Vetus 55 Bow thruster

[dgetswet]

Has anyone had the pleaser of taking the prop off to change the zinc? I utubed it but they seem to slip it off so easy. I know there is a pin inside that holds it together with the shaft but if anyone has any tricks Please let me know.

[Carl]

Have a pair of needle nose pliers and some emory cloth handy. Medium screw driver with hard handle. Take note of the amount of threads outside the nut. Remove the nut while holding prop with hand. Don't put any pressure on the blades they are thin. Tap the HUB only with the screw driver handle, grab it and pull, you may need to wiggle it a bit. Before using the needle nose to remove the pin, take the emory cloth and shine up one side of the pin. remove the pin and shine it up the other side for the reassembly with the cloth. remove the old zinc, clean the surface off and install the new zinc. Replace the pin, prop and nut, making sure the prop was aligned with the pin and is all the way on. Do the threads look right? Don't over tighten the nut, snug is good.

[Yearwood]

I have the 55 and the prop does not need to be taken off (simple in any event) to change the zinc which is a simple hex head.

[Carl]

Hmmm.... I just described how mine is on a 2006 flush deck, assuming his 2005 was the same. Interesting!
https://www.vetus.com/media/wysiwyg/Tec ... _02_EN.pdf

[dgetswet]

Have a pair of needle nose pliers and some emory cloth handy. Medium screw driver with hard handle. Take note of the amount of threads outside the nut. Remove the nut while holding prop with hand. Don't put any pressure on the blades they are thin. Tap the HUB only with the screw driver handle, grab it and pull, you may need to wiggle it a bit. Before using the needle nose to remove the pin, take the emory cloth and shine up one side of the pin. remove the pin and shine it up the other side for the reassembly with the cloth. remove the old zinc, clean the surface off and install the new zinc. Replace the pin, prop and nut, making sure the prop was aligned with the pin and is all the way on. Do the threads look right? Don't over tighten the nut, snug is good.

Carl

I took the nut off and sprayed the openings with master blaster and let it sit. Came back today and removed the bolt but both hands on and pulled it off. Thought it was going to be a good day. The inside of the prop is a little chewed up but looks functional. The zinc behind the pin was free spinning which I'm sure is not right.
So now the BIG problem is the pin will not come out. I have soaked it with Master Blaster and a industrial strength spray for over an hour. All you can is tap it. I put a vice grip on it an tapped a 1/4 down but now it will not budge. Any suggestions?

[dgetswet]

SO I removed the prop for the bow thruster. Not happy at all. Please let me know if anyone has come across this problem. I worked on it with 2 other guys for well over an hour. When I removed the prop which I did by getting both hands in and pulling hard. So I see the zinc is not really connected by the 2 screws it is supposed to be connected with and just free spinning. The zinc was in pretty good shape. So I go to take the pin out and nothing. I soak the hell out of it with Master blaster and another guy gave me an industrial strength solvent. I start tapping one way then the other way. Finally it moves also a half inch and stops.
I put a vice grip on it and try turning it all the time soaking it and tapping down. Nothing

So I ask anyone have an issue like this? Any suggestions? Photos below.

[RobS]

That zinc does not look good at all, this is what it is supposed to look like. Not a very clear picture but sure looks like electrolysis damage to the gear housing which would make sense since the zinc was not electrically connected. Clean it up real good and investigate further. You will need to clean up that pin with a dressing wheel, like a scotch brite wheel and continue to lube and tap it back and forth and as it moves you have more access for dressing the surfaces. Especially now that it has a vise grip claw marks in it this is the only way.

[dgetswet]

That zinc does not look good at all, this is what it is supposed to look like. Not a very clear picture but sure looks like electrolysis damage to the gear housing which would make sense since the zinc was not electrically connected. Clean it up real good and investigate further. You will need to clean up that pin with a dressing wheel, like a scotch brite wheel and continue to lube and tap it back and forth and as it moves you have more access for dressing the surfaces. Especially now that it has a vise grip claw marks in it this is the only way.

Thanks. I purchased the new zinc and was changing it one way or the other. The videos don't show the pin other than them sliding it in and then the prop over it. The biggest problem in getting the pin cleaned up is the amount of space I have to work in. I think the hole is only about 6 inches.

Thanks
Don

[Carl]

About a 12” piece of Emory cloth will shine up the pin in short order. See link below. Do the side that you have sticking out the most now, then tap it back over the clean part and it will slide right out. Then clean it up before reassembly. A little prop grease on the pin and shaft will make it easier next time, but don’t get it all over the zinc, use sparingly.



https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=ho ... ORM=VIREHT

[dgetswet]

So finally after about 5 hours over several days of tap tap tap and a lot of Master Blaster we finally got the pin out. A friend at the boat yard took a pair of needle nosed upside down pliers and was able to wiggle it out.
So after looking at the zinc which was in pretty good condition we noticed the 2 screws that were supposed to be holding the zinc on were completely gone. So the theory is the screws were either not put on or worked their was out and off. Once off the zinc spinning with the shaft bent the pin. Of course the prop did suffer damage and it was decided to purchase a new one to avoid any future problems. That is what we are going with. The question is though where are the 2 screws?

[Cape Codder]

THIS IS IMPORTANT: After removing the ss nylon lock nut 2 or 3 times, REPLACE IT WITH A BRAND NEW ONE!!!!
I have historically removed my prop every spring for cleaning and repainting with anti-fouling paint.
Last year, upon launch, I just, ever so briefly, used the thruster.......and z-i-n-g.......off spun the thruster prop!!!!
The nylon nut lost it’s grip.
That meant a new prop, and a brief (10 minute)haul-out to replace the 6 blade prop.
There’s more!
In my case, don’t know about others, the prop needs trimming to fit in the tunnel. About 1/8” needs to be trimmed off each of the 6 blades.
What a pain!!!
Then installed.

[Carl]

https://www.boatzincs.com/Vetus-BP-1126.html

Get your zinc here, comes with new screws and nylon nut.

[Halcyon2]

Is there a reset button anywhere for the Venus 55 bow thruster? I had a line get in mine. Stopped it working. Rope was easily pulled out but seems to be “dead”. Thought a video said there was a reset somewhere. Thanks.

[Carl]

Mine has an inline fuse.

[Nancy]

Vetus has great tech support by phone if you need it.