Tools for removing the stern thruster

[River Bank]

Attention "Richard" in the "Parts Dept."

Andrew Curtis has suggested that I contact you to obtain a tool to remove the Allen bolts on my
2010 R25 stern thruster. I've sheared off the pin.

I couldn't find your email address or phone number on Tug Nuts, so I hope this message will do the trick.

Bob Harder
3210 Telescope Terrace
Nanaimo, BC V9T 4A9

Telephone 250 716-6001

 

[Irish Mist]

You can get a little mini ratchet and bits at any hardware store that will do the job nicely ... They come in a little package about $20 or less there are allan key bits and screw driver bits and others,, short bits and a small ratchet . just in case you wanted to get rolling..

 

[Kenny Marrs]

Hello Bob,

I'm not sure if Richard monitors this site but I'd be more than happy to help. I'll pass along your parts request to Him.

Thanks,
-Kenny

 

[captstu]

Like Bob, I've done a bad on my stern thruster - wrapped a line around it and it stopped turning.

I don't think I sheared a pin - there is no noise when I remove the line and test it, I think I've blown a fuse.

I'm not on the R25 right now, but would like to take a spare fuse with me for the next visit.

I see from the diagrams that it is either a 150A or a 200A, but I can't find the fuse size - anyone able to supply the fuse specs so I can buy one locally?

Thanks /Stu

 

[Osprey]

For a Side-Power SE 30 the specified fuse is "ANL 150", slow blow. This fuse will handle the 196 A draw of the SE 30 for the normal operating interval.

 

[Osprey]

For the required socket see "www.chapmanmfg.com". The set 5573 does nicely. Actually the miniature socket wrench and a hex bit along with a spare shear pin was supplied a part of my R-27 purchase.

 

[Crewdog]

The 150 amp fuse is made by SidePower and a standard ANL fuse will not fit in the fuseblock.

Here's a link and picture:
http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|328|2290021|2290024&id=2281668

Also, have a small diameter punch and hammer available to knock out the part of the pin that's remains in the shaft if it doesn't want to fall out easily.

 

[captstu]

The least expensive and most reliable fuse repair is to remove the Sidepower fuse holder and install a "standard" Blue Sea ANL fuse holder + buy 10 or so 150 A fuses from Amazon. If something hits the thruster, the fuse blows quickly, no damage to the thruster, and you are back on your way for just a few $$$.

 

[Markl]

The least expensive and most reliable fuse repair is to remove the Sidepower fuse holder and install a "standard" Blue Sea ANL fuse holder + buy 10 or so 150 A fuses from Amazon. If something hits the thruster, the fuse blows quickly, no damage to the thruster, and you are back on your way for just a few $$$.

Just to clarify. Are the replacement fuses you purchased "fast blow" rather than slow blow?

 

[captstu]

Mark,

I use Blue Sea fast blow fuses in the hope they blow before the shear pin fails.

Please note, my previous problems with the shear pin failing were likely due to the bearing failure in the gear leg. While I have no way to be sure, it is likely that the original problem - long gone by - caused the gear leg to lose its lubricant and thus lose the bearings.

That said, the design with the shear pin in the exact middle of a motor that is buried below the water line in a very difficult to access place is at very least not brilliant.

Hopefully the photos I posted will make it a tad easier for the next "shear pin busted" captain to pull and replace the pin with the new stainless roller pin that probably won't break before the fuse pops.

 

[stwendl]

The problem of shear pin breakage is caused by the sudden full torque of the motor, unless of course there is an obstruction or other problem on the driveshaft down from it

Usually you would run this setup with a proportional controller that applies force gradually

 

[captstu]

Stwendl, Sudden application of tour is one of several problems that can call shear pin breakage. Use of three or more dissimilar metals causes significant internal corrosion overtime to the driveway as it did to mine. The problem is made much worse if the driver leg is painted with the copper bearing bottom paint.

With the Shearwater driveway failed, we were in Clear water, not making headway, and it was a person on the swim platform getting ready to toss a line on shore. You drive like broke the internal gears were so worn that the application of Audrey toward cause an internal failure.

Mike right with Ranger and side power and the mounting on the R 25 has expanded from mod only being needlessly difficult to access, but requiring access removal of the motor to access the bolts for the drive leg so I can be removed to be inspected to see if the failure was in the drive leg.

It seems to me it's good engineering with dictate but if you build or use a device that fails in strange ways at least that should be easy to inspect and repair. We will be much better served if the thruster on the Stern was built by one of the manufacturers that constructed the rhrusters totally externally on the boat.

That way I could take the broken thruster off, ship it somewhere, and solve the problem with just money. The boat is so hard to work on the local service guys won't touch it.

 

[captstu]

I am sorry the poster so difficult to read. I don't know how to make the system stop doing spelling corrections of words that are already spelled correctly.

Driveway should be Drive. Leg.

Sorry

 

[stwendl]

Perhaps in such a crowded boat the best solution would be a hydraulic thruster (or the skills to maneuver without them 🙂
Of course I am guilty of liking them too