Mercruiser bellows adhesive problem

[JayBirdie88]

1988 4.3 Alpha One, gen 1. - I am working alone, (except for the wife who holds the light). I have the the transome end of the U-jpoint and the exhaust bellows installed, glued and clamped solid. I am now ready to attatch the drive end of the u-joint bellows. directions say to apply 50 mil coat of bellows adhesive on both the drive flange and the inside of the bellows flange lip. let set until tacky then pull the bellows on to the flange. I attempted to do that, but after the 10 min wait, when i tried to push the bellows on the gtransome end it kinda got caught up on the water hose, the glue grabbed and i couldnt get the bellows to go on all the way. I had to rip it off and start all over. After making adjustment to the water hose clearance problem, rather than wait 10 mins for the two glue surfaces to set I went ahead and successfully pushed the bellows on to the flange.

Here is the problem: I could probably get my finger or my wifes finger to reach in and around the end of the metal bell house flange to apply the adhesive except for the fact that the new bellows wants to attatch its self to the flange and blocks my finger. If i tilt the bell house up I only have access to the very top part of the flange. Do you have a tip or trick that would allow me to apply bellow adhesive to the entire backside of the drive flange?

Here is what I am thinking:
1. Dont wait for adhesive to set 10 mins. If it sets while I am trying to attatch the bellows and won't allow the bellows to slip over the flange correctly, I am screwed!
2. remove the hinge pins and pull the bell house out as far as possible, apply the adhesive to the flange. While the adhesive is setting up, push the bell house back in place, temporarilly reinsert the hing pins. (will need wife at steering wheel). Apply coat of adhesive to the bellows and pull the bellows on before the adhesive sets up. If it takes too long to line up those hinge pins I am screwed again.
3. Don't use adhesive at all. trust that the clamp will hold and keep water from entering the bellows. (Not sure that is a good idea. Could wind up redoing the whole thing after water test on the lake).
4. Remove the loose clamp and the expander spring inside the bellows. Fold the bellows back inside itself to provide room for finger to reach the flange surface. Pull the fold back out, put the clamp back on loose, apply a coat of adhesive to the bellows and pull the bellows over the flange. Tighten the clamp. Then replace the expander spring.
5. Apply a good heavy coat of adhesive to just the inside of the bellows, pull it on and clamp it. This idea may be only half as bad as not useing any adhesive.

What do you think.

 

[shaw520]

This is a bellows clamp,...makes life a lot easier.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Personally I find it easier to mount the bellow on the gimbal side first ,that way you can see and tighten the clamp.The hinge pins are normally removed to replace the rubber components. Then slide it on the transom side and using a long thin screwdriver in the hole tighten the clamp
Sounds like you will need this too http://www.boatfix.com/merc/Servmanl/6/6covr3.pdf

 

[Bt Doctur]

 

[achris]

Yeah, in this case I disagree with the manual. It's so much easier to fit the Uni joint bellows to the bell housing first. Then put the adhesive on the gimbal housing and the frwd lip of the bellows, let it set off, then push the whole lot on. Work the bellows over the flange on the gimbal housing with your fingers inside the bellows. And I don't use a screwdriver on the clamps, use a 1/4" drive 5/16" socket on an extention. Much harder to punch a hole with a socket than a screwdriver, and you'll get them tighter. And it doesn't slip off the clamp worm.

Chris.