Explain impeller/shaft connection f'd up.  Pics will help

tore it down....I was looking at the fixed bowl - not the impeller.

So everything looks clean,  main shaft  does needs bearings(64th out), but impeller/housing looks good(no metal wear/shavings).

I'm lost here gents....if the wear rings behind the impellor are gone would this cause my issue??? I found no wear rings in front of it...= nozzle end.

Motor surges like no traction with the water.....floor it all motor no speed.....motor overrevs......

20 year v-drive dude......jets = first timer

Between the noise you heard, the vibration and the performance issues, I would suspect that something may be (or may have been) lodged in the impeller or bowl vanes. Take a good look as even a small rock can be a big deal. make sure you look up the pump intake for anything stuck in there or wrapped around the shaft. As long as it is torn down this far you may want to remove the impeller to inspect condition of wear ring and the wear ring surface of the impeller.

like a slipping clutch feeling?

hahaha "duct tape"

you lost me brother........

People have been known to cover the intake with duct tape while trailering to keep dirt out.........then forget to remove it. Acts like a slipping clutch when trying to accelerate. Anything blocking/restricting the intake can do that. I once saw an empty ice bag in the water directly in front of me. Couldn't avoid running it over. Knew exactly what was going on when boat lost speed and would not accelerate. Like I said earlier, inspect inside the impeller vanes, bowl vanes and the intake side of the pump for ANYTHING that may be lodge inside that could be disrupting water flow through pump.

Had it happen a few times on my floats. Usually a rock stuck in the impeller from too much lead foot in too shallow of water. Or reversing off a beach instead of pushing off........... Happened many times....you'd think I'd learn.......

Once was a T-Shirt, and another was a stick sucked up in an unusually long NWZ........

Point being crawl UNDER the boat first, look in the hand hole carefully. I think you'll find your problem........

Ray