1986 grady drive filled with foam??

[lime4x4]

Is there suppose to be foam inside the grady drive? Finally got around to removing the inspection plates on my 1986 offshore grady drive. I noticed that my drive is filled with foam. It looks professional cause i have voids where the drive mounts to the transom and where the engines mount. I thought i read some where that there suppose to be hollow.

 

[Shutterbug]

Mine in 1987 had foam insert. So I would say in that era, yes.

Just hear-say, I was told that it helped displace water intrusion, personally I would rather be able to see inside the void than see foam. Was also told it increased buoyancy, I don't really believe that. Maybe if the bracket itself is not airtight then the foam will help.

Until I had a fabricator make mine AND bought Armstrong deck plates, I didn't have an airtight system. My springfield would not fit to the transom, at the top of the bracket, from port to stb. And the "deckplates", 2 pieces of flat plastic material with several screw holes to fasten to the bracket, was a constant concern for water seepage. Unfortunately if your plates screw directly to the bracket, the more you unfasten, the quicker the threaded holes strip.

Sorry to be so negative, hoping my troubles will be helpful.

Again, good luck in making the springfield bracket just that....airtight, as well as keeping a protective coating on it.

 

[lime4x4]

Will i guess i got lucky cause there doesn't appear to be any water in my bracket. I don't remove the drain plugs cause they fit very loosely. So at the begining of the season i coated them with liquid teflon. I'm currently replacing all the deck inspection plates on the boat. I was either gonna replace the deck plates on the bracket or reseal them. I know in the next year or so i'm gonna have to replace the bracket due to corrosion.