Now what did I break: Arneson Drive question
 

At idle speeds one of the tie-bar knuckles broke and the Arneson drives went cross-eyed and the props hit each other. Port motor stalled on impact. Oops.

Replaced both knuckles and re-installed tie-bar (second one was cracked and going soon) and took her for a ride (at idle) and now there is a "growling" noise on port side. Dual u-joint 2-foot long drive shafts feeding the arnesons are new (less than 20 hours) as are the transmissions. Trans fluid is red and clear.

Did I break something inside the arneson or is the drive shaft more likely the culprit? Thinking of pulling the shaft and getting it looked at might be the best first step. Hoping I dont need to put the boat on the dry to refurb arneson drive.

Any troubleshooting advice appreciated.

You've got the ASD-8s with no drop box on the transom system...just low mount ball socket housing?

Trans has the height reduction?

Is there noticeable vibration or just the noise?

noise and vibration (but could be prop). I have ASD8s without drop boxes.

I would also try calling Rik and get his thoughts. It seems like it would be hard to hear anything past the transom unless it is very loud. With that being said I would start crawling around with someone driving---unless you can reproduce the sound with the boat out of the water. I would look for damaged bearings--possibly in the trans...

You are very lucky it didnt happen at speed, are they stainless ? fatigue caused it..

no bronze but been under water for decades.

I will check drive shaft and trans again while it is running. Probably pull drive shaft and get it looked at by a pro.

Take the prop off and just rev it up.

Hadnt thought of that Hogie - my Duh. That would ID if the prop got fubared when it hit the other one. Not sure a tweaked prop would make the growling noise I'm hearing but ya never know. Will also open the hatch and put it in gear at the dock so I can see/listen up close. Not sure if crunched U-joint would make the noise. Will see this week when I get a few hours to check it out

Swamp,

Do you have access to a contact probe stethoscope? You might give it a listen after you put it in gear before you rev it up. That "growling" would indicate to me that something is making contact that isn't supposed to.

Thanks. Brad.

Funny I have had one of those for 40 years.