X-Dim on a 382 Fastech
 

Hi guys. Will be putting Stelling extension boxes on a 1999 382 that was not rigged with them from the factory. Does this pose a problem with my x-dim and drive depth? Is the x-dim raised at the factory when a boat is rigged with extension boxes? The drives are stock length IMCO extremes. Any help would be appriciated..

I know Formula did a lot of experimentation to arrive at the optimal X-dimension on the 382. I think one would be wasting a lot of time and money trying to change it from factory specs. I refinished my Stellings a few years ago and reset them to factory height. Hope some of these photos help. You can always check with Formula TAG ... they are always very heplful with techincal questions like this.

I hope it's the same, I don't have time to do the transom in that thing to raise it! Lol good luck!

I'm willing to bet the transom cutout is the same. Mine are on the center hole of the three for height adjustment. Can't get a measurement for you right now as the boat is in my building in Ohio, but I think it was 3" from the notch to the bottom of the Stelings box.

So if anything is different it's in the box not the actual crank centerline height in the hull

Correct, but I wouldn't use the bottom hole. That tends to be hard on drive shafts.

Kreed, you should send the boxes to Stellings to have them aligned while they are off.

Lets see some pics of the new ride.

He should leave them where they are and save any and all aggravation ! Just looking out for your mental health Kevin! Don't want you to get stressed out!

Thanks for the help... azz-end looks nice! You running dry exhaust?

Jamie, Ive been stressed out for 3 months! Just about done now, less than a week and I should be able to breath. Boxes are worth 3 MPH, theyre comin with me! haha.....enless you got some 10-71's you want to trade? Ill make up the speed somehow!

Matt, thanks,I will send them out. Didnt realize that was part of the maintainence. Ill put them on in neutral hole. Just wanted to be sure holes cut in transom werent in a different location with or without the extension boxes......I want to run dry exhaust on this boat....the engines should sound pretty good dry! Pics to come soon.

Thanks Kreed! The Stellings boxes just make any boat look sick.

Previous owner had 950 hp blower motors w Stellings headers, therefore the water dumps on the transom. I have CMI elbow tops with water re-entering at the tip of the tails just outside the transom. Still sounds pretty healthy but not obnoxious. GGB mufflers keep the DNR guys from getting too eager to stop/board my vessel.

If you have the hardware off the transom, you might want to seal all the exposed surfaces with epoxy to prevent water intrusion and eventual dryrot. Also had my fiberglass guy do this when I had my boxes off.

Note in the last photo above that we placed a small notch in the center at the bottom of the cutout to allow water to drain out into the bilge and not collect in this area.

Red dog, was the wood exposed when you removed the original outdrives? I thought formula sealed all the cut outs?

I can't believe how many boats from so many different manufactures left the factory with the bare wood exposed, really sad! So much for attention to detail... :(

No thanks to scot I have the answer to my own question.

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/f...ech-way-2.html

Formula does seal the cutouts. You can still see some of the white gelcoat in the corners of the cutout. No bare wood, but the gelcoat was starting to break down so together with my fiberglass guy (who used to work for the Navy and fixed all the stuff the Seals broke), we decided it was best to sand everything down to bare wood and seal it with epoxy while it was apart to prevent problems with water entry down the road.

That's good to know. OTOH, as I mentioned I've seen various boats over the years that have had the raw wood exposed... I can't imagine why anyone would let that go out of an OEM like that! Probably just laziness and saving a buck. :(

Did I owe you an answer to something? :confused:

No, but I know your exact intention!!!!

Curious... What exactly are they aligning/aligning to when this is done? What changes over time?

The carriers have shims to align with the gimbal. They bolt in and seem to move over time. The carrier takes the place of the coupler, so its like aligning the engine. They really are a mess. They are great in that you can move them, but the IMCO with the long shaft into a coupler seems like a better deal. It takes two U joints and a carrier out of the equation.

Think, you have an adapter on the flywheel with drive shaft bolted to that, U-Joints on both ends of a short drive shaft then bolted to a flange that rides in the carrier. From there you have the input shaft of the drive which has more joints.

Honestly seems like a spinning mess waiting to happen but they look cool!

Gotcha, thanks for explaining that!

I dont think you did based on your comment. ;)

I assume now that Im adding boxes, Im gonna need a longer shift cable?

No, it is the same shift cable. Make sure you anchor the cable otherwise it could get torn up in the driveline.

Andy

Will do, thank you...

I don't know why you'd give up that beautiful Tiger, it sure is pretty! :party-smiley-004:

Hahaha, too late! Check the avitar Scot!