Help a friend - Vetus 24v bow-thruster sheared pin

[alt]

Folks,
Friend just bust the pin in his bow-thruster. All I know is that it's a Vetus 24v.... motor going like the clappers but no smoke.

This has never happened me.... I suspect the pin is in the tunnel, hence under the water? Are there any guides as to replacing this pin... and is it a split pin, or a normal pin (like a drill bit.. heard people replacing them with drill bits before!)

Sorry, no other info re. exact model just yet, he just shouted across the pier at me to see if I can get any info

-EDIT- It's a 24v Vetus, side entry. It just says 'Type 110kgt' (or was it kgf... not going down there again!) on it, no other reference. The shaft is spinning going into the tunnel, so guess I may have already answered the question... looks like some scooby dooby diving tomorrow

 

[stuartwineberg]

Folks,
Friend just bust the pin in his bow-thruster. All I know is that it's a Vetus 24v.... motor going like the clappers but no smoke.

This has never happened me.... I suspect the pin is in the tunnel, hence under the water? Are there any guides as to replacing this pin... and is it a split pin, or a normal pin (like a drill bit.. heard people replacing them with drill bits before!)

Sorry, no other info re. exact model just yet, he just shouted across the pier at me to see if I can get any info

-EDIT- It's a 24v Vetus, side entry. It just says 'Type 110kgt' (or was it kgf... not going down there again!) on it, no other reference. The shaft is spinning going into the tunnel, so guess I may have already answered the question... looks like some scooby dooby diving tomorrow

I had the 53 KGF. If it is the prop pin that is sheared then yes, it is exactly like on an outboard. Undo the screw down the centre of the prop and pull it. The pin goes through the drive shaft at right angles to the direction of prop spin and simply engages with a moulding on the back of the prop. I reckon a diver could do it if you didn't want to come out of the water. Others may know if there is anything in the internal mechanism that could cause the problem but I can't help there.

 

[aquapower]

Folks,
Friend just bust the pin in his bow-thruster. All I know is that it's a Vetus 24v.... motor going like the clappers but no smoke.

This has never happened me.... I suspect the pin is in the tunnel, hence under the water? Are there any guides as to replacing this pin... and is it a split pin, or a normal pin (like a drill bit.. heard people replacing them with drill bits before!)

Sorry, no other info re. exact model just yet, he just shouted across the pier at me to see if I can get any info

-EDIT- It's a 24v Vetus, side entry. It just says 'Type 110kgt' (or was it kgf... not going down there again!) on it, no other reference. The shaft is spinning going into the tunnel, so guess I may have already answered the question... looks like some scooby dooby diving tomorrow

Remove motor as there's usually 2 shear pins, the one behind prop is bigger so the one behind motor should break first, that's how most of the Vetus thrusters I've fitted have been, on the bigger thrusters there's a rubber drive coupling, worth taking motor off and checking first.

 

[Richard10002]

I can't find any reference to a 110kgf vetus bow thruster, but in the bow thruster parts list there are separate columns for drive pins and shear pins. I wonder if the pin at the prop in the tunnel is the drive pin, and the pin between the motor and vertical shaft is the shear pin. Not all bow thrusters seem to have both pins, and some seem to have N/A against both.

I would take the motor off and see how the shaft is driven inside the boat, before considering the more difficult under water stuff in the tube.

 

[vandy]

It could've been caused by complete corrosion of the pin if the anodes were not replaced. To test whether the pin is still there or not, the thruster should work fine in one direction and then going free (like a fan!) in another direction.

No need to remove the motor - just undo the nut on the prop and then see if the pin is still there or not... definitely check the anodes. To undo the anodes you will need impact screw driver as the nuts are always seized. I have spare pins if you live near southampton...

AND the pins are NOT like the one on outboard props - it's a lot thicker pin and doesn't bend etc. You must but the exact size pin to stay exactly inside the prop and doesn't let the prop being loose -

 

[alt]

So it turns out that it's not the pin, but that all blades on the prop have disappeared! The hub is still on the shaft and spins fine. Took off the nut (and what looked to be a big washer behind it) but the hub won't budge off the shaft. We were limited to what we could do while in the water, so she's coming out during the week to have the hub removed and new prop fitted.

 

[vandy]

So it turns out that it's not the pin, but that all blades on the prop have disappeared! The hub is still on the shaft and spins fine. Took off the nut (and what looked to be a big washer behind it) but the hub won't budge off the shaft. We were limited to what we could do while in the water, so she's coming out during the week to have the hub removed and new prop fitted.

Corrosion? or I thought the prop is made of plastic from memory...

 

[Otter]

Mine's metal and impossible to remove despite being only 3 years old.