I think I may have a bent prop shaft what do I
do to fix it and what are the effects if you
don't. Doesn't look to be bent that bad
but was told I need to have if fixed. What are
my options.

Bent shaft sends vibrations up to the powerhead/crankshaft. BAD BAD BAD

Also can make seals in the lower unit leak and thats BAD BAD BAD

Take it to a reputable dealer and have it checked out. Ask this forum for good dealers in your area.....good luck

yes the easiest way to tell is if it is vibrating the whle boat while the motor is running.

yellowcat means well, but he's 13 years old. I wouldn't take his advice on diagnosing my boat.

Call Tommy at Rockwall Marine. He's got a great reputation and will do you right.

A good mechanic can spin the prop and tell you if it's bent. He'll also mic it to confirm it's out of spec. I'm not sure what motor you have, but I've bent them hitting stumps at an idle. Like mentioned above you need to get it fixed if it's bent. It'll cost you thousands down the road if it needs replacing and you don't.

thanks its a 2002 yamaha VMAX I don't
know how long I have been running it
bent noticed nothing in the way the
motor has been running though.

the way to tell if you have a bent shaft is

1)put a dial indicator on the cav.plate, run the needle down to the shaft and rotate by hand. If the needle moves more than a 10 or 20 thousandths, it's bent. I know you may think that's alot, but the truth is there are tolerance levels that the motor manufacturers go by.
2)if you don't have a dial indicator, you can remove prop and rotate the shaft. look at the prop shaft seal. If the shaft moves the seal, then it's bent.
3) you can also look at the propeller barrell where it goes into the gearcase housing. if it looks like it's been rubbing then , it's bent.

just remember that a prop shaft can be bent in several places. Just because the seals dont move, doesn't mean it's not bent. It could be bent anywhere.

I hope that helps you some.

Best advice is to take it to a boat dealer, but ask to see how much it moves.

p.s. a bent shaft has nothing to do with how a motor runs. in my opinion anyway. if you just feel vibrations, and the prop has not been impacted, then you just may have a hub trying to spin,causing some vibrations. Or the prop just may need to be re-tuned.

alot to consider.

I filed an insurance claim on one once. I just took my best guess as to when it happened.

yeah I think thats what I am going to do
thanks for the info everybody.