Frequently Asked Questions
How do I pay for an order?
We don't take payment at checkout on the site. Place your order, and we'll send you a PayPal invoice covering the order and shipping. You pay through that invoice.
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?
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?
Dexron III. It's what Velvet Drive recommends and the only fluid they'll allow a warranty on a new transmission with. No additives, no stop-leak and no synthetics: they swell the O-rings until they break apart. On an older cast-iron Velvet Drive with an engine turning under 3,000 rpm, you probably could use 30-weight, the way the Coast Guard did with the old Detroit engines. 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?
Between the output coupling of a Velvet Drive, ZF or any marine transmission and the propeller shaft coupling, you're only allowed 3 to 5 thousandths. 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.