G23 Prop Fell Off .....

[Skidave]

That’s the funniest thing I’ve read on here for a long time. My question is how’s the shaft? Lol

Shaft seems fine, but I'm going to ask the dealer to replace it under warranty!


Seriously, the kids used this toy twice and the prop fell off the second time. Too ironic. Now I have to see if I can get a replacement part or if I have to buy another RC boat.

[Gunners]

2014 G23 Prop Shaft Broken

This happened yesterday after about 5-10 minutes of driving 23mph while pulling a tube. All sudden a bad vibration started to happen so I pulled throttle back. Applied throttle again and it was still there. Idled into dock and when I was positioning boat into slip I put into reverse a couple times. On the second time I felt a slight thump and lost all propulsion. Raised boat and this is what I saw.

Boat has 50 hours on it and to my knowledge has never hit anything (bottom etc).

Anyone seen anything like this? Frankly, I can't wrap my head around the physics of how this thing just shears off.

What are the odds this exact same thing happens roughly 5 years later? Well it did. Is this still a thing or are we just that unlucky?

Only thing different is the boat now has 270 hours instead of 50.

[SoCal G-Man]

Hilarious! Thanks for the laugh.

[McCannLand]

That’s the funniest thing I’ve read on here for a long time. My question is how’s the shaft? Lol

[Skidave]

Look what happened to my remote controlled G23. Yep, the prop is gone. Warranty claim?

My kids were using it last weekend and told me the propeller fell off. I just had to laugh.

Sent from my SM-J337V using Tapatalk

[SoCal G-Man]

The nut most likely did not back off- the prop seated deeper from the force pushing the boat. Bet the dealer just slaps the prop on,does not bother to seat it properly. Here is a good pictorial on how to do it,3rd block down is interesting

I have always done lapping when replacing a prop with a new prop. That is how I was taught by Acme and others. I assumed that everyone did. LOL!

[Kenv]

I dis-agree. Over the years my family and friends have bent props on our Nautiques and Malibus and never "seated" the old repaired prop or brand new props. Just through that thing on the shaft, tighten the nut and YEARS later....NO issues. I don't think this has anything to do with what happened to the G shafts. Good guess though....but naw.....

[Tallredrider]

The nut most likely did not back off- the prop seated deeper from the force pushing the boat. Bet the dealer just slaps the prop on,does not bother to seat it properly. Here is a good pictorial on how to do it,3rd block down is interesting

Very interesting. I have never heard of using a valve compound on the shaft. I think it makes perfect sense that if the prop and shaft are not perfectly mated, it would cause breakage, but hope that the folks at Nautique would have discovered that problem long ago.

[gary s]

The nut most likely did not back off- the prop seated deeper from the force pushing the boat. Bet the dealer just slaps the prop on,does not bother to seat it properly. Here is a good pictorial on how to do it,3rd block down is interesting

[GMLIII]

It was a tiny bit loose, causing the slop. It just seems unusual for the nut to back off. FAIK, the dealer had to have an urgent prop replacement for another customer's boat and took mine and didn't put it back solidly. I suspect this would have eventually caused a problem, if it was going on for 350 hours.

Let's see if this works, I video'd it a little bit: I am not sure if everyone can see it or just me.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Ap2Fva8ZA6j9pFJM7

Definitely loose not doubt, glad you discovered it before a potential shaft shear

[Tallredrider]

Was your prop nut loose prior to removing it when the prop just slid of the shaft?

It was a tiny bit loose, causing the slop. It just seems unusual for the nut to back off. FAIK, the dealer had to have an urgent prop replacement for another customer's boat and took mine and didn't put it back solidly. I suspect this would have eventually caused a problem, if it was going on for 350 hours.

Let's see if this works, I video'd it a little bit: I am not sure if everyone can see it or just me.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Ap2Fva8ZA6j9pFJM7

[GMLIII]

I found my prop to be just a little bit loose today while checking everything out. After 350 hours, it seems a little strange. It fell off without a puller. I would just throw that out there and wonder if a busted shaft was going to happen next. If the tapers don't match up perfectly, then busted shafts happen.

How often do you guys check your prop nuts? I don't think I have checked it in quite a while. I suspect it is on the list for the 300 hour service, but my dealer likely did not adhere to any specific list.

Was your prop nut loose prior to removing it when the prop just slid off the shaft?

[Tallredrider]

I found my prop to be just a little bit loose today while checking everything out. After 350 hours, it seems a little strange. It fell off without a puller. I would just throw that out there and wonder if a busted shaft was going to happen next. If the tapers don't match up perfectly, then busted shafts happen.

How often do you guys check your prop nuts? I don't think I have checked it in quite a while. I suspect it is on the list for the 300 hour service, but my dealer likely did not adhere to any specific list.

[Kenv]

Exactly. I'm with you Greg. Technically "dozens" to me is 24 or more...more than 1 dozen......and I skimmed that in 10 minutes. And SO WHAT if they are on here or not....they will be or have been counted somehow in the big picture when this is all said and done. Grand kids will be telling stories about the time their Papa's shaft and prop broke. We got to get towed home!!! Yay......

[greggmck]

I don't think we know how many people will do a "google search" when their shaft breaks. That is my opinion.

But you state that "dozens of others who had this experience have done". Cite your references. Supply the names and proof of those that google searched after their shaft broke, or admit you are just guessing. I admit I am just guessing. Please do the same.

Dozens...Surely you jest. Two dozen. Three dozen. How many dozen are you referring to? How many people do you really know that broke a shaft and then google searched?

Admit it is idle conversation...

As stated above, Kenv did a review of the thread history on this topic and stated there were about 30 posts of people who have reported a shaft failure. 30 = dozens. That they got here by doing a Google search or knew in advance about this forum is irrelevant. My point is that if you review this entire forum thread from the beginning since 2013 there are dozens of reported failures, about 30 by estimation. Even if that is off by 2X it is NOT hundreds. Almost any person who has spent about $150,000 on a new G (most failures are in the first 100 hours) would likely be curious and upset enough to seek additional information about this problem. For that they would use a computer, GOOGLE, or other search engine and likely end up on this forum to post about it. I think this is very reasonable. Much more reasonable than to think there are hundreds of silent people who have shelled out big bucks for their G, had a shaft failure, and did/said NOTHING...