Mud Buddy 2004 HyperDrive User manual

Mud Buddy
2004
HyperDrive
Owner’s Manual
Thank you for purchasing the most advanced
mud motor in the world.
Assembly - Read the instructions inside before
installing your motor. Check the crate and engine for
damage. Call Mud Buddy and the shipping company
immediately if you find any damage or missing items.
Notice: Engine is shipped without oil. Fill before starting.
Check the oil with engine in level position. Use a good grade of
SAE 10W-30 oil. You may also use a synthetic blend oil.
Engines
Vanguard 29 and 31- takes up to 2 qt. (check after adding 1.5 qt.)
18-29 h.p. Kawi - takes up to 1.4 qt. (check after adding 1 qt.)
Your engine is equipped with a mercury safety switch which prevents the engine from being
started unless the propeller is raised and out of the water.
Kawasaki 29 EFI Notice: Fuel injection system. When new or when in storage for an extended
period, bleed the fuel line of air. Remove the fuel line above the fuel filter, turn the key on and
pump out 1/4 cup of fuel into a suitable container. Reassemble. The fuel filter may have a little
air inside, this is okay. If you run out of fuel the above procedure must be repeated.
Kawasaki Notice

Safety 2
Assembly 3
Operation 3
Service Schedule 3-4
Propeller Removal and Installation 4
Maintenance and Service 4
Belt Replacement 4
Propellers 5
Warranty
Two Years: (Engine manufacturer provides a 2
year warranty on all engines.)
Mud Buddy warrants that the drive is free from
defects in material and workmanship, assuming
normal use, for a period of two years from the
date of purchase. Warranty covers parts and
labor the first year, and parts during the second
year. Warranty does not cover propeller and belt
wear. Warranty does not cover lack of
lubrication, abuse or mistreatment.
Two Years:
Warrants that the frame is free from defects in
material and workmanship, assuming normal use,
for a period of two years from the date of
purchase.
If a defect occurs during these periods, contact
your nearest dealer or Mud Buddy with a dated
proof of purchase.
Except for the express warranty of the Mud Buddy
set forth above, Mud Buddy grants no other
warranties, express or implied, by statute or
otherwise, regarding the Mud Buddy backwater
motor, its fitness for any other purpose, its
quality, its merchantability, or otherwise. The
liability of Mud Buddy under the warranty set
forth above shall be limited to the amount paid by
the customer for the product, less sales tax. In no
event shall Mud Buddy Manufacturing be liable for
any special, consequential, or other damages
for breach of warranty.
Thank you for purchasing a Mud Buddy product.
This owner’s manual contains the necessary information you will need to
unpack, install, operate and maintain your Mud Buddy backwater motor.
Safety is key to operating any motorized equipment. Read the warnings
in this owner’s manual, the caution labels on the engine, and the
caution labels on the frame before running your Mud Buddy.
The Mud Buddy is designed for use in shallow water conditions, and with
simple care, it should last you many enjoyable years. Engine service
centers are located in every major city. If you have difficulty getting
engine service, or need frame repair, please contact:
Also, you can go to the customer page at www.mudbuddy.com and access
the engine service center locator. Your user name is outdoor, and your
password is fun, all in lower case.
Mud Buddy Manufacturing
7956 S. 1530 W.
West Jordan, Utah 84088
www.mudbuddy.com
[e-mail]
1-801-352-8011
Safety
- Read these safety precautions before operating your Mud Buddy.
- Always attach the safety lanyard to yourself while operating the
Mud Buddy. Unclip the safety lanyard from the switch or depress the
red button each time you run the engine to ensure it is working
properly. The engine should stop immediately when the red button is
depressed or the safety clip is removed from the switch.
- Start the engine with the propeller clear of the water. You must tie
down the handle if you intend to run the engine without holding the
control handle. Do not leave a running engine unattended.
- The Mud Buddy can be operated from the siting position. If you
stand, use a stand-up bar or some other steady-hold to maintain your
balance.
- Always wear a Coast Guard approved floatation device.
- Keep body parts and clothing clear of all moving engine
components, the drive shaft, engine front and propeller.
- Do not operate your Mud Buddy while others are standing nearby
in the water.
- Use extreme caution while operating your Mud Buddy, particularly
when it is out of the water and on the boat or on a storage stand.
Never clean the engine or frame while the engine is running.
- The engine and muffler can become extremely hot and cause severe
burns.
