Drive Saver?

[bestfish]

Anybody have any insight to using one or not?

 

[F/V First Team]

Don't leave out parts

 

[MASTERENEGADE]

I just installed a new one last year on mine.

 

[twister]

I have one, it works fine but haven't run anything over that caused it to do something. Going on year 4 with it.

 

[Brooksie]

I have them on both boats and think they are a good idea. They can take up some misalignment as the engine torques on soft mounts if you have them. Can act as a "fuse" in a major driveline mishap.

The do push your shaft back an inch so be aware and keep within guidelines on this.

 

[bestfish]

Doesn't sound like anybody is against them! I'm re powering and figure now is the time to add it, rather than later. If nothing else it will make for a smoother ride. Thanks-

 

[morgan1727]

I had an experience with them and would never use one again. Purchased a boat with one installed, an engine motor mount had broken and I figured I would install a new drivesaver with the engine mounts to be sure everything was perfect. The bolts would not line up correctly on the trans flange or the prop shaft, when I finally got it in I could not line up the engine correctly. Tried a second one, same problem. After many many hours and wasted days of trying to line up and talking to their tech people I brought it back to the factory which was in Rockland Ma at the time. I explained the problem to the tech, he took the saver to the back to check it out, came back and said it was perfect and I must be doing something wrong. Went back to boat tried again same problem. Bought a micrometer and measured myself, they were manufactered incorrectly. Talking to many mechanics at the time, they had a good points, go metal to metal and line up correctly. Why would you want to be running a misaligned engine and shaft to have a drivesaver to correct, and also if the prop smashes into something that hard do you think the drivesaver is going to save you from damage.

 

[Brooksie]

I had an experience with them and would never use one again. Purchased a boat with one installed, an engine motor mount had broken and I figured I would install a new drivesaver with the engine mounts to be sure everything was perfect. The bolts would not line up correctly on the trans flange or the prop shaft, when I finally got it in I could not line up the engine correctly. Tried a second one, same problem. After many many hours and wasted days of trying to line up and talking to their tech people I brought it back to the factory which was in Rockland Ma at the time. I explained the problem to the tech, he took the saver to the back to check it out, came back and said it was perfect and I must be doing something wrong. Went back to boat tried again same problem. Bought a micrometer and measured myself, they were manufactered incorrectly. Talking to many mechanics at the time, they had a good points, go metal to metal and line up correctly. Why would you want to be running a misaligned engine and shaft to have a drivesaver to correct, and also if the prop smashes into something that hard do you think the drivesaver is going to save you from damage.

Very good points all...
You knew you have to align b/4 you insert the Drivesaver right?

 

[tunaorlater]

I have one but I'm only useing it to save my gear. Align the shaft correctly metal to metal then push it back and add the drive saver. One issue I see is that if you have a duplexes seal you need to redo that if you hit something and destroy the drive saver in order to bolt couplings together. I had a steel replica of the drive saver machined up to solve that problem. Buying an extra is also an option.

 

[morgan1727]

Yes, I did align before installing drive saver. Has anyone ever heard of someone striking an object with a drivesaver in place, and did it stop damage?

 

[lobster783]

when they break and they willbreak, you will be getting towed home. Its hard plastic it will wear out from thouhsands of times going in and out of gear. Saw one break and have one bolt hang up and whipped the shaft up and smashed the starter of the engine. If you hit something hard enough to break that thing you most likely will have bigger problems than just a broken drivesaver. would never put one on.

 

[Sailorgp]

Soft mounted marine engines experience misalignment at times and generally sink on their mounts as time goes by. Also, I would suspect running in heavy seas might cause slight and temporary misalignment even in the stiffest/strongest hulls. In these cases, a drivesaver might be desired. But act as a fuse? I've read accounts where that just ain't so.

 

[captainlarry84]

Correct do the aliment first metal to metal than add the drive saver. It is VERY important that you install a jumper wire from the shaft flange to the tranny coupler to keep your bonding system working. I like them.

 

[blackdiamond296]

How much will a drive saver protect things as far as switching gears too quickly?

Now that we have an all-in-one throttle/gear control I'm concerned about someone throwing it straight from forward to reverse.

 

[November Rain]

I was going to put one in. After I ordered it and took everything apart I realized it wouldn't fit, didn't have the clearance.

 

[Brooksie]

How much will a drive saver protect things as far as switching gears too quickly?

Now that we have an all-in-one throttle/gear control I'm concerned about someone throwing it straight from forward to reverse.

I think it would help quite a bit.
I had a control like that once and had the opposite thing happen, standing on the transom deck casting one cold April I asked my fishing buddy to move us ahead, thinking he aboard his boat (w/ 2 levers) mashed it forward thinking he was just putting it in gear. And the rest was history as they say. At least he didn't yank it back and back over me...

 

[phil]

This looks like its one of those things like buying a snowblower. Don't have one and it snows like hell. Buy one and it doesnt snow. Put a drive saver in and you dont hit anything..!!!

 

[Brooksie]

This looks like its one of those things like buying a snowblower. Don't have one and it snows like hell. Buy one and it doesnt snow. Put a drive saver in and you dont hit anything..!!!

That would be worth it for sure...

 

[Hammer Slammer]

They suck!
Mine broke which in turn worked like a cam lifting my engine and body slammed it to the mounts bending the shaft.
I removed the remnants of it and put 2 bolts back in and limped back at 4 knots. When we got in we hauled the boat pulled the shaft and had it straightened, and then proceeded to reassemble. We Launched the boat and realized we had a leak due to a crack in the wet log from impact of the shaft, hauled it out ground it down re glassed and relaunched a couple grand lighter.....
I wouldn't put one in if I were you!

 

[Brooksie]

They suck!
Mine broke which in turn worked like a cam lifting my engine and body slammed it to the mounts bending the shaft.
I removed the remnants of it and put 2 bolts back in and limped back at 4 knots. When we got in we hauled the boat pulled the shaft and had it straightened, and then proceeded to reassemble. We Launched the boat and realized we had a leak due to a crack in the wet log from impact of the shaft, hauled it out ground it down re glassed and relaunched a couple grand lighter.....
I wouldn't put one in if I were you!

Wow, don't like that... How much HP were you running? What part of it broke, Bolts? Urathane?