budget. I can still go ahead and start tweeking the rudder system to get better response though.
Was a great day on the lake. Took my son and his girlfriend out. Realised that I have maxed out the efficency of the motor. I can not get any more power and speed from the engine, and so the boat will only go about 10 knots. Therefore I will start looking for another engine upgrade, but will have to wait till I can fit it in my budget. I can still go ahead and start tweeking the rudder system to get better response though.