Stern drive: Best practices? Drive up? Or down?

[haulnazz15]

Re: Stern drive: Best practices? Drive up? Or down?

I pull the drive in the winter...fits nicely clamped into a B&D "Workmate" bench. I CAN (there is one for each) grease my U-joints...so I do...every year. At the same time I can clean/lube the splines and check the alignment. The drive isn't that heavy(Alpha 1)...just a little clumsy for one person, and takes me 5 min to remove/10 to install.

During the season(which here in Wi is only about 4 months at best...unless you LIKE cold boating) I lower the drive when parked in the garage.

Probably a little on the "OCD" side...however this is nothing compared to the care/seasonal preventative maintenance of a 36y/o Cessna!

Lol, agreed on the Cessna. The it's a miracle when an annual costs less than $1K, lol. I still wonder about pulling the drive and checking the splines annually, though. Unless your motor mounts moved, or the transom rotted (dropping the rear mounts), why would the alignment ever change? I suppose some consider it normal preventive maintenance just like some guys overhaul right @ TBO despite high compression numbers and no signs of failure.

 

[Don S]

Re: Stern drive: Best practices? Drive up? Or down?

We left our outdrive up on the trailer for nearly 20 years and only replaced the bellows twice, and never because of a leak/crack. While I agree that the drive being up stresses the drive bellows, it seems to be less of an issue than some make it out to be. We also didn't pull the drive every year, or every 4 years for that matter. We kept the zerks greased and that covered it.

And as "They" always say, There is an exception to every rule. Or in this case, someone that got away with doing things bordering on neglect, and pushing the limits of preventive maintenance and getting away with it. Like greasing the coupler splines once a year. You have to pull the drive for that.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Stern drive: Best practices? Drive up? Or down?

Like greasing the coupler splines once a year. You have to pull the drive for that.

Wh? There is a grease zerk on the coupler for a reason.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Stern drive: Best practices? Drive up? Or down?

And as "They" always say, There is an exception to every rule. Or in this case, someone that got away with doing things bordering on neglect, and pushing the limits of preventive maintenance and getting away with it. Like greasing the coupler splines once a year. You have to pull the drive for that.

Agreed, not saying it was the advised way to do it at all, just how I remember it being done. I'm sure the fact that we only put about 20hrs a year on the boat probably made spline greasing less of an issue as it isn't a whole lot of time to wear out the grease. We do a much better job currently of doing the proper maintenance, but as my recent drive thread indicated, it didn't prevent our drive issue, lol. Probably akin to a theme of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Stern drive: Best practices? Drive up? Or down?

I put it down for the winter, but otherwise it is up when on the trailer. Removing the drive to store it somewhere else for the winter is just craziness - or someone with too much time on their hands.

Call me crazy then. It only takes about 20 minutes to remove it and store it. And since you are going to remove it in the spring to check out the u-joints and bellows, why not in the fall?

Your opinion is your own, but it's not the only (or correct) one.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Stern drive: Best practices? Drive up? Or down?

Wh? There is a grease zerk on the coupler for a reason.

You know some people can't reach their coupler, right? Well, I guess you didn't realize that. But it's a fact.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Stern drive: Best practices? Drive up? Or down?

You know some people can't reach their coupler, right? Well, I guess you didn't realize that. But it's a fact.

Find someone with longer arms

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Stern drive: Best practices? Drive up? Or down?

billyman, you obviously want to read oldjeep's responses with skepticism. His maintenance practices don't appear to be in line with the Mercruiser (or common sense) manual. Best of luck to you.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Stern drive: Best practices? Drive up? Or down?

Call me crazy then. It only takes about 20 minutes to remove it and store it. And since you are going to remove it in the spring to check out the u-joints and bellows, why not in the fall?

Your opinion is your own, but it's not the only (or correct) one.

I'm just going by the maint manual - its not an opinion
http://www.mercurymarine.com/_media...erndrive-models/Non-EC/90-899883179-Maint.pdf

Inspecting the u-joints and bellows is 3 year/200 hour maint - so is gimbel and coupler lube

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Stern drive: Best practices? Drive up? Or down?

billyman, you obviously want to read oldjeep's responses with skepticism. His maintenance practices don't appear to be in line with the Mercruiser (or common sense) manual. Best of luck to you.

Umm - read the manual
http://www.mercurymarine.com/_media...erndrive-models/Non-EC/90-899883179-Maint.pdf

 

[Oshkosh1]

Re: Stern drive: Best practices? Drive up? Or down?

Wh? There is a grease zerk on the coupler for a reason.

There's not one on mine...As far as I know, the spline sleeve is solid. The ONLY way to apply grease to the ENTIRE length of the splines themselves is by removal.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Stern drive: Best practices? Drive up? Or down?

There's not one on mine...As far as I know, the spline sleeve is solid. The ONLY way to apply grease to the ENTIRE length of the splines themselves is by removal.

Certainly could be, but the OP is asking about a modern drive, not whatever comes on an 85 welcraft.

Although he has a Bravo 1 - the maint manual I linked is supposed to be for all modern mercruiser drives

 

[Oshkosh1]

Re: Stern drive: Best practices? Drive up? Or down?

I don't think it's a "drive" issue as much as an engine issue. My drive is an "modern" Alpha one-Gen 1...but the motor is obviously older.

 

[Don S]

Re: Stern drive: Best practices? Drive up? Or down?

Wh? There is a grease zerk on the coupler for a reason.

That didn't happen until 1992 when the Alpha I Gen II came out out with the longer coupler and 3rd oring on the shaft.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Stern drive: Best practices? Drive up? Or down?

That didn't happen until 1992 when the Alpha I Gen II came out out with the longer coupler and 3rd oring on the shaft.

The OP has a 2004 (Bravo)

 

[Don S]

Re: Stern drive: Best practices? Drive up? Or down?

The OP has a 2004 (Bravo)

Not everybody reading this thread knows there is a difference. Besides, I was making the comment to haulnazz15 that (according to his sgnature) does not have a 2004 Bravo.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Stern drive: Best practices? Drive up? Or down?

Not everybody reading this thread knows there is a difference. Besides, I was making the comment to haulnazz15 that (according to his sgnature) does not have a 2004 Bravo.

Fair enough - but according to the manual I've got, greasing that coupler is 3 year service not annual. Are the older ones annual?

 

[Don S]

Re: Stern drive: Best practices? Drive up? Or down?

Fair enough - but according to the manual I've got, greasing that coupler is 3 year service not annual. Are the older ones annual?

Yes, Merc needs to sell more couplers and other parts now. So lower the maintenance standards, and parts sales go up.


Here is from a page from the OEM Alpha I Gen II Service Manual.

 

[ktbarrentine]

Re: Stern drive: Best practices? Drive up? Or down?

Fair enough - but according to the manual I've got, greasing that coupler is 3 year service not annual. Are the older ones annual?

Just on GP, I do an annual to change the impeller and do the "other" stuff (inspections, pressure tests, lubes, alignment), so naturally, the coupler splines are included. (1990 alpha-1, no coupling zerk). Just my 2cents.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Stern drive: Best practices? Drive up? Or down?

Well if I assume that going by the 100hrs or 1 year, whichever is longer approach, I can go around 5 years without pulling the drive, lol. (yes, I'm aware that it's not whichever is longer)