Any reason to pull the lower unit of a B3 each year for winterizing or maintenance?

[KD4UPL]

I read a lot about various winterizing techniques for sterndrives. Many people say to pull the lower unit every year to check and lubricate various things. These seem to be mostly for Alpha drives to service the impeller. My 2004 Rinker has a Mag 350 with a B3 drive so there's no impeller in it. Is there any reason to separate my outdrive from time to time or can it just stay together as long as everything is working well.
I stopped in at a small independent boat mechanic today to ask him. He started off by telling me I had to separate the case to service the impeller. I questioned if a B3 had one. He spent a couple minutes staring at his computer before telling me my impeller was on the engine (which I already knew). I'm thinking he won't be touching my boat.

 

[alldodge]

Have one of each, a B1 and B3, and both come off every season to change gear lube, check alignment and other things.

Normally don't ever reinstall drives until I'm ready to use the boat again. Matter of fact, my Rinkers B1 is still sitting on the stand. Need to install new impeller and housing in pump, install drive just before I pull the cruiser out for the winter

 

[Lou C]

If you don’t and the driveshaft bellows leaks you’ll wind up wishing you did.

 

[KD4UPL]

Good point on the bellows. How long should that be expected to last? I only boat in fresh water maybe 60 hours of engine time a year. The rest of the time the boat is on the trailer: drive up all summer, down for the long winter.

 

[alldodge]

Good point on the bellows. How long should that be expected to last? I only boat in fresh water maybe 60 hours of engine time a year. The rest of the time the boat is on the trailer: drive up all summer, down for the long winter.

Depends on how you store your drive, up or down. My first bellows replacement on my 95 Rinker was in 2016, so after 21 years and they still looked good.

If it was stored with the drive up, they wouldn't last that long

 

[Lou C]

Agreed the last one I replaced was 11 years old. Check yearly and replace when small cracks appear in between the folds and/or the rubber starts getting hard. Keep in mind that if you never remove it and a leak develops unbeknownst to you in a few years it could be hell to get off. D/S splines can rust right into the coupler and the D/S can rust into the gimble bearing. Now the drive is seized on!

 

[tpenfield]

KD4UPL You are asking about separating the top and bottom halves of the Bravo 3 (right?) No real need . . . I don't recommend it.

More so . . . you just remove the entire outdrive and grease the U-joints and gimbal bearing (if you have the older 'grease-able' type ), check the bellows, check/change gear oil, etc. The outdrive itself can stay intact.

 

[Lou C]

With respect to that in some conditions it is necessary to split the drive every few years for boats moored or slipped in salt water to clean out the water intake area because you can get marine growth inside that restricts raw water flow. Also if it’s never taken apart and then one day repairs are needed it may be very difficult to get the bolts out. When I had to do mine I coated the bolts with OMC gasket sealer which seals moisture out. But for routine service a yearly drive R+R will suffice and catch problems before they become expensive.