What does it cost to weld up a skeg?

[QC22]

Bravo X /1 lower. About half is gone. I was quoted $700. Seems high. No other parts needed, just a new skeg. I definitely don’t want a SkegGuard.

 

[Andy B.]

That seems high had mine done for 200 bucks, was missing small chunk at bottom.

 

[lbhsbz]

Bravo X /1 lower. About half is gone. I was quoted $700. Seems high. No other parts needed, just a new skeg. I definitely don’t want a SkegGuard.

While a skegguard makes you look like a rookie, it's a better repair from a structural standpoint. Welding aluminum and maintaining the strength of the base material is incredibly difficult....and on mercury castings, impossible....they're pretty dirty, and castings.

$700 isn't out of line at all for a shop willing to do it.

It's likely that they'll chop up whats left to add a bunch of surface area to the weldment, so it's not just holding a chunk of plate up there and glueing it on

 

[Done-it-again]

Run it short. I did in the Hallett and didn’t notice any negative issues.

 

[Livewire Fabworks]

$500-700 for that large of an area that needs to ne fixed. I know you are pretty picky about your boat so I would have it done.

 

[QC22]

Run it short. I did in the Hallett and didn’t notice any negative issues.

I ran it most of last season as is. Wife is on me to get it right and I’m embarrassed on the ramp! Did it at 0 MPH. Lost power and drifted up on a rock bar. Bad day!

 

[C_J_J_C]

I have a Harbor Freight welder so I can help you and will do it for a six pack. I have never welded one but I watched a youtube video.

J/K.... like said above it is not an easy weld and I'm guessing you asked for a repair including a weld, grind, paint, and a shop to stand behind it..... if so $700 doean't seem Giraffe high.

 

[Backlash]

I have a Harbor Freight welder so I can help you and will do it for a six pack. I have never welded one but I watched a youtube video.

J/K.... like said above it is not an easy weld and I'm guessing you asked for a repair including a weld, grind, paint, and a shop to stand behind it..... if so $700 doean't seem Giraffe high.

Is your Dad a TV repair man?

 

[Andy B.]

My boat guy welds also, $500 still seems high....

 

[DRYHEAT]

JB weld and paint. Done!

 

[Rondog4405]

Liberty here in havasu fixed mine up like new for $150. Picked up the boat and delivered it.$200 otd.

 

[Done-it-again]

I ran it most of last season as is. Wife is on me to get it right and I’m embarrassed on the ramp! Did it at 0 MPH. Lost power and drifted up on a rock bar. Bad day!

Mine had a bolted on skag when I got it. Unbolted that, trimmed it level and painted it up. Couldn’t tell for the most part.

 

[Orange Juice]

Bravo X /1 lower. About half is gone. I was quoted $700. Seems high. No other parts needed, just a new skeg. I definitely don’t want a SkegGuard.

I had mine done in 2001 for $135.
I removed the lower unit and brought it to them.

 

[HCP3]

I had mine done in 2001 for $135.
I removed the lower unit and brought it to them.

Relatable. 2001.

 

[Tom Slick]

Bravo X /1 lower. About half is gone. I was quoted $700. Seems high. No other parts needed, just a new skeg. I definitely don’t want a SkegGuard.

Where are you located?

 

[Desert Whaler]

When I first started fishing the Lower River in Yuma, I'd walk the parking lot at the ramp looking at the bass boats to see who the locals were . . . the ones with barely any skeg left !
Rite of Passage / Badge of Honor !

I asked my buddy once, "Should I sand the paint of my skeg so we fit in"?

 

[28Eliminator]

Last time I paid $180. 2 or 3 years ago.

 

[QC22]

Where are you located?

Havasu. CA side, but I can take the lower pretty much anywhere.

 

[FreeBird236]

JB weld and paint. Done!

I do have a fingernail size nick in the leading edge that has had J-B Weld in it for over 10 years.

 

[QC22]

I do have a fingernail size nick in the leading edge that has had J-B Weld in it for over 10 years.

