Need help. Bravo 3 drive won't come off bell housing.

wisebob

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Aug 29, 2010
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Bought a used boat with a Bravo 3 that's been sitting for a while. Took off the 6 nuts for the drive bolts but the drive won't budge to come off. Using wood blocking and dropping the drive up and down isn't working. Spraying the bolts and mating seam with PB Blaster but no luck so far. Any suggestions would be appreciated!
 

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Bt Doctur

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reattach the rams, place wood spacers between the top of the drive and the transom.CAREFULLY operate the trailer function a little at a time adding
wood spacers.
trim/trailer CAREFULLY, LOWER TRIM, ADD SPACERS, RAISE TRIM
 

wisebob

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Thanks BT Doctur. Sounds like a last resort kind of thing wedging wood between the transom and the drive? I'm afraid of putting dents into my transom. No other alternative?

Thanks.
 

wisebob

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I wedged a piece of wood from the top of the drive to the gimbal ring bolts and managed to get something loose as I can now see a small gap from one side to the other near the height of the third row of bolts. The top of the drive where the first and second row bolts are seems to still be stuck. Argggghhh....

If the drive shaft is stuck to the coupler or gimbal bearing, how far out would you be able to get it? I hope that's not the case and it's just the bolts stuck.
 
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alldodge

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BT has the method of doing it, in most cases the gimbal bearing is pulled out with the drive shaft. The thing that is happening is the motor is no longer aligned, so this does happen. The block of wood can be put between the bell housing and the drive
 

wisebob

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BT has the method of doing it, in most cases the gimbal bearing is pulled out with the drive shaft. The thing that is happening is the motor is no longer aligned, so this does happen. The block of wood can be put between the bell housing and the drive

So if worst comes to worst, put the block in between the top of the drive and gimbal ring bolts and operate the hydraulic trim up? Do I go up and down a few times or just go up? How much effort does it take and should it just pop out suddenly? Thanks for the help. Don't want to do any damage.

bob
 

thumpar

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I think once the gimbal bearing is pulled out the drive will come right off. While you are doing it make sure that the shift cable latch comes loose.
 

alldodge

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So if worst comes to worst, put the block in between the top of the drive and gimbal ring bolts and operate the hydraulic trim up? Do I go up and down a few times or just go up? How much effort does it take and should it just pop out suddenly? Thanks for the help. Don't want to do any damage.

bob

Put the pin back in and reconnect the trim rams. A block of wood can be used between the gimbal ring and top of the drive, 2x4 in most cases works. Trim up to see if it will start moving in out. If this isn't working to well, with the drive up use the wood where you have it now and trim down. Just do it nice and easy and it should come out



Thought I posted this a couple hours ago, looks like it didn't happen
 

wisebob

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Thanks a bunch guys. It worked!!!

The key was the 2x4 between the top of the drive and the gimbal bolts. I kept on spraying PB blaster yesterday and last night on the bolts and the seam. Went through a can and a half of the stuff. This morning, a few more manual push ups to the wood blocking and it started separating. Got the shift cable and drive is nicely off now. Didn't have to resort to using the trim mechanism.

Also double checked the shaft alignment with the rod and it was good. Gimbal bearing is smooth too so not sure if I am going to change it or not.

Wouldn't have been able to do it without your advice. Many thanks. Love iboats!

bob
 
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alldodge

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Glad you got it off, but you said
Also double checked the shaft alignment with the rod and it was good.

If the alignment was correct and needed no adjustment, what was causing it to bind?
 

wisebob

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No Title

Glad you got it off, but you said


If the alignment was correct and needed no adjustment, what was causing it to bind?


Seems like the top bolts were seized. If not that, the only other thing I could see was that there was a little surface rust on the drive shaft that I assume is the exposed part of the drive coupler. That could have had a hard time going past the gimbal bearing? Alignment bar goes in ok as you can see. Let me know your thoughts if any.

bob
 

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alldodge

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That's quite a bit of rust in the bolt holes, but so long as the alignment bar goes in and out smoothly the corrosion appears to be the issue.

Kind of unusual for bolt holes to hold the drive like that.

You sure your alignment bar is made to spec? If so you should be good, but make sure you can rotate the bar at 90 degrees angles and it's still good
 
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