Pro Boat Clutches
06-07-2008, 04:22 PM
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Pro Boat Clutches
I have a new Proboat Miss Elam, nice boat right ? well may be not so nice. I fell victim to the NORTORIOUS EXPLODING CLUTCH syndrome. It would appear that the soldered joint between the clutch bell and the collet separates when under normal use ( can you say DEFECTIVE). This Sucks! Mine separated on the first two warm-up laps before the first race of its life. I was lucky to get the boat back uncrunched.
Having got the boat back to the operating table , while watching my buddies race !!!! , the autopsy began......... Shaft removed, Engine removed, the clutch bell spun freely , unfortunately it spun free of the drive collet .
What Part of this doesn't ProBoat Get ????
What we have here is a failure to communicate the fact that ( In My Humble Opinion ) Pro Boat sells brand new boats with clutches that grenade if the engine gets anywhere near normal performance. I can't make it any more clear than that. What a P.O.S. I am encouraging anyone that has had a Defective Clutch to write Tobias at Proboat a letter re: Defective Clutches
In all fairness to Tobias of Proboat support, they did send me a new Proboat Clutch free of charge , but it's built the same way and I expect it will grenade just as the previous one had, I am suggesting to Pro Boat that they put a clutch into the boat that is up to the job( Like Buying a Clutch from Bonzi that will not separate). The Stock configuration is (In My Humble Opinion) DEFECTIVE by DESIGN .
Now it's Sat before our monthly Kitsap RC Boat Club race at Sandy Shore Lake. I am going out there running on faith that the good folks at ProBoat got it right this time. I'd like to remind ProBoat that I would buy another boat from some one else if there was one in this type, class and price. I wonder what would happen to ProBoats Market share if Aquacraft sold a competing 26 cc Zenoah version of the Miss Vegas ? Pro Boats quality aspects are wasted by the weakest link, in this case the Clutch assembly.
Competition Creates Quality !!
How about it ProBoat,,!!?? would you fix this obvious engineering error !
Having got the boat back to the operating table , while watching my buddies race !!!! , the autopsy began......... Shaft removed, Engine removed, the clutch bell spun freely , unfortunately it spun free of the drive collet .
What Part of this doesn't ProBoat Get ????
What we have here is a failure to communicate the fact that ( In My Humble Opinion ) Pro Boat sells brand new boats with clutches that grenade if the engine gets anywhere near normal performance. I can't make it any more clear than that. What a P.O.S. I am encouraging anyone that has had a Defective Clutch to write Tobias at Proboat a letter re: Defective Clutches
In all fairness to Tobias of Proboat support, they did send me a new Proboat Clutch free of charge , but it's built the same way and I expect it will grenade just as the previous one had, I am suggesting to Pro Boat that they put a clutch into the boat that is up to the job( Like Buying a Clutch from Bonzi that will not separate). The Stock configuration is (In My Humble Opinion) DEFECTIVE by DESIGN .
Now it's Sat before our monthly Kitsap RC Boat Club race at Sandy Shore Lake. I am going out there running on faith that the good folks at ProBoat got it right this time. I'd like to remind ProBoat that I would buy another boat from some one else if there was one in this type, class and price. I wonder what would happen to ProBoats Market share if Aquacraft sold a competing 26 cc Zenoah version of the Miss Vegas ? Pro Boats quality aspects are wasted by the weakest link, in this case the Clutch assembly.
Competition Creates Quality !!
How about it ProBoat,,!!?? would you fix this obvious engineering error !
06-09-2008, 08:33 AM
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RE: Pro Boat Clutches
How much fuel through the boat before the clutch blew out? So far mines fine. But I have only put a tank and a half through the BJ55. Msdarla has plenty of gallons through her SW55 and her clutch bell has loosened some (yeah she needs to get a new bearing) but her clutch is still working fine. If it blew out now, I would say she got her moneys worth out of it and it's time for a new one.....
06-09-2008, 11:31 PM
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RE: Pro Boat Clutches
Ya Howdy ,
If she got 2 hrs of running time on her clutch she doubled the life of my clutch, I was looking over the old one I had "really welded" and even with a small wobble, I felt better about it's chance than the replacement I recieved.
After the last last post , I took the boat out to the races and it held up. Ran ok but I still wanna replace the stocker for a bullet proof or no clutch. Sure would be nice if ProBoat used a good epoxy over Good Glass and MAYBE taped the seems a little better, this was a " headed into a turn " bump". Looks like I ll have to go buy some Foam to fill the hull cuz the Glass is sooooooo thin.
I think the answer is, stay in front or carry a thick skin like this old Shovel Nose, don't know who made it but I see what it do with a 23 Zenoah in it.
D
If she got 2 hrs of running time on her clutch she doubled the life of my clutch, I was looking over the old one I had "really welded" and even with a small wobble, I felt better about it's chance than the replacement I recieved.
After the last last post , I took the boat out to the races and it held up. Ran ok but I still wanna replace the stocker for a bullet proof or no clutch. Sure would be nice if ProBoat used a good epoxy over Good Glass and MAYBE taped the seems a little better, this was a " headed into a turn " bump". Looks like I ll have to go buy some Foam to fill the hull cuz the Glass is sooooooo thin.
I think the answer is, stay in front or carry a thick skin like this old Shovel Nose, don't know who made it but I see what it do with a 23 Zenoah in it.
D
06-10-2008, 12:05 AM
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RE: Pro Boat Clutches
Man, that proboat's not a racer, it's a sport runner....If your gonna be bumpin other boats around the pond, then I would say yeah your gonna want to glass the hull out better. For what they cost, personally I like'em. There not great, but not bad. I don't race mine, neither does MsDarla. (except we race each other LOL) So they hold up fine.
That sucks....Good luck repairing it.
Also, i'll let you know how my clutch holds up. Im heading to a fun run this weekend to run the crap out of my BJ55 and if the clutch or bell or bearing is gonna fail soon, i'll find out this saturday.
That sucks....Good luck repairing it.
Also, i'll let you know how my clutch holds up. Im heading to a fun run this weekend to run the crap out of my BJ55 and if the clutch or bell or bearing is gonna fail soon, i'll find out this saturday.
06-10-2008, 07:37 AM
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RE: Pro Boat Clutches
I really should replace mine before it goes out but so far I have been running a loose clutch for 2 gallons so far.
After running I lube it with trinity bearing oil and am amazed its still has not broke yet.
A friend of mine who works at the hobby shop suggested using a boca bearing in it. http://www.bocabearings.com/
After running I lube it with trinity bearing oil and am amazed its still has not broke yet.
A friend of mine who works at the hobby shop suggested using a boca bearing in it. http://www.bocabearings.com/