I’ve always done up to about a quarter size chunk with a file and some paint. The problem with this one is the file won’t put material back on…

 

[FreeBird236]

I’ve always done up to about a quarter size chunk with a file and some paint. The problem with this one is the file won’t put material back on…

File off the paint and stick a little JB Weld in there and repaint. I actually used the waterproof JB Weld stick that you just cut off a hunk and need into a ball.

 

[QC22]

It happened in front of Black Meadow. #3 of my worst days boating over 50 years. Lost all power, all electrical, everything in the middle of that mega monsoon during Desert Storm. Drifted for a half hour and ended up on a rock bar. Somebody came along and towed me off after about 5 mins. I was pretty sure she was gonna sink. Had her running the next day. Blown fuse, which I actually blame on Hallett miss-wiring it when new, ‘05.

 

[Clank123]

Not an out drive guy so I’m not sure how much is missing
But thinking from just my experience, whatever is missing from the unit given the existing shape, maybe 2.5 inches, is not enough to effect the turning in any noticeable way.
The boat pivots on that whole lower unit above the propshaft housing as that is nearly all of what is in the water.
To me, all that piece does is clean up the flow a bit around the housing both functionally and esthetically along with doing exactly what it did…protect the drive from underwater obstacles.
I would spend a little time with a grinding wheel, sanding disc and clean up file, square up all the edges and squirt it with the proper color paint and call it good.
Heck, drag the boat down to Carlsbad one Saturday, give me an hour and a half to whittle on it, lunch before ya leave and you’re good to go!

 

[Mandelon]

I lost a chunk off ours. I got out my grinder, cut it off and rounded the cut a bit. Painted it black. Hard to tell there was any issue.

 

[QC22]

To me, all that piece does is clean up the flow a bit around the housing both functionally and esthetically along with doing exactly what it did…protect the drive from underwater obstacles

It protects the prop at low speed as well. The whole boat was actually pivoting off of the skeg in the rocks. I think most of the damage happened when he towed me off as it was already kinda dug in. Prop was basically clean. Cleaned up with a file and I didn’t have to work that hard.

 

[hallett21]

I’m wondering if that price includes servicing the lower? I know that because of the heat from welding there can be a concern that the lower seals will get destroyed.

 

[77charger]

Just trim it less drag more mph.

 

[Orange Juice]

It’s all good, until you pull the boat on the trailer, and have that reminder. And then all the questions about how that happened.

If it’s just a few scratches on the bottom of the skeg, a file and some Mercruiser touch up paint should be sufficient.

 

[Orange Juice]

I’ve always done up to about a quarter size chunk with a file and some paint. The problem with this one is the file won’t put material back on… View attachment 1485432

I think the casing is shot. I would not put any money into that lower unit.

 

[sgtskidmark]

Is your Dad a TV repair man?

And he has a KILLER set of tools.

 

[FreeBird236]

I’ve always done up to about a quarter size chunk with a file and some paint. The problem with this one is the file won’t put material back on… View attachment 1485432

I hadn't seen the pic when I wrote the response.

 

[QC22]

I think the casing is shot. I would not put any money into that lower unit.

So I’ve had a guy I trust look at it and he said there was enough left. Dunno. It’s definitely the worst I’ve ever had on one of my boats. I’ve seen worse for sure, but don’t know how much existing skeg is technically required. Propshaft is straight.

 

[ChrisV]

Whatever the labor rate is. Everyone is different

 

[throttle]

Cut it, file it, paint it and call it shorty. The steering wheel may feel a little loose on the top end tho.

 

[Racey]

While a skegguard makes you look like a rookie, it's a better repair from a structural standpoint. Welding aluminum and maintaining the strength of the base material is incredibly difficult....and on mercury castings, impossible....they're pretty dirty, and castings.

$700 isn't out of line at all for a shop willing to do it.

It's likely that they'll chop up whats left to add a bunch of surface area to the weldment, so it's not just holding a chunk of plate up there and glueing it on

Mercury's drive castings are pretty clean, easy to weld. They are only problematic if the paint has been gone and the skag looks like a calcium barnacle.

