I had gotten a frame, and put my 31hp motor on it. I ordered the shaft from back water, but my question is what is the proper way to mount the prop? I have 3/4 shaft #10 threads. Should I be running a 3/4 bolt (stainless) washer - Prop - washer (stainless) 3/4 bolt ? Then leave about 1/2 inch between the last bolt and the beginning of the lower bearing? Hope this makes sense, also if shaft is longer is it bad to have the prop be 1 inch lower than the bearing? or should I go through the trouble of cutting down the shaft?

If I am running a 31hp on a 72" frame should I be running a 9x6 or 9x7? I dont run mud, just hydrilla lillys and other vegetaion. My boat is a 15' welded lowe roughneck.

Thanks new to the homeade longtail.

Backwater uses a jam nut, prop, bronze crush sleeve, jam nut, then finally a nylock nut at the end.

Thank you frank the tank, sure appreciate the picture! Makes sense now, Ill call backwater Monday and order the bolts directly from them... if they'll sell em to me!

They'll definitely sell them to you!

Good luck, Tommy! Slay those ringbills!

Well after getting into the mud motor frame and double checking my bearings my top bearing seals came out with ease and the bearing is showing the bearing balls. I think it's time to replace to top bearings now, I'm just unsure if I bought the wrong size shaft? I thought the frame I bought was 3/4 drive but the shaft slides in with ease and there is room around for the shaft to wiggle. I'm curious if I can just get a bearing puller or Reece puller to get the current bad bearings out. Any help is greatly appreciated!

A few more photos

A few more pictures

You are correct... the shaft is 3/4" with the 3/4 x 10 threads for the prop... your bearings should have a 3/4" bore... Unfortunatly I think what you are seeing is that the previous owner just ran the piss out of it and wallowed out cap making it almost an inch.... Most of the time there is a minimal opening to try and keep obstructions like mud and sand away from the seals and entend their life....

Well I had figured it had been ride hard put away wet when the reason for selling was the shaft spun out. All good, I got a great price on it and don't mind tinkering with it. I guess from here my best choice is to order whole new assemblies from backwater too and bottom along with the prop nuts. After that I'll have a perfect frame, that's practically new. Thanks for the insight man!

That lower housing looks very similar to a GD. You sure it's not a bushing on the lower end?

I was pretty sure it was a bearing system but now that you say that. It does look like a bushing system on the bottom and a bearing on the top? I attached a different angle picture of it.

Thanks!!

I would assume so, that would explain the play in the shaft. Put a pipe wrench on that housing and take it off. Or take the cap off the housing and see if there are bearings in there. If I remember correctly the cap on the housing is left hand threads but the entire housing is normal threads. Hope this helps.

Those caps come off the tube. Needs a pipe wrench. Bottom cap has a set screw, top cap has an alemite remove them before you stick a wrench on it. Pull the top call and use a brass punch to knock out the bearing from the back side. The seal is behind the bearing. Not sure about the bearing but the seal is actually an oil seal and it's 1 3/8 x 3/4 x 1/4. But a 5/16 width will fit if thats all you can find.

Bottom cap comes off counter clockwise-but the cover DOES have left handed threads(turns clock wise to remove)

Steve thank you very much for the help, had to set the project aside for the past 2 weeks..... Duck season got in the way. But this afternoon I plan on working on it. Im going to try and get a pipe wrench to loosen them up. Thanks

I think flatontheplatte is correct. It really looks like a GoDevil. You can down load the maintenance manual from the GoDevil website. To order parts copy down the serial number from the frame plate behind the engine and under the universal joint.