Description
SUREDRIVE™
Many marine transmissions rely on a floating spline coupling arrangement to transfer power from the engine flywheel to the transmission.
The relatively short spline on the transmission input shaft, coupled with the spline in the drive plate, is the weakest link in your boat’s drive system. This spline arrangement is highly intolerant to poor alignment and is very susceptible to wear from constant changes in engine output (e.g. commercial fishboats operating at low RPM), vibration and inconsistent off-on loading conditions.
The Suredrive™ is designed to eliminate this weak link by locking a female center spline hub onto your existing transmission input shaft.
Vulastik L (VL) Coupling Failures and Best Replacements
Years back, IMO and based on tons of feedback from actual customers, you could just about count on the black colored Vulastik L style couplings to fail when least expected, sometimes at low relatively hours. The color of the engine is was used on did not matter (MANS, CATS, Cummins, etc.), and as time went by, Vulkan decided to add a “Yellow-ish” one made from a silicone compound to the Vulastik L line-up.. My thoughts are the Yellow-ish one was designed for higher temperatures and/or for a more aggressive environments and would outlast the black elements.
Well looking back, did it?? No, as I’ve seen them fail too, but they do seem to last longer before they may fail…………
IMO, I feel most engine transmissions suppliers seem to feel that a few thousand hours of service is acceptable… Tell that to a single engine boat operator operating 100+ miles from shore. As for me, I go with the flow and, if I can, I use RBD type couplings where possible (they seem to never fail), but understand they do not offer the controlled “wind-up” that may or may not be needed to deal with torsional issues.
The images below were sent to us by actual customers who purchased Vulastik L couplings that had failed in the field.
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