I've welded countless ones over the years, never had one break, bend or fail.So even if there was an issue with losing the material hardness from welding, it is an irrelevant factor in the real world.

Welding the skeg is not the hard part of the process, it's the easy part.

The difficult part is shaping a piece of material properly for the taper/wedge, depending on the size and location of the break. Sometimes I'll have to do them in the mill first.

Then after that the finish grinding, prep, primer and paint is also more time consuming than the welding is.

By the time you add all that up it can easily get to $700 if it's a big enough piece broken off.

 

[lbhsbz]

Mercury's drive castings are pretty clean, easy to weld. They are only problematic if the paint has been gone and the skag looks like a calcium barnacle.

I've welded countless ones over the years, never had one break, bend or fail.So even if there was an issue with losing the material hardness from welding, it is an irrelevant factor in the real world.

Welding the skeg is not the hard part of the process, it's the easy part.

The difficult part is shaping a piece of material properly for the taper/wedge, depending on the size and location of the break. Sometimes I'll have to do them in the mill first.

Then after that the finish grinding, prep, primer and paint is also more time consuming than the welding is.

By the time you add all that up it can easily get to $700 if it's a big enough piece broken off.

I've never welded on a skeg casting, just on some other castings....and they're not what I would call clean.

On Scream & Fly ,there's a rule that repaired lower units should not even be listed for sale, because they could fail (moreso than a non-repaired unit).

As you know, there's a way to weld it back together and there's a way to weld it back together right....one is cheap, the other is expensive.

 

[rrrr]

Not an out drive guy so I’m not sure how much is missing
But thinking from just my experience, whatever is missing from the unit given the existing shape, maybe 2.5 inches, is not enough to effect the turning in any noticeable way.
The boat pivots on that whole lower unit above the propshaft housing as that is nearly all of what is in the water.
To me, all that piece does is clean up the flow a bit around the housing both functionally and esthetically along with doing exactly what it did…protect the drive from underwater obstacles.
I would spend a little time with a grinding wheel, sanding disc and clean up file, square up all the edges and squirt it with the proper color paint and call it good.
Heck, drag the boat down to Carlsbad one Saturday, give me ahn hour and a half to whittle on it, lunch before ya leave and you’re good to go!

Throw in a few free stories, include a shop tour, and that's a deal!

 

[Fun Times]

Though there are aftermarket options too for lower costs, Mercruiser part number 815632A02 covers Replacement Skeg for Bravo 1 & 3 retails for $224.49 but if searched can be found as low as $60.00 and average $150.00 on eBay.


While searching, there were a couple of sellers that showed the installation instructions to mount a Merc skeg…Here’s a copy and paste of one,

QUICKSILVER MARINE PARTS AND ACCESSORIES REPLACEMENT
SKEG INSTALLATION
PROCEDURES.
NOTICE to INSTALLER: Due to the varied types of equipment and techniques available, Quicksilver will not accept responsibility for any damage in-curred during this procedure.
IMPORTANT: Replacement skeg must be installed by a CERTIFIED WELDER.
A CAUTION
Transmitting excessive heat to the gear case housing can cause distortion to the gear case
bore and is not covered by Quicksilver warranty.
CAUTION: If welding replacement skeg with gear case attached to engine, disconnect alternator leads to prevent damage to diodes.

Welding Skegs Step 1. Remove seals from all internal gearcase components.
2. Temporarily reinstall components in the gearcase
without seals to help prevent warpage.
3. Grind the area to be welded, removing any bro- ken or ragged edges. Lightly grind a small amount of the edge to produce a slight 45% angle next to
the area to be welded.
4. Cut the replacement skeg to the correct size. Lightly grind a small amount of the edge to pro- duce a slight 45° angle next to the area to be welded.
5. Brush the area to be welded of both the replacement skeg and the gear housing using a Stainless
Steel wire brush.
6. Using vise grips, clamp the replacement skeg in-place on the gear housing.
7. Tack weld the skeg in place on both sides. Tack weld in the front, middle, and rear of the area to be welded. Keep the welds 1/8" thicker than the skeg itself. Welding thicker than the skeg allows the impurities in the metal to pool on top of the weld and after grinding leaves a restored skeg relatively free of voids. Blend in the area welded without using filler rod: just the welder. When completed, go back over the area using filler rod to fill voids as necessary.

