my 280 volvo leg top box frozen on

[comfort40]

Hi all I have followed all of the info on the site I could find to replace my drive bellows. All went well till I got to the time when you give the top box a gentle tap and it comes off. Haha this little box is stuck on tight. I have lubricated the side bolts for a couple of days, tried leverage to get it off....but have a suspicion the bolts could be frozen, I do need some help fellas, any ideas would be appreciated.
- Bill

 

[captmello]

Re: my 280 volvo leg top box frozen on

Welcome, I googled your location as the city name didn't ring a bell.

Queensland, Austrailia, so salt water?

I assume you got the two bolts removed from under the shift cover and you are thinking the two exposed studs are stuck. Sorry I don't have any great advise.

When you drained the oil, was it clean? I'm just trying to figure out what is actually stuck.

If it's just the two studs coming down from the upper box, I guess I would try a rubber mallot, hitting it in all directions to try to break it free. Maybe a block of wood under the studs and try hitting them upwards.

Sorry not much help. Maybe some of the salt water guys have a secret method.

Good Luck!!

 

[comfort40]

Re: my 280 volvo leg top box frozen on

Hi, yes the leg oil did have a bit of water in it, maybe the spline is stuck also. I did use wedges under the side bolts as well but I am a bit frightened of breaking something doing this. I did remove the two front studs first, but you would swear there were more bolts holding it, it is frustrating and becoming a real pain. Thanks for your suggestions and your reply. Best wishes - Bill

 

[comfort40]

Re: my 280 volvo leg top box frozen on

....And yes it is used in salt water.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: my 280 volvo leg top box frozen on

the upper box is held on with two bolts behind the shift cover from underneath. then two studs with nuts on the port and stbd sides.
saltwater use will require heat,oxy acetylyne, and use of the studs as jack screws using metal plates and the nuts.
corrosion locks the studs in place if the box isnt removed every couple of years.
install two plain steel nuts,DO NOT use stainless, on the studs and run them up flush with the thread.
install metal plates cut to fit so there is very little space between the stud and the box opening.
heat the stud area of the aluminum housing that the stud passes through then use a wrench bring the nuts down on the plates and use them as jack screws.
do most that way here in the salt pond.
patience and heat are your friend, any type of spray lube will be your enemy.
fumes are nasty.

 

[comfort40]

Re: my 280 volvo leg top box frozen on

Hi thanks for the info, do you just warm the alloy, as I remember aluminium tends to disappear when overheated, or is this different? I did try the suggestion of putting timber under the studs and hitting them. It appears to have moved them both a couple of ml, but not the box. Hope I have done no damage to the inside! .....I will now get into it with the heat, thanks a lot.
Patience really is a virtue

 

[comfort40]

Re: my 280 volvo leg top box frozen on

Hi fellas, thanks with your help Rodbolt, the top box is now off...... after a lot of heat and colourful language Is there any easy way to remove the box from the drive spline?? It doesn't want to come either. Any suggestions would be great.

 

[captmello]

Re: my 280 volvo leg top box frozen on

Hi fellas, thanks with your help Rodbolt, the top box is now off...... after a lot of heat and colourful language Is there any easy way to remove the box from the drive spline?? It doesn't want to come either. Any suggestions would be great.

Not sure what your saying. Are you talking about the ujoint being frozen on the drive shaft in the intermediate housing?

 

[rodbolt]

Re: my 280 volvo leg top box frozen on

gotta love flame
at 6ft tall and 148 pounds I am a special scarecrow, I aint scared of fire.
there are two splines for the upper.
one is the drive coupler between the upper and lower shafts the other is the ujoint to intermediate spline.
which one is stuck?

 

[comfort40]

Re: my 280 volvo leg top box frozen on

Well the box is clear,and I presume it is attached to the coupling universal drive train by a spline, and I can see a 'u' type bolted bracket at the other end. The top box is still attached to the universal coupling and won't pull off. I need to cut the rubber bellows off to get a better look at it but we have only had one day in the last two weeks when it hasn't been pissing down rain, so I have been a bit handicapped

 

[captmello]

Re: my 280 volvo leg top box frozen on

Sounds like your ujoint yoke is corroded onto the drive shaft. The yoke has a female end that slips over the driveshaft but isn't attached in any way. Again, a common problem with the saltwater drives that are not taken apart annually for mainenence.

I've seen some guys remove the clips on the ujoint and drive the ujoint heads off to remove the upper gear box to gain better access.

Cutting off the bellows will open it up some. You could try hammering the yoke bach and forth a bit to try to get it to release.

Good Luck.

 

[RicardoMarine]

Re: my 280 volvo leg top box frozen on

If the transmission is free from the vertical shaft spline coupler......, and if it lifts up from the Intermediate housing...... and if the female yoke is rusted/corroded to the PDS, then in most cases your only option is to disassemble one of the bearing crosses (U-joints) and separate the two in this method.

