DriveSaver for 6.354 Perkins

River Cruiser · Jun 30, 2013

Does anyone use a DriveSaver or anything similar & are they worth the expense & work to install ? If yes do you have any suggestions as to brand or part # for use with a 6.354 using a Borg Warner vee drive 5" couplings & 1.25" shaft. Helping a friend on a new to him aluminium boat Thank you

rochepoint · Jun 30, 2013

Our boat with a Perkins 6.3544M came with a DriveSaver installed when we bought her 17 years ago. So far "knock on wood" we have never had to test it by hitting something. Does it work, I don't know......does it hurt to have one....no.
Brand unknown but it is orange in colour.

Shoalwaters · Jun 30, 2013

The link below should help you select the right one.

https://www.gcsmarine.com/content/drivesavers/find_a_drivesav

DavidM · Jun 30, 2013

I had one on a sailboat. The PO had installed it to reduce a vibration problem. Turns out the prop was bent. Replaced the prop, removed the drive saver and all was smooth.

I think the real purpose of a Drivesavor, to reduce damage to your prop shaft when you strike an object is wildly overstated. Most prop strikes bend props and shafts and rarely shear them which is what a Drivesavor is designed to protect.

And they can cause more problems if they are not installed right. They add length to the prop shaft and if you don't cut it off you might have more vibration problems due to the prop shaft sticking out too far from the cutless bearing.

A properly installed and aligned prop shaft doesn't need anything to reduce vibration. If you have vibrations, find the root cause, don't just put a band aid on it.

David

River Cruiser · Jun 30, 2013

djmarchand said:
I had one on a sailboat. The PO had installed it to reduce a vibration problem. Turns out the prop was bent. Replaced the prop, removed the drive saver and all was smooth.

I think the real purpose of a Drivesavor, to reduce damage to your prop shaft when you strike an object is wildly overstated. Most prop strikes bend props and shafts and rarely shear them which is what a Drivesavor is designed to protect.

And they can cause more problems if they are not installed right. They add length to the prop shaft and if you don't cut it off you might have more vibration problems due to the prop shaft sticking out too far from the cutless bearing.

A properly installed and aligned prop shaft doesn't need anything to reduce vibration. If you have vibrations, find the root cause, don't just put a band aid on it.

David

No vibration, haven't even had it in the water yet, being aluminium his thought is to help prevent electrolysis problems. Thank you to all who replied.

ktischler · Jun 30, 2013

We have them installed on our boat. I can attest that they work as advertised. We hit a huge submerged log on the Pearl River a few years ago. The elastic element sheared as it was designed to do, saving our transmission. I carry a spare, so we were back underway in less than an hour.

Best $165 I ever spent! But I see they have gone up a bit since my last purchase in 2005.

Tom.B · Jun 30, 2013

There are opinions both pro and con for them. We have one on our single-screw Perkins 6.354, but will be removing it on our next haul out. I think the PO installed it to hide a vibration, but I plan on either straightening or replacing the shaft (which is bent) before it craps out our tranny bearings. Our appears to have been installed incorrectly and is probably what caused our shaft issue.

For me, our single-screw is a well protected prop and it's just another part to wear out and eventually fail, but I can certainly see putting it on a twin-screw with exposed props. Especially if your area is prone to debris in the waterways.

That's just my opinion though.

DriveSaver for 6.354 Perkins

River Cruiser

Guru

rochepoint

Guru

Shoalwaters

Guru

DavidM

Valued Technical Contributor

River Cruiser

Guru

ktischler

Veteran Member

Tom.B

Moderator Emeritus

Similar threads

Latest posts