- Do not operate the engine in an enclosed area. Exhaust gases can
cause severe injury and death.
Assembly
Your engine is shipped without oil. See this owner’s manual cover for
oil type and amount.
Each Mud Buddy is inspected and tested before shipping. If you
encounter any physical damage to the crate, or engine assembly,
notify the shipper immediately.
- Remove the sides of the crate to facilitate lifting the engine assembly.
- Mounting requires at least two people or an engine hoist. If you use a
hoist, the engine balance point is located directly over the engine drive
shaft--place a lift strap between the aluminum outdrive, next to the
engine.
- Locate and mark the center of your transom.
2.

- The handle will be mounted to the side of the engine. Loosen the bolt and
swing the handle towards the front. Be careful with the wiring and avoid
hitting the handle control switches. Attach the handle with 3 each, 3/8” X 1”
bolts. A washer must be installed on the inside of the handle mount. The
handle rotates in the slots. Tighten the nuts enough for good mounting, but not
so tight that the handle does not tilt up and down.
- Loosen the clamp mounts as wide as possible. If the clamp cup retaining
clips come off, you will need to hold the cups in position when you tighten the
clamps later.
- Lift the engine in place. Keep fingers clear of all pinch points. Tighten the
clamps by hand, do not use a wrench.
- Connect the cables to a battery that has at least a 250 cranking amp capacity.
A garden tractor or marine starting battery is best. Red to positive (+), and
black to negative (-). Negative cable also attaches to engine bolt.
- Two bolt mounting holes are provided on the clamp mount. They are used to
deter theft and to provide additional mounting strength.
- Engines are shipped without oil. The engine must be level before checking
the oil level. Use a good grade of 10W-30. Do not overfill. If your engine has a
remote gas tank, connect the hose. Fill the tank with unleaded fuel with an 87
or higher octane rating.
Trailering Bracket
You must attach the provided trailer bracket and transom-
saver bar to the engine before trailering. Use the two
bungees provided to hold the engine from swaying left and
right. The tube should be cut to length so that the engine is
tilted up and all the way forward and against the mount.
Drill and attach the transom saver travel clips. See the
photo on page 5.
Operation/Break-in
- Prepare the engine for starting: Note: Observe break-in precautions. Do
not over-rev the engine during the first couple hours. Do not break-in the
engine on the trailer. The drive bearings and seals should be run in the
water for the first couple hours. However, you can start the engine and let it
warm up a few minutes out of the water during the break-in period.
- Starting the engine: Read the safety precautions in the front of this
owner’s manual before starting. Attach the safety lanyard to yourself.
- First, pull out the choke. (The 29 Kawi is fuel injected and has no choke)
Ensure everyone is clear of the engine and propeller. And, ensure the prop is
out of the water and engine is in the level position. Do not leave a running
engine unattended.
- On the water: This is where your fun begins. The Mud Buddy is designed
to run in almost any water condition, from open water, rocky rivers, to thick
vegetation and mud. We want you to enjoy yourself, but ask that you be safe,
courteous to others and environmentally sensitive.
- Set throttle to idle. Attach the safety lanyard to yourself before starting.
Start the engine with the propeller out of the water.
Caution; never place the propeller in the water at high engine speeds,
particularly when the drive shaft is off to the side of the boat. This is true of
any outboard motor. The boat can lurch forward, or spin and expel the
operator and passengers.
- Operate the Mud Buddy from a sitting position, or standing using a stand-up
bar for balance. Astand-up bar kit is available from Mud Buddy.
- With the engine set at idle, lift the handle and/or use the power assist tilt and
trim to lower the propeller in the water directly behind the boat. You will now
be moving forward.
- Start off slowly and soon you will learn new ways of using the Mud Buddy to
propel your boat in and out of places you never dreamed possible.
- Steering the boat is made easy by pushing or pulling the handle. You can
also lift and place the propeller in and out of the water as needed to maneuver
through vegetation and mud.
- The power tilt and trim is used to lift the propeller out of the water and to set
the optimum drive angle when running. Through experience you will find the
best trim angle for your boat, motor and load. Be careful when trimming up so
that the propeller does not come to far out of the water which can cause the
propeller to run across the water surface and cause excessive pull on the handle.
- The Mud Buddy is balanced and designed to find its own water level, from
idle to full throttle. When operated at high speeds, the surfacing piercing
propeller should be adjusted so that it is about an inch above the surface. The
normal operating RPM is 3500 to 3900 RPM.
