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[Dan2010]

hey guys,

i few years ago i brought a second hand vilestroom, since then i haven't used it or tested it, until today, the bow thrust-er seems to have seized, so i tried getting the casing off to get to the motor, next problem, the screws wont come out of the casing, so my question to you guy's is is there any other way i can save the thruster? even if it means i need to replace it, how do i get the old thruster out?

any help would be greatly appreciated

Dan

[inertia]

Dan
In this case we're all flying a bit blind. What type of bow-thruster? How has it been installed? A photo or two would be very useful.
DM

[Dan2010]

Dan
In this case we're all flying a bit blind. What type of bow-thruster? How has it been installed? A photo or two would be very useful.
DM

hi inertia, sorry for the late reply, busy at work, have got round to taking some pictures for reference, the unit itself judging by the label markings are a graupner make, i cant see a prop in the shaft, so im guessing its a paddle unit. anyone any idea how i could possibly remove the unit? thanks for the help guys

[inertia]

It is the Graupner unit, which has a flat paddle and not a "real" impeller like the more expensive of the Raboesch units. I don't think there's many that would dispute the motor has been well corroded by water!
Do you want to replace it or just remove it and seal the hull, Dan?
DM

[Dan2010]

my view is the whole unit needs to be replaced, however that depends on the cost and difficulty's, if there is a way of replacing said unit without making damage to the hull then i would like to replace said unit, however, if it is going to be a task that will damage the hull, i would rather seal, leave, and run the boat on a 2 channel rather than 4


thanks Dan

[cos918]

Hi
You have a few options . remove the 3 screws at the bottom ,this will enable you to remove the bottom pannel. Here you will see the blade that is what is used to move the water . Note this is a plastic blade that is only a tight push fit on to the motor shaft . You could see if you can get this to turn. Now I am note 100% sure but there may be X2 screws in the housing ,if there are this is what will hold the motor on. Note you will have to remove the blade to get the motor out. If you can get it working again great if not.
You will have to look and see if Raboesch do one with the same O/D tubes as the graupner. Then you will have to cut the tubes straight down at 90 deg to the side of the tube about  5 mm from the edge of the impeller housing . With you new unit you will have to make it the same width and drop it in. You will need to make some coupling for the tubes. This might sound a funny way of doing it but what it saves is having to possible repaint the hull.


john

[Dan2010]

thank you very much for the advice, ill pop down to bnq now and get a long reach screw driver, if i cant get the screws out, would there be any other way of removing the unit?

thanks in advance
Dan

[inertia]

Dan
You could razor-saw through the two tubes outboard of the paddle housing and lift out the motor and paddle. Then graft in a new unit using either smaller-diameter plastic tubes inside the existing ones to locate inside the new paddle casing or butt-joining the new unit to the old tubes with silicon tubing and hose clips. I have an ex-demo Graupner bow thruster which has never been fitted into a model, but I've long since mislaid the extension tubes. PM me if you're interested.
Dave M

[cos918]

Hi Dan
the 3 screws hold an access plate in place . the idea of that is you can remove an rubbish that might be stopping the plastic blade.
To fit these type of bow thruster s what you do is cut to oval/round shaped holes in the hull. Then you put the unit in to the hull minus the X2 tubes. Then you slide the tubes in through the holes . If it all fitts then you glue the tubes to the bow thruster unit and to the hull.So to remove the bow thruster housing would mean destroying glue joints.
Thinking about it . remove the 3 screws and try and turn the blade. if that fails see if there are 2 scews inside the housing ,if there are this will hold the motor in . remove the blade then the X2 screws then the motor , then replace the motor . This is about the easiest way . when putting back to getter remmber to glue the plastic blade on to the motor  shaft and roughen up the motor shaft to help the glue take hold


john

[inertia]

Yes - I should have said "if all attempts at removal should fail". John is dead right - trying to get inside the thing and just change the motor (which is a stock 3-pole 380 for a fiver) is clearly the best option. Surgery should always be the last resort.
It might also be an idea to find out if the hull leaks around the tubes. The water must have got in there somewhere to corrode the motor that badly.
Dave M

[Dan2010]

hi guys, thanks for all the advice, i was thinking about getting some brass tubing, slightly bigger than the plactic tubing, and use that as an outter shaft type thing, kind of like a puncture repair kit, ive managed to get 2 of said 3 screws out, however ive sheared the end up the long reach screw driver, so just waiting for a new one to be delivered, i shall be taking the boat out sometime today to my local boating lake to test the motors and rudders, and check for any leakages, how that thruster motor has become that rusted I dont know, but it has been sat in my shed untouched for around 2/3 years, so that probably has something to do with it


thanks guys :)

[inertia]

Dan
Don't forget to bung up the thruster tubes before you throw the boat into the oggin! 
Dave M

[cos918]

one other option might be give the motor and its bearings a good soak in WD40. Then when you get the 3rd screw out you might get lucky and be able to free the motor by wiggling the plastic blade in the housing .


John