(A) WARNING Avoid serious injury from flying debris. Avoid serious injury from airborne particles. Wear proper eye and breathing protection.

8. Dress the welded area. Prime and paint the area with an automotive catalyst paint.

Welder Set-Up: Using a Miller Syncrowave 250 (or equivalent) welder with foot control (preferably water cooled), the follow-
ing settings would apply:
• Selector Switch to AC.
• High Frequency Switch to CONTINUOUS • AC Balance control setting depends on cleanliness of the metal.

Approximately 3 to 9 is normal, with 9 being used for clean metal.

• Amperage Adjustment set at 150 to 175 using a foot control.

• Argon Flow set between 15 and 30 Ibs.. Using 15 Ibs. in a clean, dirt and dust free environment.

• Crater time switch to 6 sec. • Use a gas lens with a #6 Aluminum Cup and a 1/8* 2 % thoriated ball tungsten. Keep the tung-
sten flush with the bottom of the cup.

Welding Rods:
41/45…Preferred Rod.

40/43... Alternate Rod.

Instructions sheet part number 90-16975--1 that also supersedes to 90-8M0148052, MARCH 2019.

That could be seen in the following links,

US16 Mercury Quicksilver 815632A02 Skeg Assy Replacement NOS | eBay

For MCM Bravo I & III Drives.

www.ebay.com

Discount Purchasing Store – Shop

 

[02HoWaRd26]

I’ve got a lower housing in Fort Mohave i paid 200$ for it with plans that will never commence so give me 200$ and come pick it up, 40 minute drive from the Landing. I don’t know the guy really but the neighbor could probably swap the guts for you the same day. Spring Marine or something like that.

 

[Racey]

Though there are aftermarket options too for lower costs, Mercruiser part number 815632A02 covers Replacement Skeg for Bravo 1 & 3 retails for $224.49 but if searched can be found as low as $60.00 and average $150.00 on eBay.


While searching, there were a couple of sellers that showed the installation instructions to mount a Merc skeg…Here’s a copy and paste of one,

QUICKSILVER MARINE PARTS AND ACCESSORIES REPLACEMENT
SKEG INSTALLATION
PROCEDURES.
NOTICE to INSTALLER: Due to the varied types of equipment and techniques available, Quicksilver will not accept responsibility for any damage in-curred during this procedure.
IMPORTANT: Replacement skeg must be installed by a CERTIFIED WELDER.
A CAUTION
Transmitting excessive heat to the gear case housing can cause distortion to the gear case
bore and is not covered by Quicksilver warranty.
CAUTION: If welding replacement skeg with gear case attached to engine, disconnect alternator leads to prevent damage to diodes.

Welding Skegs Step 1. Remove seals from all internal gearcase components.
2. Temporarily reinstall components in the gearcase
without seals to help prevent warpage.
3. Grind the area to be welded, removing any bro- ken or ragged edges. Lightly grind a small amount of the edge to produce a slight 45% angle next to
the area to be welded.
4. Cut the replacement skeg to the correct size. Lightly grind a small amount of the edge to pro- duce a slight 45° angle next to the area to be welded.
5. Brush the area to be welded of both the replacement skeg and the gear housing using a Stainless
Steel wire brush.
6. Using vise grips, clamp the replacement skeg in-place on the gear housing.
7. Tack weld the skeg in place on both sides. Tack weld in the front, middle, and rear of the area to be welded. Keep the welds 1/8" thicker than the skeg itself. Welding thicker than the skeg allows the impurities in the metal to pool on top of the weld and after grinding leaves a restored skeg relatively free of voids. Blend in the area welded without using filler rod: just the welder. When completed, go back over the area using filler rod to fill voids as necessary.

