Alpha 1 Housing Carrier Retainer Ring Thread Repair

[qystan]

My Alpha 1 housing carrier threads for the carrier retainer ring is worn (corrosion) and can no longer fully tighten the carrier in place. The ring jumps threads when tightened. Preventive maintenance don't seem to be paying me dividends <br /><br />Question: Other than changing the housing ($$$)are there repair options? Sterndrive Engg is looking attractive. Helicoil does not sound practical (the tap alone will probably cost more than the housing). Have used epoxy to hold everything in place, but it won't hold up to the vibration and loads.<br /><br />Thinking of drilling through the housing and retainer ring and putting a few bolts through it.<br /><br />Any ideas?

 

[tommays]

Re: Alpha 1 Housing Carrier Retainer Ring Thread Repair

what size thread is it most heli coil sets in the us are 30 to 100 dollars max <br /><br />is there room in the hole for the heli coil it will be one size biger ie a 5/16-18 would have a 3/8-18 heli coil tap<br /><br />tommays

 

[Don S]

Re: Alpha 1 Housing Carrier Retainer Ring Thread Repair

Tom<br />I think he is refering to the threads where the retainer (Item 78 in the picture) screws into the housing.<br />If that is the case, then replacment of the housing is the only possibility.<br />The retaining ring also needs to be tightened properly to obtain the proper gear backlash and contact pattern. So before you destroy your gears along with the housing, it's best to fix it right the first time or end up needing a complete lower unit. <br /><br />

 

[tommays]

Re: Alpha 1 Housing Carrier Retainer Ring Thread Repair

don<br />how do you paste in the pictures i seam to be unable to do it<br /><br />oystan<br />i did not realize it was the retain nut and even if there was a coil that big there is not enough wall in that area and the helicoil thread repiar expoys dont look to good for something that big<br /><br />tommays

 

[Don S]

Re: Alpha 1 Housing Carrier Retainer Ring Thread Repair

Tom<br />If you "Right Click" the picture, and click on properties, you will get a properties page that has the URL in it. Just copy the complete URL and paste it into the box that comes up when you click the image button below the text box.<br />Click on the "UBB CODE link next to the text box for better instructions.

 

[qystan]

Re: Alpha 1 Housing Carrier Retainer Ring Thread Repair

Don, Tommays<br /><br />Yup, that's the item. Didn't thinks there were options The hope was good while it lasted.<br /><br />Job was to renew the seals since I got the boat recently and wanted to reset the maintenance start point as previous owner maintenance claims looked dubious. <br /><br />Thanks. <br /><br />Still hopeful...anyone??

 

[Laddies]

Re: Alpha 1 Housing Carrier Retainer Ring Thread Repair

If there are threads left deeper in the hsg. may be you could have the carrier machined off to get the nut in to them, as a last resort a good welder may be able to shrink the hsg. by welding on the outside of the hsg. good luck---bob

 

[rattana]

Re: Alpha 1 Housing Carrier Retainer Ring Thread Repair

I have never tried this, but how strong is JB weld?

 

[Don S]

Re: Alpha 1 Housing Carrier Retainer Ring Thread Repair

NO NO NO NO NO and in case I forgot to mention it, NO. <br />You cannot weld the outside to shrink it......if you did that you couldn't install or remove the carrier. Might just as well weld the carrier into the thing, but how would you get 200 ft lbs of torque on it in order to preload the bearings.<br />JB weld also won't work, what do you think happens when you put the boat in reverse, think that prop isn't going to pull somthing like that off? <br />One thing some of you are forgetting is the fact that you can't just pull over to the side of the road and hang your thumb out like you can when your car goes bad.

 

[deputydawg]

Re: Alpha 1 Housing Carrier Retainer Ring Thread Repair

Check E-bay for housings or go to local marinas and see if there are any salvage parts you could grab onto. Before use check and make sure the used housing is not warped, that is if you have a way (tools or a good shop) to put the gearset back into the housing correctly. From my limited experience the housings are pretty simple, the big problem is the cost of tools, then check re-check and check again to make sure everything is shimmed correctly and put back together right.<br />Check with a welding shop, they may have a way to chase the threads on the slim chance there is enough there to re-thread the thing. I seriously doubt it but worth a shot. From your description you are looking at a different housing at the least.

 

[DHPMARINE]

Re: Alpha 1 Housing Carrier Retainer Ring Thread Repair

Qystan,<br />Check out precisionmfgsales.com.They have a flange that can be welded on to your housing and you'll have new threads.<br />It may not be cost effective though,when you consider Sterndrive.CC prics for new.<br />DHP

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Alpha 1 Housing Carrier Retainer Ring Thread Repair

hello<br /> I have seen several sites that offer a "re-ring" for the repair of cracked/stripped housings. I have never tried it but I have seen a few. seemed to work. if yours could be re-ringed then you would not have to reshim all the gears.<br /> good luck and keep posting

 

[qystan]

Re: Alpha 1 Housing Carrier Retainer Ring Thread Repair

Thanks guys for all the suggestions. Looks like its a gone'r.<br /><br />Going to visit marinas and see if salvage parts are available before a final on the SEI drive. A new housing isn't too exicitng, we don't get GLM parts around here.

 

[steve n carol]

Re: Alpha 1 Housing Carrier Retainer Ring Thread Repair

Qystan, <br /> I am suprised you get mercruiser at all over there! I think it's cool though! The boating stuff has got to be expensive too. Do you use this boat for business or pleasure?<br />What is the cost of gasoline in your part of the world? It's $2.45 U.S. Gallon, here in California.<br />Cool, I just took a mini vacation!!<br />I gota get out more often...sl

 

[qystan]

Re: Alpha 1 Housing Carrier Retainer Ring Thread Repair

Mercury has been here for a long time and was their distribution centre for the region but they pulled out a few years back leaving only a representative office. Now parts come from their distribution centres. I get my orders filled within 3 days if its from Malaysia, next point is Australia-about a week.<br /><br />Boating is expensive here as is all over the world....bottomless pit hobby I boat for pleasure....counting my lucky stars <br /><br />Gas around here is US3.52 a gallon, mostly from taxes to discourage car use . At $2.45, you guys are getting the stuff on the cheap. Over at our neighbour its about half.

 

[deputydawg]

Re: Alpha 1 Housing Carrier Retainer Ring Thread Repair

$2.45? Just jumped up to $1.95 last week from $1.74. I thought we had it bad.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Alpha 1 Housing Carrier Retainer Ring Thread Repair

I paid $2.45 a gallon this morning at Dock of the bay marina. got 4 nice stripers though