Spun Coupler, Just pulled drive. PICS

[BajabossJD]

Hey guys,

Last weekend, I was cruising 1100rpm up the ICW and lost thrust. Prop fine.. Drained Drive oil (Looked good). Pulled the drive for the first time ever today and it looks like the Splines on the Yoke shaft were gone at first. After looking at it, the splines had almost a clay type material in there. I am sure its a combination of old grease and who knows what...

Does this look like broken down Aluminum from the coupler? You can see in the pics where I cleaned the splines out and they look pretty good now. Also, I see a missing O-ring on the shaft, and I did not see a gasket when I took the 6 nuts off and seperated the drive?!. Paper gasket?

Also, I took a pic of the bearing (again.. my first I/O drive service..had the boat 1 year). The bearing spins pretty smooth and their isn't play within the bearing. Also, U joint looks like crap..but moves freely and doesn't have any play from side to side (have no idea if that's good or bad)



Thoughts and tips at this point? Working on pulling the engine next.

Thanks,

Joe

 

[Flysfloatsor]

Re: Spun Coupler, Just pulled drive. PICS

Couplers can break 2 ways. The aluminum spines can break or the spines hold and the rubber spins in the steel housing.
In the 2nd case you would smell burnt rubber.
I think your spines let go.

Unless they just wore out, something like this usually happens under hard acceleration, or at least heavy throttle.

One of the expert guys on here can help as they have prob. seen this before.

The bad news is they have to pull the motor to change the coupler.

I would call around and get the labor estimate for the job. Big shops usually have a guy pulling engines all day so it might be less expensive overall even if the shop rate is higher.

Im changing transom assy to a bravo setup this winter. (which is only slightly more work than a coupler) and have recieved Labor estimates from multiple shops of between 6-8 hours.
Hope this helps.

 

[Don S]

Re: Spun Coupler, Just pulled drive. PICS

Yeah, you need a coupler.

Look through the gimbal bearing at the coupler bet it looks like the top picture in the pic below.




You also need (at MINIMUM) bellows, ujoints, gimbal bearing, seal (at least) on the input shaft going into the drive, and new gear lube.

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

Re: Spun Coupler, Just pulled drive. PICS

DonS just put a pic up within the last day of both cases. You may be able to look into the coupler with a light to see how bad it is.

I would replace those u-joints as well as the splined yoke. Look a the splines.... they look very shiny... Means something made it that way. Could have effected the splines on that yoke and could be looser in a new coupler

Looks like there's a little water in the bottom of that bellows as well.


EDIT: Looks like Don beat me on those pics.

 

[BajabossJD]

Re: Spun Coupler, Just pulled drive. PICS

Thanks for the quick responses guys. I ordered the coupler.. Looks like the Yoke and shaft part will be ok, once cleaned up. Ordering the Seal Kit for the shaft. .

http://www.iboats.com/Outdrive-Gask...5200955--session_id.530306028--view_id.187708

Is this the kit I need?

Edit- Eric: Thanks for your response. I am thinking the missing O-rings may have allowed some water to enter the bellows... I will look into the spline shaft and the U joints. Can I do the U-joints myself?
Joe

 

[BajabossJD]

Re: Spun Coupler, Just pulled drive. PICS

Don,

Are you meaning I need seals on all that is listed.. or I need a new Bellows, Bearing, U joints? How can we tell if the gimble bearing is bad? I heard thats no fun to replace.. Oh boy.

 

[Don S]

Re: Spun Coupler, Just pulled drive. PICS

You also need (at MINIMUM) bellows, ujoints, gimbal bearing, seal (at least) on the input shaft going into the drive, and new gear lube.

I wasn't kidding about the parts you need. There is no seal to prevent water into the bellows, the bellows edge prevents leaks. The seals are only used on Alpha drives.


Does your boat or drive have a year?

EDIT: Typing at the same time, only I stopped to talk on the phone

 

[Don S]

Re: Spun Coupler, Just pulled drive. PICS

The bearings are bad because they are rusty.

The main reason for all your problems is lack of maintenance. Alignment checks, lubing the splines, old bellows, it all adds up.