11
GENERAL MAINTENANCE
1.
Lubrication
. Thrust bearing; inspect regularly, at least every thirty hours of operation or if the boat sits for more than 2
months. Grease the thrust bearing before you take it out. Lubricate the thrust bearing using VALVOLINE SYNTHETIC #
985, SFR # 2522, or the equivalent. NOTE: DO NOT USE WHEEL BEARING GREASE. Bowl bearings, lubricate at the
time of winterization, summarization, and once midway through the boating season. Use the same grease as the thrust
bearing. The grease zert is located at the discharge end of the jet drive. Access to the grease zert is through the nozzle;
a long extension on your grease gun will be required. If you have a Droop Snoot it must be removed to service the bowl
bearings. NOTE: Be sure to grease the bearing before your first outing in the spring. Most thrust bearing failures occur
then.
2.
Shaft Packing 12-S, 12-TD, AT-309, TJ-309, & J120-AT
. The packing gland nuts can be adjusted to alter the compres-
sion of the packing strips against the shaft. The packing must be loose enough to allow for natural expansion. Too tight
of packing around the shaft can cause scoring of the shaft due to excessive heat. Packing too loose can result in exces-
sive air and water leakage. The two packing gland nuts should be turned in quarter turn increments until snug (tighten
each nut in one quarter turn increments to insure an equal compression on each side). After they are snug, then back
them off very slightly (less than a quarter turn total).
3.
Reverse Components
. The reverse bucket should be inspected every thirty hours for proper function. The reverse
bucket should not have any play when the cable is under tension. The cable attaches to the reverse bucket with a pivot
pin. Make sure this attachment is secure. Also make sure that the reverse cable is secure where it passes through the
tiller arm. Adjustments to the reverse bucket position can be made by tightening the bulkhead fasteners at the tiller arm.
