Mercury FLO-TORQ SSR Hub Kits

Optimizing the performance of Boston Whaler boats
jimh
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Mercury FLO-TORQ SSR Hub Kits

Postby jimh » Sun May 16, 2021 12:02 pm

Here is the text of a press release announcing a new FLO-TORQ hub kit, the SSR, which is available in three versions:

8 SEP 2020
Mercury Marine launches new revolutionary Mercury propellers Flo-Torq SSR hub kit to substantially improve NVH performance for outboards from 40 HP to 225 HP

Brunswick Marine is excited to announce that the Mercury Propellers’ all-new Flo-Torq SSR Hub Kit product is officially available for sale into the Mercury dealer network.

The SSR hub kit is a world class hub kit solution that is created to specifically reduce and virtually eliminate prop-rattle and shifting noise while providing maximum durability for smaller and mid-range horsepower outboards. The Flo-Torq SSR utilizes Mercury’s proven Soft-Shift Rubber technology in a quiet hub kit that provides [noise, vibration, and harshness or an] NVH upgrade for Flo-Torq II hub applications where the maximum reduction of noise, vibration, and harshness is desired. It also replaces Flo-Torq III and IV to simplify Mercury’s hub kit offering while providing an increase in performance at a reduced cost without sacrificing durability. The SSR technology provides 22 to 23-percent peak noise improvement at shifting events, both neutral-forward and neutral-reverse, virtually eliminating shift clunk.

As many boaters have been graciously offered quieter and quieter Mercury boat engines, it is imperative that Mercury Propellers offers products to also minimize noise, vibration, and harshness. The work put into this product is another proof of the commitment of Mercury to improve the NVH for its customers. The Flo-Torq SSR is the perfect complement to Mercury outboards from 40HP up to 225HP with a 1” propeller shaft in general purpose, non-surface piercing applications.

The SSR Hub Kit is in addition to two other SSR products already available today: The SSR HD and the SSR Solid. The all-new SSR (non-HD, non-Solid) completes the SSR portfolio with its target being more general-purpose applications where noise reduction is the most important.

For more information, please consult the Mercury Digital Asset Manager to download SSR hub kit images, video’s and a sell sheet with part number and matrix designed to help aid in the selection process of the all-new SSR product along with the other SSR-type products already available. (SSR Solid and SSR HD).


This Mercury website that explains more about the FLO-TORQ SSR model:

http://image.e.mercurymarine.com/lib/fe ... d682a8.pdf

There Mercury says:

Mercury website wrote:The Flo-Torq SSR is the perfect complement to Mercury outboards up to 225-HP with a 1-inch-diameter propeller shaft in general purpose, non-surface piercing applications.


Apparently the SSR--which stands for soft shift rubber--replaces the replaces Flo-Torq III and IV earlier model hub kits that were trying to conquer the CLUNK.

And the Mercury FLO-TORQ SSR comes in three models:
  • Mercury FLO-TORQ SSR
  • Mercury FLO-TORQ SSR SOLID
  • Mercury FLO-TORQ SSR HD

The Mercury FLOR-TORQ SSR is for general use with 1-inch propeller shaft engines, part number 8M0150151. "Helps prevent shifting noise and propeller rattle while providing maximum durability for smaller and mid-range horsepower outboards."

The Mercury FLO-TORQ SSR SOLID is only for really high-speed boats with propellers with high-pitch and a 1-inch propeller shaft; part number 8M0101602. "Helps prevent shifting noise and propeller rattle while providing maximum durability in higher performance applications with 1” propeller shaft."

The Mercury FLO-TORQ SSR HD is only for the newest engines at higher horsepower using a 1.25-inch diameter propeller shaft; part number 8M0101601. "Helps prevent shifting noise and propeller rattle while providing maximum durability in higher performance applications with 1.25” propeller shaft."

jimh
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Re: Mercury FLO-TORQ SSR Hub Kits

Postby jimh » Sun May 16, 2021 12:12 pm

I am curious to see if the FLO-TORQ SSR hub can be fitted to non-Mercury engines. Mercury always made their FLO-TORQ hub kits in variations for non-Mercury engines in the past. Maybe they will keep the FLO-TORQ SSR series as an exclusive for Mercury engines.

roundle1979
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Re: Mercury FLO-TORQ SSR Hub Kits

Postby roundle1979 » Sun May 16, 2021 5:56 pm

The instructions that came with my [one-inch propeller shaft diameter] SSR Propeller Hub Kit include this warning notice

Mercury Marine wrote:Unapproved Engines and Drives
[Warning Symbol] WARNING
Avoid serious injury or death from inability to shift out of gear. Use of this hub on unapproved engines can cause engine shift failures, resulting in collisions and propeller injuries. Do not use this hub on any unapproved engines:
  • Mercury/Mariner 4-Storke outboard engines--2018 and older with greater than 21" pitch propellers
  • Mercury/Mariner Two-Stroke outboard engines--including OptiMax
  • MerCruiser Alpha Sterndrive--all years
  • Any non-Mercury/Mariner engine


[Moderator's note: removed rasterized image of text and replaced with actual text from document numbered 90-8M0163791 eng SEPTEMBER 2019. Rasterized text cannot be read easily nor found in searching. The actual text instead of a picture of the text is preferred.]

It goes without saying, I chose to disregard the warnings as my engine is from 2004 and is also a two-stroke Optimax.
2004 Nantucket 190 w/ Mercury Optimax 135

jimh
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Re: Mercury FLO-TORQ SSR Hub Kits

Postby jimh » Mon May 17, 2021 8:21 am

MercuryMarine wrote:Avoid serious injury or death from inability to shift out of gear.

That very stern warning of danger must be related to problems created by the FLO-TORQ SSR hubs with certain outboard engine gear cases that have been known to prevent the gear case from properly shifting gears. Not being able to shift the outboard engine out of gear is a problem.

A reasonable inference is that in testing this product with the four groups of unapproved engines listed, Mercury must have encountered failures of the gear case to properly shift. That experience must be the reason behind the very stern notice of danger

Reducing CLUNK is not worth risking "serious injury or death."

I suspect that the problem is related to the design of the SSR which allows some fore-and-aft movement of the propeller on the propeller shaft. This is mentioned in the demonstration video, which appears to have been created by Mercury Marine (although uploaded by someone else to youTube).

Scott Glorvigen in youTube presentation wrote:Upon correct installation you'll notice the prop floats on the shaft more than a typical prop. This is normal and by design. It's what allows the hub to absorb the shift [unclear] and prop rattle that other hub kits don't.
Cf.: https://youtu.be/WxlGldgvccY?t=114

MarkCz
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Re: Mercury FLO-TORQ SSR Hub Kits

Postby MarkCz » Wed May 19, 2021 12:35 pm

If someone tries [Mercury FLO-TORQ SSR Hub Kit] on a Mercury two-stroke-power-cycle engine, and [the hub kit works] I would be interested in getting one for my boat.

I have a 1987 Mercury 70 HP two-stroke-power-cycle engine fitted with a four-bladed aluminum propeller. The propeller chatter in gear at idle is very annoying. I would love to eliminate that noise.

jimh
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Re: Mercury FLO-TORQ SSR HUb Kits

Postby jimh » Fri May 21, 2021 9:31 am

MARKCZ—You MAY be able to use a FLO-TORQ III or FLO-TORQ IV hub kit.

See

https://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum4/HTML/005155.html