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E34-2 Prop Strut

Brookelise

Member II
We removed the fuel tank in our E34-2, and it easily fit through the companionway. The tank was surprisingly light and easy to maneuver. The goal is to replace the aluminum tank (which has been leaking slightly) and to gain access to where the prop strut is glassed in (from above).

Under the fuel tank, there's a bulge in the fiberglass in one area, evidently designed to cover where the strut bolts are (if there are indeed bolts) and where the strut has been reinforced with glass. It remains to be seen whether this mound of glass is hollow, with the bolts hidden within, or whether it's solid glass. Has anyone cut into this and found the bolts? propstrutfiberglass.jpg

In the photo, you can see where the tank leaked, marked by the greasy gray area at the friction point with the glass. The leak was minor, but the prop strut had become slightly loose.
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
So do you think the weight of the tank in contact with the bulge caused the strut to loosen--and also the tank to eventually leak?

That would be interesting.

My fuel tank seems to be bedded in expanded foam, at the sides at least, as a sort of "cradle." What the bottom of it looks like, or any potential chafe points, I don't know.
 

Brookelise

Member II
Prop strut

Christian, the original theory was that the leaking fuel tank might have contributed to the loose prop strut, if fuel was causing corrosion. But if there are bolts, they're glassed in. I don't think there could have been enough weight on the bulge to cause the strut to loosen, though. Stay tuned for Episode 2, when we cut into the bulge and see what lies beneath.

So do you think the weight of the tank in contact with the bulge caused the strut to loosen--and also the tank to eventually leak?

That would be interesting.

My fuel tank seems to be bedded in expanded foam, at the sides at least, as a sort of "cradle." What the bottom of it looks like, or any potential chafe points, I don't know.
 

JSM

Member III
Interested to see whats in the bulge. When I took our tank out my first thought was that the bulge was put there to support the rear end of the fuel tank. When we first purchased our 34-2 we had a leak in the stern tube. While investigating the cause of the leak I noticed some cracking on the outside of the hull around the strut and did some exploratory grinding with a flap wheel around the base of the strut. Turned out the cracking was just in the gel coat but underneath the gel coat it looked like the strut was set in what appeared to be Bondo.
Makes me wonder if perhaps the strut is completely glassed in and the bulge is there to encapsulate the base of the strut and strengthen the hull.
 
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