Frequently Asked Questions

How do I pay for an order?

We don't take payment at checkout on the site. Place your order, and within 24 hours we'll email you a PayPal payment link covering the order and shipping. You pay through that link.

What are your phone hours?

(804) 333-3677, Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 3 PM Eastern.

What if I call outside those hours, or email instead?

Email sales@halemarine.com. We answer within about 24 hours, 7 days a week.

How do you ship orders?

We ship orders once or twice a week, so it can take up to a week after you pay for your order to go out. We're a small family shop, and we appreciate your patience. Smaller units go out by UPS. The bigger 72-series units have to go by truck.

Do you ship internationally?

Yes. We ship all over the world.

What transmission fluid should I use?

We recommend a Dexron III-type ATF. No additives, no stop-leak and no synthetics: they swell the O-rings until they break apart. Dexron III licenses ended in 2011, so look for a fluid labeled for use where Dexron III is specified, and call us if you're not sure a bottle qualifies. On an older cast-iron Velvet Drive with an engine turning under 3,000 rpm, a premium 30-weight engine oil is fine too; that's straight from Velvet Drive's 1982 and 1988 manuals. Don't use a multi-viscosity oil like 15W40. The 1988 manual says multi-viscosity oils aren't recommended. See our fluid guide for the full breakdown.

Do you buy cores?

Yes. We buy Velvet Drive and ZF cores. If you've got one lying around and want to turn it into cash, give us a call. Send only the transmission, not the cooler, mounts or linkage. See we buy cores.

What's the warranty on a rebuilt unit?

Our rebuilt-unit listings carry a six-month warranty. The listings also say all units must have a new gear cooler or the warranty is void, it's the installer's responsibility to check the pump setting, and we aren't responsible for removal or installation of warranty parts or transmissions. See our warranty page.

How does the core charge work on a rebuilt-exchange unit?

You pay the core charge with your order, and cores must be in repairable condition to get the full core refund. Core return does have a shipping charge, and that's on you. See our core exchange policy.

What's your return policy?

All returns carry a 30% restocking fee, and we need your invoice number to process any return. Transmissions and engines are final sale and can't be returned. Full details on our shipping & returns page.

Are you an official Velvet Drive distributor?

Yes. We're a direct distributor of Velvet Drive, so we buy our parts straight from them. See our distributor page.

Can I send just the transmission for a rebuild, or do you need the whole drivetrain?

Just the transmission. Don't send cooling lines, bell housings, linkages or mounts. If you do, we'll be charging extra to take them off.

What's the coupling alignment tolerance?

Velvet Drive's spec is 3 thousandths of an inch maximum between the coupling faces, about the thickness of a piece of paper. Don't paint that surface. Paint on it will throw it out of alignment. See don't paint the coupling face.

Should I buy a boat with a cast-iron V-drive?

Think hard about it. Chris's advice is don't. Velvet Drive is no longer manufacturing the gears, shafts or other components for the 1004/1005 cast-iron V-drives, and the gear sets are no longer available. See our V-drive series page and buying a boat with a V-drive.

Can I freewheel my Velvet Drive under sail?

Yes, on a Velvet Drive. Velvet Drive's own manuals say these transmissions can be freewheeled without damage for sailing or trolling, as long as the oil level is correct; there's no time limit or rpm limit in the factory literature. That's Velvet Drive only, not a ZF or Hurth box.

What pressure should my transmission have?

It depends on your model, engine rpm and oil temperature. See our low pressure guide for the factory numbers by family and what we look for on our test stand.

Do you work on forklift or industrial transmissions?

No. We just do boat transmissions. We get calls all the time asking us to work on a forklift, a lift crane or something along those lines, and we don't do that.

Does a rebuilt transmission need a break-in period?

No. There's no break-in time needed for any transmission. If a rebuilt unit creeps into gear while sitting in neutral, that's not a break-in issue, it's usually warped or dished clutch plates and needs a look.

Can I turn my 1:1 direct drive into a reduction unit by bolting one on?

No. The input shaft and clutch packs are the same on a 71C, but the reverse planetary assemblies aren't, and the cases are different too. You can't convert a 1:1 into a reduction ratio by adding a reduction unit.

Do filters prevent transmission failures?

No. As Chris puts it, a filter has never stopped a transmission failure. See our filter locations guide.