Volvo Saildrive Rubber Gromit thingy..

[photodog]

Which should be changed every 7 years...

How big a job is changing one, and how much should I pay to have it done... anyone recommended in Plymouth?

 

[Sans Bateau]

I'm going to give mine a close inspection from the underside this winter, I hope its OK, I dont fancy having to change it. Its been on the boat since 1993, so I'm not complaining.

 

[capnsensible]

Consider a denied insurance claim if it fails.......

 

[Quandary]

Most people keep them longer.
How many have failed in the UK so far, and how many show defects when they are changed?
This information might carry more weight with me than a very conservative recommendation from Volvo Penta.
A seven year service life is very arbitary anyway, a motor sailer that is chartered all year round against one that does about 5-6 weeks mainly sailing per year and come ashore every winter?

 

[Rustyknight]

Ball-park figure of about £1000 to get the job done professionally, though if you search the forums you should find a few threads from people who've had a go themselves.....

 

[Ariadne]

If you get lifted annually, you could do it your self, its not a massive job.

Either way you'll need to get the engine out and the saildrive off. So I'd do in line with an engine overhaul, it won't feel quite so bad then!

 

[Sans Bateau]

Consider a denied insurance claim if it fails.......

My understanding from a marine engineer is that he has never seen one fail catastrophically. Does anyone have first hand knowledge of a failure?

 

[capnsensible]

That's the crux of the problem, my own feeling is that they go on and on, but we all know about insurance company wriggling. Gotta balance the risk, I suppose.

 

[Sans Bateau]

I think if it wasnt an Etap I was sailing, I might be a little less lay back about it.

 

[DaveS]

This crops up repeatedly on RtR, you might want to have a look there. It's not an enormous job to do yourself - it can be done single handed, but with two people it's easier to get the splines re-engaged. Speaking of which, you might want to read up on the spline fretting issue. With the engine and gearbox apart you can examine the splines. If there's not much deterioration, then putting in Volvo's modified drive plate with the elastic washers as fitted to the later engines (not that there was any problem with the earlier ones, you understand...) is probably a good idea. There's another fix if deterioration is worse which involves sending off the gearbox input shaft to a company who machine it to a hex section and supply a new drive plate with a female hex.

The engine needs to be moved forwards a few inches: I found a small crowbar an excellent tool for this, together with lots of quite small wooden packers to keep it supported. The new seal kit comes with full instructions. It will, however, talk about buying an adhesive from Volvo called "Permatex" (IIRC). Volvo however no longer sell this, but inflatable boat adhesive is apparently the recommended alternative. To avoid fouling and possibly ripping off the rubber fairing it's a good idea to remove the prop shaft. That allows the leg to be pulled straight up. It also lets you see what state the seals are in, and whether they've started to groove the shaft.

When I last replaced my seal it had done 13 years and was indistinguishable from the new one. I don't think that there has ever been a case of failure through age rather than as a result of gross abuse, e.g. putting a lifting sling under the leg. The 7 year recommendation IMHO contains a huge safety margin - probably far more so than changing standing rigging every 10 years.

 

[Boomshanka]

I recall that some saildrives (including the VP ones?) have a water sensor between the outer and inner seals, with an alarm that goes off when water gets past the outer seal... assuming the sensor still works, it might give you some margin to go beyond the 7 year recommendation... I too would be interested to see hard and fast data on a) the number that have failed (and their age), b) a plot of age versus condition of all seals changed.

 

[Quandary]

Risky?

I have watched about six masts fall (only one of them mine), during my sailing career and have seen dozens more boats that have lost them but standing rigging is supposed to be good for 10-15 years depending on usage. I have never heard, or read about, a boat sinking because of failure of the leg gasket. So either it does not happen or no one talks about it.
It would be a good use of this forum if we could establish the facts on this because if it costs £1000 that would go a long way to buy a really nice sail, a liferaft, or nearly three Rocna anchors.
I suspect that with normal usage they are good for at least double the seven years.

 

[Sans Bateau]

I will give mine a very close inspection, using a bright light and even a magnifying glass, if there is any doubt I will change it, but if all looks OK then I'll work on the basis of dont fix wot aint broke.

