Do I need to Replace it? Picture inside...

[Bulbash]

This winter i had my transom replaced by a local shop. At the end of repair they clled me and said that they noticed that my bellows might need a replacement, quote was $800. I came to the shop and they showed me what is on the picture bellow. Basically bellow where u-shaft goes outside edge (towards the drive ) is all cracked and little pieces missing at the edge. The rest looks absolutelly fine no cracks or any other dammage... So I asked them to put it back together as it is. I keep my boat out of the water and use it on the weekends only so a bit watter sipping in is absolutelly no problem with me.. First question: Do I absolutelly need to replace bellows because of this? And how much more work is involved in getting them replaced after drive is off?

Setup is 1989 OMC 2.3 Cobra

 

[Bulbash]

Re: Do I need to Replace it? Picture inside...

What else should I replace if I will be taking it apart? I can get any parts for very low price so the biggest concern for me is my time... So if I will be taking something apart I might replace more things that might be getting old...

 

[Bondo]

Re: Do I need to Replace it? Picture inside...

Basically bellow where u-shaft goes outside edge (towards the drive ) is all cracked and little pieces missing at the edge. The rest looks absolutelly fine no cracks or any other dammage... So I asked them to put it back together as it is. I keep my boat out of the water and use it on the weekends only so a bit watter sipping in is absolutelly no problem with me..

Ayuh,... If the bellows leaks, the gimbel bearin', 'n u-joints get wet, rust, 'n fall apart....

I'd have already replaced it, when it was apart myself...

 

[Bulbash]

Re: Do I need to Replace it? Picture inside...

How does it come out? Do I need to remove a whole transom assembly to pull it out?

 

[wcasey5]

Re: Do I need to Replace it? Picture inside...

$800 to change the bellows? That's insane! If you don't change them you will sink, destroy your u joints, or maybe even something uglier. But in my opinion it is about an hour or 2 job with between $30 - $70 in parts. If I read this wrong, please disregard the rant.

 

[Don S]

Re: Do I need to Replace it? Picture inside...

If the drive is off the boat, changing the ujoint bellows is about a 30 minute job. Follow the picture below.

Turn drive to port, you should be able to get to the ujoint bellow hose clamp to loosen it on the transom shield side of the bellows (Remember hose clamp position). Turn drive back to center.

Remove snap ring from exhaust bellows and push bellows out of pivot housing. You can then remove the hose clamp holding the bellows to the transom shield and remove the bellows if needed. (Remember hose clamp position).

Remove the large plastic nut and push the water hose fitting out of the pivot housing.

Pry the lip if the bellow up and push bellows out of pivot housing.

Pivot the pivot housing up and pull the bellows out the bottom carefully.

Install the new bellows in reverse order. Now you are ready to put the drive back on.

 

[Bulbash]

Re: Do I need to Replace it? Picture inside...

$800 to change the bellows? That's insane! If you don't change them you will sink, destroy your u joints, or maybe even something uglier. But in my opinion it is about an hour or 2 job with between $30 - $70 in parts. If I read this wrong, please disregard the rant.

i absolutelly agree with you, this is why I told them to put it back together without touching it...

If the drive is off the boat, changing the ujoint bellows is about a 30 minute job. Follow the picture below.

Turn drive to port, you should be able to get to the ujoint bellow hose clamp to loosen it on the transom shield side of the bellows (Remember hose clamp position). Turn drive back to center.

Remove snap ring from exhaust bellows and push bellows out of pivot housing. You can then remove the hose clamp holding the bellows to the transom shield and remove the bellows if needed. (Remember hose clamp position).

Remove the large plastic nut and push the water hose fitting out of the pivot housing.

Pry the lip if the bellow up and push bellows out of pivot housing.

Pivot the pivot housing up and pull the bellows out the bottom carefully.

Install the new bellows in reverse order. Now you are ready to put the drive back on.

I will give it a try next weekend if weather will be good enough to work outside... I also found some instructions in the omc manual..

 

[SeaSwirlin]

Re: Do I need to Replace it? Picture inside...

i absolutelly agree with you, this is why I told them to put it back together without touching it...



I will give it a try next weekend if weather will be good enough to work outside... I also found some instructions in the omc manual..

Wondering how your install went on your bellow replacement? Easy as described above? My bellow was in the same condition yours was, your picture made me laugh because mine looks identical. Ordered the parts yesterday and wanted to do it myself and from the ease of the post above, I'm ready to do it myself(I'm pretty mechanically inclined).

 

[SeaSwirlin]

Re: Do I need to Replace it? Picture inside...

If the drive is off the boat, changing the ujoint bellows is about a 30 minute job. Follow the picture below.

Turn drive to port, you should be able to get to the ujoint bellow hose clamp to loosen it on the transom shield side of the bellows (Remember hose clamp position). Turn drive back to center.

Remove snap ring from exhaust bellows and push bellows out of pivot housing. You can then remove the hose clamp holding the bellows to the transom shield and remove the bellows if needed. (Remember hose clamp position).

Remove the large plastic nut and push the water hose fitting out of the pivot housing.

Pry the lip if the bellow up and push bellows out of pivot housing.

Pivot the pivot housing up and pull the bellows out the bottom carefully.

Install the new bellows in reverse order. Now you are ready to put the drive back on.

View attachment 186961

Can you change the gimble bearing out without taking pivot housing off also?

 

[Bulbash]

Re: Do I need to Replace it? Picture inside...

Wondering how your install went on your bellow replacement? Easy as described above? My bellow was in the same condition yours was, your picture made me laugh because mine looks identical. Ordered the parts yesterday and wanted to do it myself and from the ease of the post above, I'm ready to do it myself(I'm pretty mechanically inclined).

I was able to finish it in 1 hour. My biggest issue was putting the drive back... I had to remove impeller's plastic cover and use two wooden blocks to tap the drive back on. It was getting stuck just before I could put a nut on the stud...

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: Do I need to Replace it? Picture inside...

The reason it was hard to go past the nut spot??
The o-rings on the shaft,possible they had grease under them or they swelled for some reason.
Next time,remove and clean the shaft.New o-rings. and lightly grease them,after they're put on..
Did you bother to check alignment while it was out?
Seaswirlin,yes it can be done.
Just make sure that there is no snap rings in front of the bearing.
A slide hammer .
Make sure when you reinstall the bearing, that the grease passage is lined up right.

 

[MyBad]

Re: Do I need to Replace it? Picture inside...

How does the U-Joint bellows edge, attach to the pivot housing? Is there a snap ring? or does it just use a sealant? or? is it just under force/pressure?

thanks, this thread really helped.

 

[Bulbash]

Re: Do I need to Replace it? Picture inside...

How does the U-Joint bellows edge, attach to the pivot housing?

Inside of the transom assembly there is a metal ring which you tighten with a screw driver, the drive part slides right into the bellow...

 

[Jammer864]

Re: Do I need to Replace it? Picture inside...

This winter i had my transom replaced by a local shop. At the end of repair they clled me and said that they noticed that my bellows might need a replacement, quote was $800. I came to the shop and they showed me what is on the picture bellow. Basically bellow where u-shaft goes outside edge (towards the drive ) is all cracked and little pieces missing at the edge. The rest looks absolutelly fine no cracks or any other dammage... So I asked them to put it back together as it is. I keep my boat out of the water and use it on the weekends only so a bit watter sipping in is absolutelly no problem with me.. First question: Do I absolutelly need to replace bellows because of this? And how much more work is involved in getting them replaced after drive is off?



Setup is 1989 OMC 2.3 CobraView attachment 186929

As we say around here......someone was about to get Ozarked!