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-   -   Is my Axis a lemon? (http://www.wakeworld.com/forum/showthread.php?t=809183)

Mogey 09-09-2019 8:58 AM

Is my Axis a lemon?
 
1 Attachment(s)
My 2015 Axis A22 has been in the shop almost as long as it hasn't. I was one of the lucky ones to have the cracked hull (picture below). I have put less than 100 hours on the boat since then and have had a bad shaft seal leak that started as soon as I got the boat back from Malibu. I had that fixed later, then 20 hours later my V drive locked up. I just got the boat back from that (was in the shop July 4 - September 6, height of the summer) with a $5,500 bill. I spoke with Malibu and they refused to help me out at all on either the shaft seal or V drive.

Seeking y'all's expertise - when a boat needs a new hull and is rebuilt on that hull, the shaft seal leaks immediately after, then water gets in the V drive locking it up, wouldn't that be a direct cause of how it was rebuilt?

I had a 3 year warranty so that's up. They did warranty the cracked hull, but no help with anything since. Is it reasonable to expect a new warranty when the boat is rebuilt with a new hull?

At this point I'm worried every time I have it on the water that something is going to break. I've seen the 'Service Required' light far too many times. All this is coming from an experienced boat owner. I've been on Lake Austin since 2008, I had a 2005 Tige 22V that literally didn't have any problems for nearly 10 years.

Timeline since hull repaired (many more issues prior to this as well):
119 hours (2/2017) - cracked hull, at the factory for ~6 months, no loaner boat
173 hours (3/2018) - bad temp skin sensor, strainer leaking (replaced), gelcoat cracked
~190 hours (8/2018) - shaft seal repaired/rebuilt, strainer leaking (replaced again)
212 hours (7/2019) - locked up v drive

I have already talked 2 potential Axis/Malibu boat owners on Lake Austin away from the brand and will keep doing so. It's a shame because the boat's wave is great and the people at Texas Malibu & Malibu I've worked with are very nice; I just wish they put out a better product for me or at least help out where it seems they should.

Any advice is appreciated.

shawndoggy 09-09-2019 10:05 AM

time to cut bait and move on. You're confidence in this boat isn't going to ever be restored. Move it along and get something different.

Squamer 09-09-2019 10:08 PM

Its a Hyundai.... Time to upgrade.

Direct quote from an old HBO TV Show Entourage- " like a bad piece of Pu**y forget that you smelt it and move on."

tre 09-10-2019 1:32 AM

I don't think the V-drive failure had anything to do with the leaking shaft seal. No way water would get into the V drive unit due to a leaking shaft seal. Unless you had 2 feet of water in the bottom of your boat, they were unrelated and just bad luck. I also don't think the V drive unit failure had anything to do with the hull repair. In the 212 hours the V drive unit was working, you should have changed the vdrive fluid at least twice and ideally 4 times. Do you check the fluid level? That could be a cause for the failure if it was not maintained properly. I'm not trying to blame you, just looking for a cause. Could be just dumb luck. I so understand why Malibu would not repair it. It can't see how it had anything to do with their repair.

BTW, did they replace the entire hull or just repair it? Do Axis boats have a dripless shaft seal or the old shcool packing nut with the braided PTFE rope in it? Assuming a dripless shaft seal, I'm thinking it also could have been dumb luck and not anything Malibu did unless they forgot to hook it up correctly. If it is the old school type of packing nut, it was likely 100% their fault but should have been about $100 to repair as it is only labor. I honestly don't know what a temp skin sensor is and it is a bit odd the strainer is leaking but the strainer is a super easy fix and inexpensive. Was the strainer clogged with lake debris? I assume you are talking about a raw water strainer. If so, it is possible the leak there did not allow enough water to cool the V-drive unit and thus caused the v-drive failure due to overheating. However, your engine would likely have overheated too if that were the case unless you have a closed cooling system. You do have to monitor the strainer and make sure it is not clogged. Interestingly, I've never had a raw water strainer in any of my Supra boats from the factory. Not sure why. I guess Supra does not use it.

