I Cant Believe I put my Alpha Drive back together wrong !!! Duhh !!

crazy charlie

Vice Admiral
Joined
May 22, 2003
Messages
5,352
I have serviced my own drives for the past 25 years so I was shocked when I was about to put one of my drives on that I did a waterpump service on and the prop was locking clockwise instead of c-clockwise.Duhh!! I am always careful to lock the lower unit in fwd before remating the upper and lower. Clockwise on the small splined shaft while c-clockwise on the prop. I can only assume I did the opposite.I just cant believe that I did this....double Duhhh!! I installed the drive anyway and plan to drop the lower just enough to sneak a hooked pliers or my fingertips in and turn the splines clockwise.There is no other way this could have happened ?? Right?? Charlie
 

achris

More fish than mountain goat
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
27,468
Pull the drive back off, lay it on the floor, port side down, and split it that way. Adjust the shift shaft position and bolt it back together. The reason for port side down is the oil transfer passage is on the starboard side. Having it port side down will stop you losing any oil...
 

stonyloam

Vice Admiral
Joined
Mar 13, 2009
Messages
5,827
I think, if the drive was not filled with oil dropping the lower will work. You would want to push up on the intermediate shift shaft to hold it against the bottom of the upper shift shaft, otherwise it will follow you down a ways before it disengages. Maybe duct tape the top in place?
 

crazy charlie

Vice Admiral
Joined
May 22, 2003
Messages
5,352
I have unfortunately done this method 1 time before a LOOONG time ago.A little messy but not too difficult.Maybe I will pay the neighbors kid $5.00 to hold his little finger over the oil passage while I am doing this.Lol Charlie
 

johnkom

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 26, 2004
Messages
163
I use a rubber band instead of a pliers or my fingers. Also an old car tire intertube cut crossways (radially) make excellent heavy duty bands. Use 'em to hold the prop in gear.

JK
 
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