I do have an article that I kept from a non IPC magazine from several years back, if anyone wants a copy then PM me, I'll do the copies for free, and post for free, just pop a couple quid in the next RNLI box you see. But keep it quiet some will object to any RNLI support.

 

[Dipper]

Mine's 11 years old and since I knew my insurance survey this month would fail it, I bought a replacement diaphragm kit from Keypart to fit before I launch next spring. I fitted the last one - again at 11 years old. At that time, the only one the Volvo agent had heard fail was a new one where the owner had lubricated it so that it slid nicely under the retaining clamp - and out again!

I would have thought that the condition of the engine mountings would have some effect on the durabilty of the seal. If the engine is vibrating a lot and falling over when heavily heeled it must cause premature wear.

 

[Cantata]

I recall that some saildrives (including the VP ones?) have a water sensor between the outer and inner seals, with an alarm that goes off when water gets past the outer seal.....

Yanmar, not Volvo.
As others have said, it's not a difficult job to DIY if you are reasonably handy. Needs two people when getting the leg off and back on again. Ball-park figure of £1000 to have it done, yet the parts kit costs about £150. Does not need the engine out either, just slid forward a few inches, again not difficult.

 

[xyachtdave]

My 1995 vintage boat is on it's original rubber. I was originally paranoid about it leaking, or as one bar room bull****ter said, "it goes like a car tyre, explodes without warning," until I got a proper Volvo engineer to look at it.

His first words were "why do you want to change it?" and went on to tell me that they are changing them on the previous sail drive/engine model to mine, now aged 20 years + without any sign of deterioration. Was advised to worry about it another year and buy some nice new sails instead.

The only concern is if the zinc ring becomes badly corroded and sharp rusty bits cut into it, nothing a quick poke around with a torch once a month won't identify.

I am sure someone will rubbish the above with a 'fact" plucked off the net, but taken at face value, a proper (IMO) tradesmen, speaking openly about a subject he knew a lot about, manufacturer specific etc etc. You will be more likely to harm yourself worrying about not doing it, than it failing.

 

[DaveS]

Needs two people when getting the leg off and back on again.

This is not really the case. I did it by myself and I'm no Charles Atlas! With the prop shaft removed the leg is a straight lift and not too heavy.

It is certainly true that having a second person to wiggle the prop shaft while aligning the splines would do in seconds what can otherwise take an indeterminate time of try it, no, back out, move the crank shaft a fraction, try again, no...

 

[photodog]

Ok, thats all good stuff! The boat is 11 years old this year... but was out of the water for 2..... and has had pretty light use! I cant see any issues with it... looks as good as new as far as I can tell... But getting a bit paranoid...

So, I think I will leave it for another year or so, until the economic situation improves a bit!

 

[Tranona]

Just had mine done - or rather the whole saildrive replaced - which is essentially the same job except you don't have to split the drive and gearbox to fit the new diaphragm. Bits are around £200 and the normal labour hours are 12. Worth having the (more important) seals changed at the bottom of the leg at the same time as on the Bavaria you have to take the prop shaft out to get the leg out and back in again.

In my deal I was charged 10 hours labour at £40 hour which included changing the coolant. Reasonable and 2 fitters did it easily in one day - but I did buy a new leg at £2300 (all plus VAT of course). Local Volvo dealer in Poole - very efficient.

Not sure I would have replaced the diaphragm if the gearbox had not seized - it looked fine after 10 seasons and 3500 hours.

 

[Cantata]

This is not really the case. I did it by myself and I'm no Charles Atlas! With the prop shaft removed the leg is a straight lift and not too heavy.
It is certainly true that having a second person to wiggle the prop shaft while aligning the splines would do in seconds what can otherwise take an indeterminate time of try it, no, back out, move the crank shaft a fraction, try again, no...

Probably depends on access in the particular boat. On my Moody access was pretty good and I could probably have just about managed on my own. However helped a friend last winter with his Bav 34, access was very cramped and no way could I have lifted the leg without help.