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MarkGT
08-07-2001, 10:16 AM
Has anyone given any thought of cutting down the top fin from the older outdrives similar to the newer units?

I'm currently not running the top spray plate & the extra roostlooks great! The top portion is still above the hull bottom with trim down and doesn't seem like I would lose any low speed steering.

Has anyone talked to the factory? (GEOO, Nate)

How many others are running surface drives?

Jamesbon
08-07-2001, 12:13 PM
Hmmm. I haven't done any research into that, but would be interested to read about anything you find.

Do you have a drain plug in your GT? How does the rain water exit the bilge?

Nate

GEOO
08-07-2001, 01:58 PM
Mark, Nate,

My top fin is in the process of being removed. Less weight :).
I'm cutting off before powder coating my new housing. Caution: the Aluminum tubes are heat treated. Do not over heat or the temper comes out!!!! GEOO

Jamesbon
08-07-2001, 02:52 PM
GEOO,
Sounds good. What made you decide to do this? When you say "new housing" do you mean you replaced your old one?

What did you do for a drain plug?

Oh yeah, how do you remove the old powdercoating and I assume the drive must be completely dis-assembled?

GEOO
08-07-2001, 06:51 PM
Nate,
I installed a drain plug to the port side of the drive. It works well to get most of the water out when on dry dock. I didn't have a plug for the first year and almost swamped the engine while on the trailer, with rain water.
To powder coat the drive you'll need to disassemble the drive. Replace the bearings and seals while it is apart.( they are inexpensive).
Don't burn off the pain with a torch or grind the paint off with a high speed grinder; you may over heat the aluminum. Use paint remover which is safe on aluminum or sand off with out to much heat.
The powder coating shop burned my old paint off and now the lower fin lost it's temper. I'm replacing the tube with a used one and cutting the top fin off like the new ones as seen on Rik's web site. GEOO

MarkGT
08-07-2001, 10:33 PM
GEOO
Thanks for the heat treat info I was considering taking my sawsall, or cut off wheel to the fin. Paint it took me a quart of stripper (industrial strenght) & 3 hours to get 2-3 layers off the shaft housing.

Nate
As far as a drain plug I have none. With the adapter plate it would be to far off to the side. My bilge pump is set up with a auto float & mounted on the hull bottom. I usally have less than a half inch of water in the back foot of the boat. That is unless I turn the battery off during a rainy period & it fills up to the top of the stringers. Good thing it was on the trailer.

I happen to have the older Arneson installation manual if anyone is interested.

ALLAN BROWN
08-08-2001, 01:38 PM
The top fin was made to hold the top horizontal plate to avoid blending people who fall out of the boat. I would leave mine on.

Brownie