Removing Vetus Bow Thruster Motor

[thomaslong]

I have to pull my bow thruster out of my 28 TE as well to repair/replace the solenoid (expensive part!) or clean the brushes. I have disconnected all the power and freed up the three bolts holding the motor to the flange. Now I am ready to unbolt and lift the motor off. It's okay to do that in the water, right? Vetus assures me it is.

[zeke46]

I don't have a 28, but on the 32+2 it is sealed and therefore safe to do in the water.

[rbsangus]

Saw this thread but my bow thruster seems to be an older version of the vetus 55. I’m trying to get the motor out but there are no bolts like in the picture. There are 4 large Phillips head screws around the sides of the motor. Does anyone know if those are the ones that release the motor for removal?

[Norseman]

Good thread: I am due for cleaning or changing brushes.
The thruster works good but probably needs TLC.
Did not change the oil during a recent haulout.
Anybody tried to suck up the oil and change it while in the water?
(Vetus 4 HP, 2001 Albin 28TE)

[Norseman]

Update:
I hauled out summer 2020, replaced the bow thruster oil, a bit messy and a bit smelly, but a low tech operation.
Bought new shaft seals, but did not attempt a replacement, couldn’t get the O-ring for the end plate and left the seals alone.
Bought a new 6 blade propeller, but got wrong part number, 0089 instead of 0088. Kept the old prop, noisy and pitted, but working good.
Sold new prop on eBay.

Today I attempted to remove and inspect the brushes. No cigar with motor in place: Might as well remove the motor and have a shop overhaul it with brushes, bearings and whatever else is needed:

First estimate, a shop real close to me in Fort Lauderdale, 2.5 miles away.
2 hours for removal of the motor @ $125/hr, 2 hrs to install plus $1,500 for the bearings and the brushes, total estimate $2,000.00

Next estimate, over the phone: About $750 for bearings and brushes including labor, then a few hundred extra for removal and installation of motor, total $1,000.00 or so.

Both of the above are Vetus service shops.

The third estimate from an automotive starter/generator shop but also experienced with marine gear. (They had numerous bow and stern thruster ready for overhaul and ready for pick up. Used them for many years for my boat starters, generators and batteries, etc.)
$350 labor, plus parts: Bearings $10 a piece, brushes $200-300 for a set, probably the same as # 2 above, $750-800 for parts and labor.

Also called a Vetus dealer for the price of a new motor, Vetus part # BP812, call Vetus US he said.
I called Vetus, old motor not available and the newer motors don’t fit.
Ok: is the newer 5512 thruster a replacement for my 5012?
NO: The 5012 had a 185 MM tunnel, the 5512 had a smaller tunnel, and the motor does not fit either.
He said The 6012 however have the same tunnel and would fit, but possible fiberglass work if the holes don’t align.
(Running a charter boat I get good prices at various marine vendors, a Vetus dealer offered a complete 6012 for $2,050 recently. Tempting, but not ready for a yard haul out and possibly fiberglass work, $1.5 or $2.0k right there.)

The Vetus USA service rep I chatted with for 20 minutes was real nice and gave good advice: He said some owners burn out their thrusters in 2 years, other owners have operating thrusters from 1985.
It is all about not running them continuously, only blip the joy stick. Also about voltage: Low voltage is damaging.
Lately I have been combining the battery banks when using the bow thruster, read the same over and over again. (I got a button on the dash to combine the batteries, is that the same on all the Albin 28TEs? )

Looks like I will go with door # 2: I yank out the motor, drive it up to the nearby town Pompano Beach and these guys do the bearings and brushes, I remove and install.
Anything in the $1,000 range should buy me 10 years.
Or it could all go South next week

(Tried to attach pictures, but no cigar: Do we have a software problem? )