Like the guys said above, I think you've lost confidence in the boat. I think your boat is likely fine and Malibu did all they should have but you did have really bad luck.

bcd 09-10-2019 4:41 AM

Have you checked your engine/transmission alignment with the shaft?

jarrod 09-10-2019 5:00 AM

Every brand has a few bad boats roll off the line. I've seen MCs, CCs, and every other brand produce lemons. In 2015 Axis had an issue with a production of A-22 hulls and you got one. I can tell you you're more likely to get help from Malibu when you don't post this stuff online, and when you point out that you've kept it to yourself, and will continue if they do the right thing.

They don't build the V-drive. Seals go bad, but you've had more bad luck than most.

I had two A-22s and ran the the hell out of them, heavy. They were great boats. I'd buy another.

Mogey 09-10-2019 5:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tre (Post 1991572)
I don't think the V-drive failure had anything to do with the leaking shaft seal. No way water would get into the V drive unit due to a leaking shaft seal. Unless you had 2 feet of water in the bottom of your boat, they were unrelated and just bad luck. I also don't think the V drive unit failure had anything to do with the hull repair. In the 212 hours the V drive unit was working, you should have changed the vdrive fluid at least twice and ideally 4 times. Do you check the fluid level? That could be a cause for the failure if it was not maintained properly. I'm not trying to blame you, just looking for a cause. Could be just dumb luck. I so understand why Malibu would not repair it. It can't see how it had anything to do with their repair.

I did check & fill the vdrive fluid last around 170 hours. At the time of the lock, 212 hours, there definitely was water in the vdrive.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tre (Post 1991572)
BTW, did they replace the entire hull or just repair it? Do Axis boats have a dripless shaft seal or the old shcool packing nut with the braided PTFE rope in it? Assuming a dripless shaft seal, I'm thinking it also could have been dumb luck and not anything Malibu did unless they forgot to hook it up correctly. If it is the old school type of packing nut, it was likely 100% their fault but should have been about $100 to repair as it is only labor.

They did replace the entire hull. I'm not sure if it was the dripless shaft seal but I can tell you it cost me $400 to repair.

Mogey 09-10-2019 5:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcd (Post 1991587)
Have you checked your engine/transmission alignment with the shaft?

My mechanic mentioned that he did when he r&rd the shaft seal.

Mogey 09-10-2019 5:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jarrod (Post 1991589)
I can tell you you're more likely to get help from Malibu when you don't post this stuff online, and when you point out that you've kept it to yourself, and will continue if they do the right thing.

It's definitely not in my personality to try and crap on a brand and I do realize that there are one off instances where individual boats are not built to the normal quality customers are accustomed to, which is why I'm asking y'all if this is a lemon. I did speak with Malibu directly and wanted to keep it to myself, but unfortunately they couldn't help me out. So now I'm just reaching out on here to get any advice that might be of help to me, even if it's how to avoid these kind of things in the future with this or another boat. I do appreciate all feedback!

bass10after 09-13-2019 2:19 PM

IMO if the entire Hull was replaced the shaft seal and trans could potentially be related if they weren’t realigned properly after the swap. What did they determine cause the hull to crack that put the failure under warranty?

Mogey 09-14-2019 3:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bass10after (Post 1991729)
IMO if the entire Hull was replaced the shaft seal and trans could potentially be related if they weren’t realigned properly after the swap. What did they determine cause the hull to crack that put the failure under warranty?

It was because of a broken stringer. A lot of 2015 A22s had this happen apparently.

Matt0520 09-18-2019 2:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squamer (Post 1991567)
Its a Hyundai.... Time to upgrade.

Lol don't 't insult my ride like that :p 2015 Hyundai Genesis sedan...smooth ride and 0 issues in 70,000mi. 9 oil changes, tires, and just did brakes. Best car I've ever had.

Sorry about your luck OP, change brands and move on. Sounds like both the product and support are severely lacking.


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