It is a bugger to get at, but it can be done.

Next, when the transmission is out of your way, is a chain/slide hammer affair to shock the yoke and get it to start moving Aft. Then get it to slide Fwd. Repeat until it frees up. It will come off!

No magic bullet, unfortunately.

Be sure to replace the PDS bearings. Shot in the foot if not!

.

 

[sqbtr]

Re: my 280 volvo leg top box frozen on

Since you will want to change the primary driveshaft bearing (s). Why not just take the clamping ring off and pull the eng with the F/C and trans attached. What eng are you running?

 

[Don S]

Re: my 280 volvo leg top box frozen on

Since you will want to change the primary driveshaft bearing (s). Why not just take the clamping ring off and pull the eng with the F/C and trans attached. What eng are you running?

You have to get the upper gear box off, and the clamp ring to get the engine out. Neither the clamp ring or the gear box will fit through the hole in the transom shield.

 

[comfort40]

Re: my 280 volvo leg top box frozen on

My engine is a AQAD40/280 in a 6.9m custom built abalone boat that I use for fishing. Thanks for all your suggestions, I will try them all, but I think removing the motor will have to be the last resort as it looks like a major,major job. I will be very relieved to see this come apart.

 

[captmello]

Re: my 280 volvo leg top box frozen on

My engine is a AQAD40/280 in a 6.9m custom built abalone boat that I use for fishing. Thanks for all your suggestions, I will try them all, but I think removing the motor will have to be the last resort as it looks like a major,major job. I will be very relieved to see this come apart.

Once you get the upper out of the way, you can check the drive shaft for play. If there is play, the bearings are bad and the engine would have to be removed to replace the bearings. We've all done done it.

 

[comfort40]

Re: my 280 volvo leg top box frozen on

Well the bellows have been cut off, I tested the bearings and there is no play, but the universals are very rusted. I wasn't able to knock the drive shaft back and forth because of lack of space, If I try I could get in to knock it forward, but no way backwards. Presumably the four allen head screws inside the front housing of the top box are only to hold the casting together and would not help in any way to separate it. As all the cross bearings are rusted in place what is the best way to remove one to get the universal drive apart. Was there ever any retaining clips on the cross bearings? sorry to be a pain, but last time this was done for me by a boat yard........ and cost a fortune, which I don't have

 

[captmello]

Re: my 280 volvo leg top box frozen on

There are "C" clips to the inside of the yoke holding the heads of the ujoints in the yoke. You then have to drive the heads out from the inside of the ujoint.

 

[RicardoMarine]

Re: my 280 volvo leg top box frozen on

Bill, I assume that the transmission and universal drive shaft are still all connected!

Captmello mentioned the bearing cross "C" clips to you!
Even if rusted, try your best to remove two opposing "C" clips so that two opposing bearing cross (ujoint) "caps" can be removed.
This will lead you to getting this thing apart.... been there/done this on customer's boats several times over the years! There is nothing fun about it! Each is a different adventure!
But it can be done!
Even if you must sacrifice the female yoke, one of us will certainly have a replacement yoke.

Once the transmission is out of your way, you can use some sort of chain affair that will allow a slide weight, or slide hammer effect on the yoke.
You will want to shock the yoke in the AFT direction......, and then drive it the other direction until it loosens up.

All of this is going to takes it's toll on the PDS (primary drive shaft) bearings. They are probably shot anyway from the water intrusion, and are items that you should be replacing.
If you've not seen the damage cause by failed PDSB's or universal drive shaft bearing crosses, you may want to take a peek. It is not pretty nor inexpensive to repair!

NOTE: I'd strongly encourage you to NOT attempt removing the four clamping collar bolts until you have this transmission off, on the bench, and in a fixture!
With the water intrusion that the bellows allowed, these four bolts are very likely rusted/corroded in both the clamping collar and the thread inserts of the transmission main gear case! (The 280 collar bolts end up being a wet area on many of these! )
If these are corroded, you may round out the hex heads! Now you're stuck using the first procedure anyway!
Even if you were to successfully remove the clamping collar, bearing box, main drive gear and universal shaft......, it actually gains you very little! You must still create a shocking/pulling force to get the yoke free from the PDS!
(I'd sooner see you sacrifice the drive shaft "female yoke" and keep this shaft/bearing/gear out of your way, clean and safe!)

Once the transmission is on the bench, you can now apply controlled heat to the collar and thread insert areas! If the bolts do not come out, you end up machining them out in order to save the clamping collar.
Been there/done that many times also!

Good luck.... I hope you get it!
.

 

[comfort40]

Re: my 280 volvo leg top box frozen on

Thanks fellas for the great advice, I'm feeling confident already As soon as the Heavens stop sending the rain down on me, I will be back into it!!