It's getting near that time....Bellows replacement

For anyone who has rebuilt their Alpha One Gen 2, I need some advice. Don, feel free to chime in. Your expertise is appreciated. 2003 Stingray has never had the bellows replaced and I want to order the parts and tackle it this fall. I have 110 hrs on the boat, and she runs like a champ and is problem free. My main question is this....Would you replace the gimble bearing as long as it's being torn down anyway? I will probably have this for a couple more years and will then trade up to something bigger. If I dont replace it, then from what I understand, I wont be bothered with engine alignment issues. Is that correct? Never done this before but I dont scare easy. Twenty five years as an auto tech has prepared me for the unexpected. Just wondering what everyone else would do if the gimble looked fine at teardown. Cost is not the issue, just looking for practically. Thanks for any responses.

Re: It's getting near that time....Bellows replacement

110 hours on a 2003... why do you want to replace the bellows, are they warn? the gimble bearing is not hard to get to but requires that you have an alignment bar and correct bearing installer to complete the job. i'm all about preventative maintenance but goes back to if it aint broke don't fix it. if your just in the mood for a project don't follow the "manual" way of doing it as you will also need a special hinge pin tool and if they are seized into the bell housing can open up a can of unneeded worms. simply remove the inner coil spring, fold the bellows in half and fit them through the housing, just be sure when replacing the spring not to overlap it in the ribs it will result in premature failure. you will also need to come up with a way of seating the collar that holds the bellows to the drive side of the helmet. use some "power tune" (quicksilver product) although i'm sure that carb clean would work also. spray it on the metal ring before installing helps lubricate it to fully seat the ring, wait a few min untill it evaporates and shes set for a strong hold...

hope that helps and good luck.

Re: It's getting near that time....Bellows replacement

110 hours on a 2003... why do you want to replace the bellows, are they warn? the gimble bearing is not hard to get to but requires that you have an alignment bar and correct bearing installer to complete the job. i'm all about preventative maintenance but goes back to if it aint broke don't fix it. if your just in the mood for a project don't follow the "manual" way of doing it as you will also need a special hinge pin tool and if they are seized into the bell housing can open up a can of unneeded worms. simply remove the inner coil spring, fold the bellows in half and fit them through the housing, just be sure when replacing the spring not to overlap it in the ribs it will result in premature failure. you will also need to come up with a way of seating the collar that holds the bellows to the drive side of the helmet. use some "power tune" (quicksilver product) although i'm sure that carb clean would work also. spray it on the metal ring before installing helps lubricate it to fully seat the ring, wait a few min untill it evaporates and shes set for a strong hold...

hope that helps and good luck.

Re: It's getting near that time....Bellows replacement

They are going on 8 years old and I figured the preventive maintenance along with the post I read the other day about insurance not covering sinking if the bellows were not maintained got me thinking. I am going to replace the impeller also because that is original. Thanks for taking the time to reply!

Re: It's getting near that time....Bellows replacement

My main question is this....Would you replace the gimble bearing as long as it's being torn down anyway?

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depends on what ya find when ya pull the drive. if ya find no water intrusion, along with inspection of the gimble brg. it needs to spin totally free. no feel, no sound, no anything other then spinning. if it meets this criteria leave well enough alone. grease it and move on. imho. at 7 years yer right on in inspecting and likely replaceing rubber parts, like the drive shaft bellows. better to do preventive maint. than to wait till failure. failure and you will be replacing the gimble brg, ujoints, drive gear ujoint yoke etc. pm is better. i'm on 5 years with my bellows. i'm watching them close.

edit.

I am going to replace the impeller also because that is original.

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, while i think the genII impellers are more durable than the alpha1's. wow, it's time to R&R that baby. surely yer treading on thin ice with that old... imho...

ps, just get an alignment bar. don't procrastinate. if ya work on your own stuff. you'll use it. run the bar weather ya R&R the brg. or not. it's an indicator of possible future issues. i run the bar every time i remove the drive. it's (mines) in alignment now, if it changes, somethings up...

Re: It's getting near that time....Bellows replacement

ziggy said:

depends on what ya find when ya pull the drive. if ya find no water intrusion, along with inspection of the gimble brg. it needs to spin totally free. no feel, no sound, no anything other then spinning. if it meets this criteria leave well enough alone. grease it and move on. imho. at 7 years yer right on in inspecting and likely replaceing rubber parts, like the drive shaft bellows. better to do preventive maint. than to wait till failure. failure and you will be replacing the gimble brg, ujoints, drive gear ujoint yoke etc. pm is better. i'm on 5 years with my bellows. i'm watching them close.

edit. , while i think the genII impellers are more durable than the alpha1's. wow, it's time to R&R that baby. surely yer treading on thin ice with that old... imho...

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Thank you Ziggy. Much agreed on your post. As I stated, if I leave the gimbal alone, as I understand it, I wont have to worry about alignment issue.