(A) WARNING Avoid serious injury from flying debris. Avoid serious injury from airborne particles. Wear proper eye and breathing protection.

8. Dress the welded area. Prime and paint the area with an automotive catalyst paint.

Welder Set-Up: Using a Miller Syncrowave 250 (or equivalent) welder with foot control (preferably water cooled), the follow-
ing settings would apply:
• Selector Switch to AC.
• High Frequency Switch to CONTINUOUS • AC Balance control setting depends on cleanliness of the metal.

Approximately 3 to 9 is normal, with 9 being used for clean metal.

• Amperage Adjustment set at 150 to 175 using a foot control.

• Argon Flow set between 15 and 30 Ibs.. Using 15 Ibs. in a clean, dirt and dust free environment.

• Crater time switch to 6 sec. • Use a gas lens with a #6 Aluminum Cup and a 1/8* 2 % thoriated ball tungsten. Keep the tung-
sten flush with the bottom of the cup.

Welding Rods:
41/45…Preferred Rod.

40/43... Alternate Rod.

Instructions sheet part number 90-16975--1 that also supersedes to 90-8M0148052, MARCH 2019.

That could be seen in the following links,

US16 Mercury Quicksilver 815632A02 Skeg Assy Replacement NOS | eBay

For MCM Bravo I & III Drives.

www.ebay.com

Discount Purchasing Store – Shop

This is exactly how i do it, however removing the seals isn't necessary if you aren't a savage and are cognizant of the overall temperature of the gearcase. Basically you don't want the area the seal is housed in to exceed the safe temperature for the seal material, probably right around boiling water, which would be hard to get it that hot.

This is where having an inverter welder and helium blend come in super handy, as you can drive a ton of heat into the weld area before the rest of the case has enough time to conduct it away

 

[Icky]

This is exactly how i do it, however removing the seals isn't necessary if you aren't a savage and are cognizant of the overall temperature of the gearcase. Basically you don't want the area the seal is housed in to exceed the safe temperature for the seal material, probably right around boiling water, which would be hard to get it that hot.

This is where having an inverter welder and helium blend come in super handy, as you can drive a ton of heat into the weld area before the rest of the case has enough time to conduct it away

Won't the helium make it float away?

 

[boatnam2]

Few times I did it to skeg, I just took a grinder and got it back to looking somewhat normal, merc black spray paint and called it a day.

 

[Crazyhippy]

I’ve got a lower housing in Fort Mohave i paid 200$ for it with plans that will never commence so give me 200$ and come pick it up, 40 minute drive from the Landing. I don’t know the guy really but the neighbor could probably swap the guts for you the same day. Spring Marine or something like that.

Kenny is good people... go say Hi.
Spring Family Motorsports is the official name, and they do solid work.

 

[02HoWaRd26]

Kenny is good people... go say Hi.
Spring Family Motorsports is the official name, and they do solid work.

I’ll leave it at we’ve met a few times before during and right after he bought the place. It’s a beautiful compound and from what I’ve heard he’s really turned the building into a real nice shop.

 

[Racey]

Few times I did it to skeg, I just took a grinder and got it back to looking somewhat normal, merc black spray paint and called it a day.

For smaller chips absolutely this

 

[QC22]

Mo betta

Thanks @02HoWaRd26 and Aaron at MaxxMachine!!

 

[havasujeeper]

Did you remove the lower, or just take the entire bote to them?

 

[QC22]

Did you remove the lower, or just take the entire bote to them?

I pulled the lower and swapped out with a different case etc.

What's the skinny on Gear Lube? I'm too lazy to figure out all of the different ones anymore. I believe I had the 85W90 Mercury Racing stuff in there. Is the Quicksilver multi vis the same?

 

[Lumpy]

Crazy story…Im running the Merc Racing stuff too but wouldn't hesitate to run M8. Ran M8 for many years. Everyone has their snake oil…Im running Clown Juice on the next drive oil change.

 

[QC22]

How funny. You read my mind. Like they say in Oz, “no worries M8!”

Clown Juice for the win!