Long Tail Project Start-Up

[Brandon Bolling]

This is the beginning of my long tail mud motor. I am using a 6hp Briggs to push my little sneak boat into some sneaky places. Last season was really dry so the water level was really low and I almost burned up my 3hp Evinrude a few times, and I replaced more sheer pins than I wish to discuss.

I am making it a belt drive because I like the idea of replacing a belt instead of the motor when I hit stuff. I dont know what size pulleys Im going to use, I figured on the top one being bigger than the bottom, a little trial and error and I will get more specific. The frame is 3/4 sq steel bracing an old plate that I found holding a generator. I know that Scavenger makes a belt drive but I wanted my motor facing forward, the other way looks funny, so I built the mount so it will allow the belt to come through. Pretty savvy if you ask me but I don't know if it will work...wait and see. The shaft housing is 1/4in DOM w/ 3/4in bronze bushings (thanks Mark W. for giving me the heads up on the Zerks). I am having the shaft made by an old grizzly dude missing some fingers that runs a fab/farm repair shop in town, I literally think he could make anything you could imagine out of metal, and he is doing it for a fraction of the cost of anyone else. I plan on bracing the housing with 1/2 sq tubing ladder type gussetts. I will post up my progress as I go. Next I need to figure out how a cavitation plate works and make one too. Next weekend hopefully I will be close to done. I am waiting on the prop to arrive, paid for it two weeks ago on ebay, guy still has not sent it, hopefully I am not getting the shaft. Oh, I know that it looks rough in the pics but give me a chance and she will clean up nice.

$50 Bucks needs a new carb, great deal if you ask me

Frame bracing

Finished mount, I swear those welds look Waaaay better in real life

I think this idea will work.

Loc-Tite settin for the end cap bushings. You can see the middle zerk already done, all by hand of course.

Regardless if it works or if I have to re-do the entire thing I am having a blast with this build.

 

[Mark W]

Hi Brandon -

Looks like someone is having some fun. Nice start Brandon.

Somethign to consider - how are you going to seal the bushings that you have at each end of the driveshaft? If I am seeing what I think I see, your bushings at the end are the kind with the lip that will hold it against your DOM tubing. My opinion is that this may not be the way to go as water WILL get into this type of set up.

What I did, and many others as well, was to use the same bushings you used for the center bushing on the ends as well (held in place with the zert). Place these bushings about 1 - 2 inches in from each end. You can then use a grease seal on the ends of the DOM and run your driveshaft through these seals. Epoxy some sort of washer on the end of the drivetube to hold the seals in place or epoxy them in or weld, or pressure fit or whatever. Federal Mogul makes any size seal you would ever need that will work for whatever ID DOM/driveshaft combo you chose. I used a 3/8" driveshaft with a 3/4" ID aluminum drivetube and easily found the proper size seal.

I think your current set up will cause you problems down the road. This is just an opinion mind you and I could easily be wrong.

Mark W

 

[Brandon Bolling]

Thanks Mark, I will be taking a torch to the bushings because I put a bunch of red loc-tite on them. Once again thank you very much I really appreciate all your help!