Service
The Mud Buddy drive is unique in that it doesn’t require frequent greasing.
The drive tube is filled with grease from the factory. Every three years or 300
hours, remove the propeller and lower bearing cap. (Note: the bearing cap is
left-hand threaded. Turn clockwise to loosen.) Locate a grease filler set screw
on the aluminum outdrive near the drive tube. Remove the set screw and insert
a grease fitting (1/4” X 28 pitch thread). The grease fitting is available from
Mud Buddy. Grease the drive until clean grease comes out of the lower bearing
assembly. Install the cap.
Lubrication performed on a regular schedule as depicted below will add years
to the life of your Mud Buddy.
You will need a hand held grease gun filled with a good quality marine-grade
wheel bearing grease. You can find the grease at any major automotive store.
Locate the grease fittings on the horizontal and vertical clamp mount swivel.
Lubricate each year.
Throttle: Lubricate the throttle wire with WD-40 or graphite. Coat the throttle
cable with grease near the engine twice per season. This helps keep water out of
the throttle cable and deters freezing.
Engine oil and filter should be replaced according to the engine manufacture’s
instructions. Change the oil, and filter if equipped, at the end of the season.
Acids accumulate in the oil and if not drained, can cause internal pitting if left
in the crankcase for extended periods.
The frame is coated with a marine grade powder coating and easily cleaned
with soap and water. If you use a high-pressure washer, do not direct the spray
at any area containing a seal such as the propeller, upper drive tube, and
universal joint or engine drive shaft. The pressure will drive dirt and grime
into the seals and cause premature wear.
Storage: At the end of the season, and for extended periods of storage beyond
one month, the fuel should be run out of the carburetor, and treated with a gas
stabilizer. The most common carburetor problems occur because this simple
procedure isn’t followed.
Also, if you have a remote fuel tank, ensure the vent screw located on the gas
cap is open. If closed, pressure can build which causes fuel to be pushed
through the carburetor into the crankcase. Over time, this dilutes the oil and
can cause engine failure.
3

PropellerRemoval
Replace and/or repair the propeller when it shows signs of damage or excessive
wear. Lack of power or reduced thrust in mud is an indication of prop wear. A
bent propeller causes vibration that will lead to driveline failure.
- Place a large wrench on the nut located behind the propeller. If available,
add a long piece of tube or pipe to the wrench for leverage. Use a Mud Buddy
prop wrench, to unscrew the propeller. You can also make a prop wrench by
drilling a 7/8” hole in a 1.25" X 3’ section of flat bar steel.
- Usually, the prop will be threaded on very tightly and it will require
considerable force to unscrew. Do not hit the propeller with a hammer, this
never loosens the prop, rather, it causes damage. Call us if you have difficulty
removing a prop. Leverage is the key.
Propeller Installation
Inspect the nuts and washers and replace as needed, using only the Mud Buddy
nut set. They are of special design which ensures the prop runs perfectly
straight on the drive shaft. Ensure two propeller washers are installed on the
drive shaft prior to mounting the propeller.
- Never force a tight fitting propeller on the drive shaft. The shaft is
constructed of a very hard steel and the propeller is stainless steel. The two
will jam and the propeller will neither go on or off, requiring extensive
machine work to remove. Instead, use a wire brush to clean the threads. It
may also be necessary to run a 7/8” coarse die-nut over the threads. You may
also need to run a 7/8" coarse TPI tap through the propeller to ensure the
threads are clear of any burrs.
- Coat the drive shaft threads with marine grease or never-seize.
- Install the propeller (use gloves, the prop might be sharp) with cupped ends
toward you. Install in this order— two bronze washers, propeller, another
bronze washer, jam nut, and finally, the nylon lock nut. Some props only have
one nut.
Warranty Service
Your Mud Buddy is designed to last you many years. Warranty items are
repaired by authorized Honda, Vanguard, Robin, Kohler, or Kawasaki engine
repair centers and the drive/frame by Mud Buddy Service Centers. Parts and
tool information and prices are available from Mud Buddy. Tools may be
purchased or rented for a reasonable fee, plus shipping. Tools are available,
free for your use, to complete service work during the warranty period, and may
be rented thereafter. You are important to us, so call whenever you have
questions or need assistance. Prior approval by Mud Buddy is required
before completing any warranty work.
