StarCraft _____?!?

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birdland71

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Apr 23, 2014
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Location
Gallatin, TN
Long time lurker, first time poster.

I have a 14' StarCraft _____. It has a 1958 25hp Gale Buccaneer on the back of it. This thing has a history to it--my dad had this for 25-30 years, sold it to a friend of mine in the mid 90s, he traded it to his brother in the early 2000s, and his brother recently gave it to me!
longViewStarCraft.jpg
rearStarCraft.jpg

Engine has no spark--I know from reading I need at minimum to put new coils/condensers/points on it.
1958galeBuccaneer25hp.jpg

Since I believe these are the same tires my dad put on it in the 80s, I went ahead and purchased hubs and wheels/tires for the trailer only to learn that the spindles on it have a 2 5/8" bearing area, not the standard 4" one. ARGH. I thought I'd take my son out on the boat powered by the trolling motor if nothing else once it was roadworthy. No such luck!
newOldWheelTires.jpg

Anyway, do any of you gurus know what model StarCraft this is? I realize I do not have great pictures of it from the front or of the inside, so if that'll help in identifying it, I'll put some up after I take them.

Thanks!

Tommy
 
I don't know which model you have. Iboats has a great StarCraft owners section with lots of the old brochures.
The easiest and best fix on the trailer is to replace the axle.
 
Birdland71
Here's a couple links that might help with the motor;
https://precisionservoutboard.com/about/arts-five-point-plan/

https://www.duckworksmagazine.com/07/columns/max/articles.htm

Good Luck with your project.

Steve A W

 
the spindles on it have a 2 5/8" bearing area, not the standard 4" one

I just had the same situation today. Just came across a 1958 trailer
with probably the original tires, rims and bearings. The lake this guy took his
boat on is only 2 blocks away. So I have every reason to believe this has all the
original stuff.

I got the wheels off - got the nut off the shaft - and that is as far as I got today.
It is all frozen solid. I will go back tomorrow with a puller, BFH, penetrating oil,
and a host of other things to get the hubs off.

I found two wheels at Harbor Freight with the 4 bolt pattern.
I am going to order two new spindle hubs tonight from NAPA but it didn't
dawn on me until I read your post about the 2-5/8" vs the 4" size.
what part are you measuring when you say "standard 4" size".
The bearing spindle that sticks out from the bolting flange ?
 

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FWIW the best penetrating oil one can use is a homemade mix of 50% acetone and 50% automatic transmission fluid (ATF).

Recently “Machinist Workshop Magazine” did a test on penetrating oils. Using nuts and bolts that they ‘scientifically rusted’ to a uniform degree by soaking in salt water, they then tested the break-out torque required to loosen the nuts. They treated the nuts with a variety of penetrants and measured the torque required to loosen them.

This is what they came up with:

Nothing: 516 lbs
WD-40: 238 lbs;
PB Blaster: 214 lbs;
Liquid Wrench: 127 lbs,
Kano Kroil: 106 lbs
(ATF)/Acetone mix (50/50 mix): 50 lbs.
 
Barefoot--I measured the smooth area where the bearings ride on the axle. I didn't include the inner seal lip area where it goes, nor the threaded area where the castle nut screws on. I don't have a good picture of it with me, but I can try to take one tonight if that might help you out.

Tommy

<<update>>I zoomed in on the picture of the spindle that I have and gave you the dimension I'm talking about. I don't know the seal area dimension, but can get it for you when I get home if that's helpful.
 

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Thanks Tommy, I think I have the correct hub now. Will let you know tomorrow.

Thanks Dale !! I have both on hand and will mix a squirt bottle tonight.
I just found an axle shaft my brother gave me. He said it was metric
so he didn't want it.
well - the hubs fit the 4 bolt wheels at Harbor Freight so I am set now.
The trailer is about 10 miles away so the wheels must be changed before moving it.
Plan "B" is to put it on jack stands, take off the axle assy and take it to my
local tire shop two blocks from where the trailer is. LOL they have some BIG
guys working there.

the 1" hubs measure 4" on the round bearing holder tube.
I have never seen a 2-5/8" .... seems rather small to me.

Thanks
 
ah so, thanks for sharing your research !!
I have changed many hubs over the years and never came across the "short spindle"
that you describe. I was just taken aback when you mentioned the short measurements.

all is good now for the trailer I am working on.

thanks for your time !! am sure many will benefit from your information. (I did).
 
Got the short hubs greased up good and on (finally), so the old girl now has some new shoes! The winch on front no longer holds (as I found on an abbreviated trip through the neighborhood on the new tires!), so that'll be next. Then fixing the lights and getting the outboard running (even though we'll go w/the trolling motor only if that proves to be an ordeal). My lug nut "installer" is the main reason I wanna get this thing in the water!
 

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Looks good.
Where did you get the short hubs and how much did they cost?
 
I got mine off eBay (with both 1" and 1 1/16" inner and outer bearings, inner seals & hub cover) from seller randpcarriages, 2 shipped for $88.

You can get them from Eastern Marine, too: https://www.easternmarine.com/loadrite-short-hub-kit-bt-150a-1350-lb-1409-06 for $30.56 x 2 + shipping, but I think the total was more once it was shipped to me in TN.

The only thing to get (besides the wheels & tires) is a couple of cotter pins and some marine hub grease. I ended up using some Lucas Red-n-Tacky grease--I'm sure that everyone here has their own personal favorite/opinion on lube, but that's what I used.
 

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