Help! 250 Pro XS Lower Unit!

[KC-IL]

My son fishes on the college circuit in my 2015 721 we bought at Freedom Marine (formerly owned by Bullmerc here on BBC). He's at the Cabela's National Championship on Pickwick right now. Great practices all week long... takes off today, 15 miles from the ramp, and the Torquemaster LOWER UNIT JUST FALLS OFF as he's driving down the middle of the lake in the channel! No damage at all to the motor... it just fell off! I will hopefully have pics to post later.

A couple of questions

1) Any idea what could cause this? Is this something covered by warranty? Insurance?

2) Now the bigger question… any suggestions on where to take it in the area? Will anyone have the parts available to get him back on the water quickly? He’s on the road for 27 straight days from tourney to tourney. He still has a Bassmaster Wild Card and the FLW National Championship to fish in the next 2 weeks, luckily... all in Alabama (we live in IL)!

Ughhhh...!!!!!!!

[vausoner]

So all the bolts that hold the lower on are gone? That's crazy.

[RedFx4]

How fast was he running when this happened? Several years ago my buddy ripped his off at the very same tournament because he hit a floater. Hard to believe it would just fall off.

[06 SB]

He hit a submerged log OR someone tried to steal the LU but did not have the tool to remove the allen bolt so they left. I've seen that before...

I would hit up ALL the boat dealers/ mechanics in the area. Start Googling!

[vausoner]

I was going to say foul play if all the bolts are gone. If they sheared off I'd say something different.

[fishin couillon]

It just dont sound right.....a lower unit "just falling off"......i think there's more to the story......

[txbass1]

I would post this exact thing in the Alabama forum and see if anyone can help

[KC-IL]

Got a little more info...

Guess it’s possible he could have hit something. They didn’t feel anything.Running fast… motor lost RPM’s once… came back up… then just revved and they came off plane. Trying to upload pics...

[RedFx4]

Guarantee he hit something or someone tried to steal it. Just not possible for the LU to come un-buttoned and fall off. Pickiwick is very high right now so alot of floating debris. I think shoals outdoors would be a good place to start locally.

[KC-IL]

Guess I'll give up on uploading pics!!! Boat is at Shoals Outdoors now. Everything except for ONE PART will be there tomorrow, and it's out of stock nationwide until June 1. Hoping he can make his next 2 tourneys! His last season... his senior year. Bummer to go out that way!

[J Risco]

Guess I'll give up on uploading pics!!! Boat is at Shoals Outdoors now. Everything except for ONE PART will be there tomorrow, and it's out of stock nationwide until June 1. Hoping he can make his next 2 tourneys! His last season... his senior year. Bummer to go out that way!

What is the one part, maybe someone here will have a spare, source, etc? Hopefully get him rolling!!!

[Mgunter]

Very fortunate he was not turning at a high speed. Same thing happened to a couple guys in a Nitro at Lake of the Ozarks. It sent the boat into a spin and threw them out. They were lucky to not be hurt bad. In that case, they decided someone tried to steal the unit and did not have the proper tools.

[Buktmouth]

Ok...So to throw a different thought process out there other than what's already been posted. My understanding is that Merc is doing recalls on a number of motors right now (not the complete motor, just warranty work and failures). One of those has to do with the lower unit sheering off from loose bolts or something like that. I would contact your local dealer and get more info on it as well as have your serial number ready for any other things that may need to be fixed (they'll need your serial number no matter what). If your motor is covered under this, then Merc will take care of it. If not, then better get on the phone with Insurance and the closest local Merc dealer by your son and they can start calling around to see who has a lower unit in stock.

Best of luck.

[KC-IL]

The one part that wasn’t available was (I believe) the driveshaft housing. Merc said it wasn’t available anywhere until June 1st.My son’s coach found out where the housing is actually made (somewhere in WI) and called them directly.Problem solved… they had the part in Alabama within 2 days.Motor was disassembled and ready by the time the parts arrived.Lost the LU on a Thursday and boat was done the following Wednesday… with a holiday weeked thrown in there to boot.And insurance had cut me a check within one day of getting pics and the estimate to them.Was pretty good service, and he was back on the road to his next tourney on Lay Lake.


Interesting comment about the warranty. After filing the insurance claim, a Ranger rep at the tourney at Pickwick said he’d heard of 5 cases of this happening this year… with no warning and no contact being made with the LU.He said Merc was covering them under warranty.


Just an FYI… $12K in total. $7K for the LU… $2K for the driveshaft housing… $1K for the labor… and the rest in parts (new prop, hub, driveshaft, etc.).

[FlaPhoenix]

The one part that wasn’t available was (I believe) the driveshaft housing. Merc said it wasn’t available anywhere until June 1st.My son’s coach found out where the housing is actually made (somewhere in WI) and called them directly.Problem solved… they had the part in Alabama within 2 days.Motor was disassembled and ready by the time the parts arrived.Lost the LU on a Thursday and boat was done the following Wednesday… with a holiday weeked thrown in there to boot.And insurance had cut me a check within one day of getting pics and the estimate to them.Was pretty good service, and he was back on the road to his next tourney on Lay Lake.


Interesting comment about the warranty. After filing the insurance claim, a Ranger rep at the tourney at Pickwick said he’d heard of 5 cases of this happening this year… with no warning and no contact being made with the LU.He said Merc was covering them under warranty.


Just an FYI… $12K in total. $7K for the LU… $2K for the driveshaft housing… $1K for the labor… and the rest in parts (new prop, hub, driveshaft, etc.).

Thanks for the price breakdown it is good to know since I hit a stump taking off last weekend and sheared the driveshaft off in my 250 pro xs. I'm waiting on a call back from insurance now to see what the next step is.

[MN Phoenix]

Ouch, what a bummer!

[BroWhoop]

Just a thought, although this would be a stretch. Could someone have been trying to steal the lu and got spooked off before getting the unit? Just leaving the partially attached! Sounds kinda out there, but stranger things have happened!

[arkiebass]

If he lost the drive shaft housing (mid section), then it would explain losing the lower unit. The LU bolts into mid section and the mid section bolts into the upper cowling. Mercury has seen a few, very few, issues with this. I would believe that they had some get out the door without being fully tightened.