DriveAssembly Inspection
The most common reason for drive failure is a bent propeller. Replace an
unbalanced propeller immediately. A common symptom of a bent propeller bent
driveshaft is a vibration at mid and full throttle. If you encounter either,
remove the propeller for balancing. While the propeller is removed, run the
engine at an idle checking the shaft for straightness. Notice the small gap
between the bearing cap and drive shaft. Watch the shaft as it rotates. If the
shaft is bent, it will be obvious.
Outdrive Removal , Belt Replacement or Rebuild
Simply remove the top brace and nine face bolts from the outdrive. If repairs
are needed, you can do it yourself or send the outdrive to Mud Buddy. We have
convenient outdrive UPS shipping boxes that we will send to you if needed.
Coordinate any warranty work with your Mud Buddy dealer.
Belt Tension or Replacement Procedure:
You can purchase a belt tensioning kit for $19.95 which contains the hex
wrench, belt tensioning tool, silicone sealer and photo instructions. The tool
may also be rented for $10 to cover shipping and handling. Call us at
801.352.8011.
You can also go to our web page and click on customer page for photo
instructions. Your user name is outdoor and password is fun. All lower case.
Check the web page often for product updates, service tips and more
The Goodyear Eagle PD belt is tensioned by moving the outdrive up and down
on the engine and engine mount face. The adjustment bolt is located on the
bottom inside of the aluminum outdrive.
- Remove the outdrive top access cover. (says Mud Buddy patented
HyperDrive on the cover) Loosen the four engine face bolts. Do not remove the
bolts, just loosen them enough to allow the cast aluminum outdrive to slide in
the bolt slots.
- Loosen the outdrive belt tension bolt about a half inch. It is located on the
lower back end of casting.
- Locate the four lower cast aluminum mounting bolts. They are above the
outdrive adjustment bolt on the outside of the rear lower end of the casting.
Loosen them slightly. Again, just enough so the aluminum casting can slide up
and down to tension the belt.
- If retentioning, skip the following 9 steps and go to *below.
- Squeeze the belt together. This will cause the outdrive housing to slide up in
the adjustment slots. Tighten one of the engine face bolts to hold the outdrive
in the up position. This will help you get the belt back on the drive sprocket
later.
- Remove the five lower outdrive bolts and top brace. Clean the old silicone
off the casting mounting face.
- Place a new belt on the sprocket. Ensure the belt is facing the correct
direction so the teeth and belt mesh.
- Place a thin bead of silicone on the main outdrive casting.
- With a few bolts in hand, hold the drive tube section in place. Tighten the
face bolts.
- Slip the belt up and over the top sprocket. Turn the propeller to ensure the
belt and sprockets are engaged.
- Remove each of the lower four adjustment bolts, one-by-one, and place
silicone on the threads. Replace and tighten snugly, but not too tight yet.
- Remove each of the four engine face bolts, one-by-one and add a small drop
of blue 243 loctite to each. Tighten all the face bolts snug, but not so tight that
it restricts tightening of the belt.
- Adjust the belt tension by turning the tension bolt.
*Locate the belt tension access hole on the right side of the casting. Remove
the hole plug.
- Check the belt tension with a Mud Buddy belt tension tool. The procedure is
very simple. The belt should move 1/4” with 18-20 pounds of force from the
belt tension tool. No more than 18 pounds for the Honda and 29, 32 and 35
large block Vanguards. The tool is inserted through the access hole. While
holding a tape measure across the front of the belt, depress the belt with the
tool, moving the belt 1/4”. The o-ring on the tool will slide down its inner shaft
and mark how many pounds it took to move the belt 1/4”. Adjust the rear
casting tension bolt as needed to get the desired+ pounds of belt tension. Lock
the tension bolt in place with its jam nut.
4

- Tighten all four of the engine face bolts to 150 inch pounds and the four
casting bolts to 180 inch pounds. Run the engine to check the belt operation.
- Clean, then place a small bead of silicone on the top access cover and re-
install.
TigerPropellers
18-35 horse 11 X 10 Tiger
14 horse 10 X 8 Tiger
Mud Buddy Manufacturing
7956 South 1530 West
West Jordan, Utah 84088
Sales and Service 801.351.8011
Fax [phone]
www.mudbuddy.com
email [e-mail]
Check the web page often for updates,
service tips and more.
Customer page
User name is outdoor.
Password is fun.
All lower case.