hey Don

[toolsinbox]

Quite some time ago I read your post with respect to the removal of the bearing retainer for Alpha drive and/or, trimming a few of the pieces to do the u-joints without taking off the retainer. As always your advice was spot on.

The part that has been driving me nuts for months now, was your reference to the retainer holding the o-ring while you install drive thus your point of trimming or brakeing off the teeth is not good.

I thought that you pushed the o-ring in place in the bell housing first. Or placed it on the drive up tite to the gasket flange on the drive.

Could you please clear up my missunderstanding of the install of this o-ring?
Thanks.

 

[Don S]

Re: hey Don

Just cut off the tips of 2 of the tabs so the cap will just clear the retainer, (shown in picture in blue)
There will still be enough there to hold the large quad ring in place.

 

[toolsinbox]

Re: hey Don

What is the quad ring?

 

[Don S]

Re: hey Don

What is the quad ring?

That's the big oring you were referring to that gets glued into the bellhousing before installing the outdrive. It's called a rubber gasket in the picture below.

 

[toolsinbox]

Re: hey Don

Ok what does the retainer have to do with this o-ring/ rubber gasket? and does it have to be glued in? and if so what glue do you use?

 

[Don S]

Re: hey Don

The rubber gasket gets glued into place (I use bellows adhesive) so it doesn't get knocked out of place when the drive is installed. if it does move, water will get into the bellows.
When the drive is installed, the fingers of the retainer ring are inside the rubber gasket. If the fingers are not there, the gasket can get squeezed into the opening and leak, while I have seen people cut the fingers as shown, I personally don't do that. I always take the assembly apart. Mostly because the only reason to change ujoints is due to water in the bellows which gets into the ujoints, rusts them and causes damage to the ujoint. At that point, might as well take the bearings out and replace the input shaft seal and check the yoke for rust and most likely replace it too. I also don't have a customer bringing a boat back because of water in the bellows. He pays me to do the job right the first time, not one time cheap for him and free for me to do to repair the damage.

 

[toolsinbox]

Re: hey Don

Ok that is clear to me now. once the drive is installed the o-ring is at the retainer area. Makes total sence. I removed the retainer the right way. I have been lucky- I bought over 10 k in mercruiser and merc outboard tools off a retired master mech for 10 cence on the dollar, so I have no excuses but to do things right. The only thing I need is that fancy snap torque o meter torq wrench. I have to research which one is current now. and get it.

Last question on the o-ring gasket. What part of the drive, seals against this o-ring ?

 

[Randy J]

Re: hey Don

well any easy way to get the foot assembly back in ?? had a heck of a time trying last year and wound up taking to dealer to do it ouch!

 

[toolsinbox]

Re: hey Don

foot assembly? wots dat?

 

[Don S]

Re: hey Don

What part of the drive, seals against this o-ring ?

The upper gear housing, right where the retainer ring is.