Bell Housing Removal

brodie123 · Apr 22, 2010

My challenge is I can't get the bell housing off my Alpha drive. I can tell you I have an "old style" bell housing according to my manual in that the shift cable is on the inside of the housing. BUT the hinge pins look to me as a threaded style as I cannot locate any cotter pin for the hinge. I purchased tool C-91-78310 as per my manual - it has a 6 point and a 16? point side. The 16 point side made sense to me - but it very easily slipped - seems undersized? I tried the 6 point side - but also does not seem to be a perfect fit. the hinge pin looks like a 16?? point threaded hinge - but I can't confirm the threads.

HELP!!! How do I get this bell housing off?

fyi - the boat is mid 80's if it at all helps

zbnutcase · Apr 22, 2010

Re: Bell Housing Removal

Sounds like you have a stripped hinge pin. Tough place to be, but they CAN be drilled out and Heli-Coiled if needed. Removing the pins is the only way to remove the bell.

cr2k · Apr 22, 2010

Re: Bell Housing Removal

If you are referring to the tool stripping out in the pin you may try one of those internal pipe extractors the kind that have an offset ring that turn against the inside of the fitting. Heat is also very helpful as they are supposed to be installed with red locktite. You may need a longer breaker bar.

achris · Apr 23, 2010

Re: Bell Housing Removal

brodie123 said:
.... The 16 point side made sense to me - but it very easily slipped - seems undersized? ...

You're right, the 16 points go into the hinge pin. Even when everything is new, they are very loose. If the inside of the pin is rounded (and that's what it sounds like)... about the only way I have ever found to remove them like that, is to weld the tool into the hinge pin. Be careful because the gimbal ring is only ali... too much heat and it'll end up as a puddle on the floor.

Good luck....

Chris......

brodie123 · Apr 24, 2010

Re: Bell Housing Removal

Am I able to do the following without removing the bell housing?

- replace all bellows
- replace wiring for trim sensors
- replace shift cable

thx

Bondo · Apr 24, 2010

Re: Bell Housing Removal

brodie123 said:
Am I able to do the following without removing the bell housing?

- replace all bellows
- replace wiring for trim sensors
- replace shift cable
thx

Nope...

fyi - the boat is mid 80's if it at all helps

That's a Late model Alpha, unless somebody put a Model 1 transom assembley on it...

achris · Apr 24, 2010

Re: Bell Housing Removal

brodie123 said:
Am I able to do the following without removing the bell housing?

- replace all bellows
- replace wiring for trim sensors
- replace shift cable

thx

Only if you're a proctologist...

Chris........

brodie123 · Apr 25, 2010

Re: Bell Housing Removal

"late model" as in an older style correct?

I've tried heat (carefully) and a breaker bar - no go.

Is there a pin behind the grease nib or anywhere else I should be looking? Where the access to the hinge pin is, I see no cotter pins or anything of the like.

Any suggestions to get her off?

Am I safe to take to a local auto/machine shop or do I need to take the long drive to a marina?

Bt Doctur · Apr 25, 2010

Re: Bell Housing Removal

What kind of heat, Oxy/Ace? worst case you can weld a nut /allen wrench/allen head socket, etc.to the hinge pin, (carefully) to remove it.The welding heat should loosen the red loc-tite.Then replace the pin and spacer.

Bondo · Apr 25, 2010

Re: Bell Housing Removal

"late model" as in an older style correct?

Ayuh,... As in, it's an Alpha 1,...
Not a Pre-Alpha...
Not an Alpha, Gen.II...

Alpha 1...

achris · Apr 25, 2010

Re: Bell Housing Removal

brodie123 said:
"late model" as in an older style correct?

Wrong. 'Late mode' means newer style. If you have a late model car it means more recent. If the drive and transom housings are mid 80's, then you have a Late model Alpha, Either an 'MR' or 'Alpha 1'. For the purpose of most repairs they are the same.

brodie123 said:
I've tried heat (carefully) and a breaker bar - no go.

Is there a pin behind the grease nib or anywhere else I should be looking? Where the access to the hinge pin is, I see no cotter pins or anything of the like.

Nope, they are just in TIGHT! and with a little 'low strength' Loctite, just for fun.

brodie123 said:
Any suggestions to get her off?

Ok, here's the written invitation, again.... Both the Doc and I have already said that you need to weld something in the hinge pin so you can get some purchase on it. I use a hinge pin tool as it's strong enough to not bend when a lot of load is put on it. I then bill the client for the tool. They're not expensive anyway.

brodie123 said:
Am I safe to take to a local auto/machine shop or do I need to take the long drive to a marina?

If they know what they are doing, yes....

Chris........

brodie123 · May 1, 2010

Re: Bell Housing Removal

ok - my trusted machine shop got them out.

On the re-install, can anyone recommend the best order for ease?

i.e. 1)bellows to mount 2) shift cable to bell housing, 3) water tube to mount and housing 4) bellows to bell housing 5) hinge pins (etc)

thx!

Grumman59 · May 1, 2010

Re: Bell Housing Removal

brodie123 said:
On the re-install, can anyone recommend the best order for ease?

i.e. 1)bellows to mount 2) shift cable to bell housing, 3) water tube to mount and housing 4) bellows to bell housing 5) hinge pins (etc)

thx!

I'm doing the same job as you and was trying to figure out the best order of replacement myself. Incidentally, mine's an '86 Alpha One with the shift cable threading in from the outside. I got my hinge pins out quite easily with a 1/2" Allen wrench.

This is what I figured. Not sure if it's right:

1) trim sender wires installed
2) water hose upper connection
3) new shift cable threaded into bell housing
4) new bellows slid on shift cable
5) U/J bellows secured on bell housing
6) re-fit bell housing and secure U/J bellows to transom, shift cable pulled through inside boat
7) water hose bottom connection
8) exhaust bellows
9) shift linkage
10) drive

Regarding the exhaust bellows and the problems people report getting them on, I'm wondering if it would be better to just discard it and use the exhaust tube option. (3.0L 4-cyl. engine.)

brodie123 · May 1, 2010

Re: Bell Housing Removal

thx - my shift cable is the screw on the inside - but I think you gave me a good start here. thx!

bacafrog · May 1, 2010

Re: Bell Housing Removal

Ever since I installed my exhaust tube, I will never use an exhaust bellow again. It was so easy to just attach it to the transom side.

achris · May 1, 2010

Re: Bell Housing Removal

brodie123 said:
ok - my trusted machine shop got them out.

On the re-install, can anyone recommend the best order for ease?

i.e. 1)bellows to mount 2) shift cable to bell housing, 3) water tube to mount and housing 4) bellows to bell housing 5) hinge pins (etc)

thx!

The best recommendations comes from the service manual. Download it from the ADULTS ONLY thread of this forum...

Chris.........

________________________________

There's never time to do it right, but always time to do it over.
If at first you don't succeed, read the f..ing manual!!!

Bell Housing Removal

Petty Officer 1st Class

Commander

Captain

More fish than mountain goat

Petty Officer 1st Class

Moderator

More fish than mountain goat

Petty Officer 1st Class

Supreme Mariner

Moderator

More fish than mountain goat

Petty Officer 1st Class

Petty Officer 2nd Class

Petty Officer 1st Class

Petty Officer 3rd Class

More fish than mountain goat