Can’t get outdrive fully seated

[Aviator04]

I have the outdrive on with another inch to go but cannot get it to budge. I pulled it off about a dozen times now and everything looks good. I’m in gear, shift linkage all lined up, everything greased. What am I missing here? shaft should be well into the coupler at this point, right?

 

[flashback]

The o rings on the shaft can sometimes stop it from going in. Grease them a bit and give it another try.

 

[airshot]

Some times I had issues with the U joints flexing enough to bind up the shaft so it wouldn't go all the way in.

 

[Lou C]

If it’s in gear if you turn the prop slightly it might help the driveshaft splines to line up with the splines in the coupler. On my Cobra which gets installed in neutral I use a long thin screwdriver to turn the ujoints to get the splines to line up.

 

[Bt Doctur]

did the drive come off easily? you on to the point of shaft engagement so either the shift shoes are not aligned or alignment is a bit off

 

[kenny nunez]

Did you check the alignment with the alignment bar? Did you replace the gimbal bering?

 

[JASinIL2006]

Unless alignment is really bad, when you get that close it seems like it's either the shift shoes aren't lined up, the O-rings were lubed too heavy or the splines are not lining up. First thing I'd try is to rotate the prop just a bit while pushing in on the drive. If you're that close to having it seat, I don't think your problem is with the u-joints; when I have that problem, the drive won't be that close to (or touching) the studs.

 

[Lou C]

same experience when mine has gone on that far and stops, it has always been the driveshaft splines, a little turn of the driveshaft & it slides right on.

 

[Lou C]

As far as the orings, I have read that if you grease em the grease can get into the groove and make it harder to seat. I just squirt a bit of motor oil on the orings, coat the d/s splines with good marine grease and it usually goes right on after setting the gimble bearing with the tool, about 1/2 the time, I have to give the driveshaft a little turn.
Kind of like doing a clutch on an old air cooled VW, the engine would not slide all the way up to the trans axle unless you put a spark plug socket on the generator pulley nut and turned it just enough for the splines to line up.

 

[Aviator04]

Thanks for the tips & suggestions. much appreciated. Unfortunately, my back is done lol. I threw in the towel and dropped it off today. last week I had to pull the engine to change the flywheel and starter..so something weird is going on. Alignment looked fine.

 

[H20Rat]

That is where the patented 'merkick' comes into play! Sometimes you just need a good boot to it! But usually rotating the prop while it is in gear will let it drop in.