Evinrude 7516 7.5 hp Fleetwin shock absorber

[Buccaneer]

Searches in the archived messages suggest that the shock absorber
lenght should be 6-11/16". Measured mine at 6-27/32", or 6-13/16" plus!
It seemed to pull over okay before I tore it apart, but the bearing
housing thrust area above the shock was wore down some.

Do I need to tear apart the shock to see if the spring is broke?
If so, how does it come apart?

Can I just try compressing the whole thing instead?

Thanks!

Prepare to be boarded!

[Mumbles]

Yup, stick ‘er in a big vice and squeeze ‘er down to size or hit it with a big hammer. It’s very seldom the spring itself actually breaks. 99% of the time the parts expand from the prop hitting something hard.

[aquasonic]

Sometimes they are broken, and sometimes they expand, but don’t contract back to 6 11/16". If you clean up the inside very well, then with a bright flashlight you can often see if the spring is broken or not. If not, it can be pressed back to spec.

Improvise-Adapt-Overcome

[fisherman6]

I posted this in another thread earlier today, but here it is again. When I find a sprung or broken shock absorber in one of these, I squeeze or beat it back to within spec length, clamp it in a big C-clamp and weld that thing up so it can’t ever do that again. I then use a brass shear pin in the prop to save the gears. Here’s the last one I fixed.
-Ben

OldJohnnyRude on YouTube

[Buccaneer]

Thanks guys. If the spring is broken, would it readily slip if one end
is put in a vise and the other end turned?
Will try compressing it tomorrow.

Prepare to be boarded!

[david-bartlett]

quote Buccaneer:

Thanks guys. If the spring is broken, would it readily slip if one end
is put in a vise and the other end turned?
Will try compressing it tomorrow.

Buc,

These shock absorbers might have moved easier when they were new but they are now 50+ years old and most of the units I have seen are quite stiff.

If the surface above it is worn I would squeeze it and then weld it and then use a brass pin like Ben said.

[Buccaneer]

Welding up the shock sounds like a good plan. I need to see if my
72 year old Lincoln welder is still working anyways!

Prepare to be boarded!

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