home made alignment tool

[nailem]

i have an old drive shaft with good splines. can i take it apart at the universal an weld a longer handle on it an use it for a alignment tool? if so would i need to make a stop on it? if not why not?

 

[Fix'em]

Re: home made alignment tool

Sounds like a good plan. As for stops, don't worry. There is no need for them. The one the marine shops use does not have them. It's just a long bar with splines that they jamb in until it bottoms out on the end of the crank. I watched them do it to my boat a few weeks back.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: home made alignment tool

Howdy,

You can use an old yoke if you want but it won't be accurate.

It doesn't take much for the alignment to be out to damage or quickly wear out the aluminum splines in the coupler.

Why risk damaging the coupler (which is a "show-stopper") just to save a lousy $50?

 

[Bondo]

Re: home made alignment tool

Ayuh,... What Rick says,.... It's a pizzpoor bandaid in an emergency situation at Best.....

 

[nailem]

Re: home made alignment tool

i guess that was my question. isn't the old shaft the same as the alignment tool or is the alignment tool slightly over sized to make it more of a exact fit. again im not arguing just asking. i will spend the $50 if needed but if not why.

 

[bluemarshboater]

Re: home made alignment tool

This is interesting.... I used my outdrive shaft while I had it apart for ujoints to align with, this is not good? I have not put it back together yet.

The alignment bar is better than the actual shaft?

Best
Dave

 

[IVAZ]

Re: home made alignment tool

This is interesting.... I used my outdrive shaft while I had it apart for ujoints to align with, this is not good? I have not put it back together yet.

The alignment bar is better than the actual shaft?

Best
Dave

Yes.

The shaft and alignment bar dont even look the same. Your trying to use a part as a tool, it wont give desirable results.

 

[Dshow]

Re: home made alignment tool

This is very interesting... Is the concern that the splines on the original shaft have worn and would introduce error in the alignment?

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: home made alignment tool

This is very interesting... Is the concern that the splines on the original shaft have worn and would introduce error in the alignment?

No, Not really. The alignment tool fits a bit tighter than the splined shaft. You can attempt alignment and think it's just fine with a splined yoke and still be clearly out of adjustment when you try it again with the right tool.

Like Bondo indicated it's really an emergency alignment "tool" at best.

If it was truly better, the "tool" would have splines on it.

You can probably do it, but when you "ream" out the aluminum splines with the steel yoke in the middle of your vacation, The real "fix" will cost a lot more from pulling the engine, replacing the coupler and the ruined vacation.


I made an alignment tool using the Mercury dimensions, from a 1 3/8" piece of steel, and a friends lathe. It to me about 1hr, a couple of beers, and about $20 for the steel.

Regards,


Rick

 

[nailem]

Re: home made alignment tool

thanks for the specs rick! again i did not know so i thought i would ask the experts. i am a real believer in preventive maintenance but im also a DIY kind of guy. i had a sport bike that i raced and made a lot of the parts on it. i will make the correct tool. i just had this old shaft and thought i would put it to use. now i guess i will just use it to beat the upper back on when i cant get it to go the last inch.

 

[Dshow]

Re: home made alignment tool

You can get the tool plus shipping for under $40 on Ebay...

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: home made alignment tool

thanks for the specs rick! again i did not know so i thought i would ask the experts. i am a real believer in preventive maintenance but im also a DIY kind of guy. i had a sport bike that i raced and made a lot of the parts on it. i will make the correct tool. i just had this old shaft and thought i would put it to use. now i guess i will just use it to beat the upper back on when i cant get it to go the last inch.

If you can make the tool, all the better. You'll know it's perfect then....Unless you're not very good with a lathe......

 

[nailem]

Re: home made alignment tool

my father-in-law owns a machine shop. i have made everything from adjustable foot peg mounts, foot pegs to modded front suspension off one bike to fit mine, brake hangers, all at 150mph. and "normally held together". actually im the student but he is really talented. most of his work is drive shafts and lathe work. your diagram will help me out a lot. i had tried searching once for those numbers and came up empty. thanks again

 

[Fun Times]

Re: home made alignment tool

No, Not really. The alignment tool fits a bit tighter than the splined shaft. You can attempt alignment and think it's just fine with a splined yoke and still be clearly out of adjustment when you try it again with the right tool.

Like Bondo indicated it's really an emergency alignment "tool" at best.

If it was truly better, the "tool" would have splines on it.

You can probably do it, but when you "ream" out the aluminum splines with the steel yoke in the middle of your vacation, The real "fix" will cost a lot more from pulling the engine, replacing the coupler and the ruined vacation.


I made an alignment tool using the Mercury dimensions, from a 1 3/8" piece of steel, and a friends lathe. It to me about 1hr, a couple of beers, and about $20 for the steel.

Regards,


Rick

How did you find the steel to make up something like that? thank you.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: home made alignment tool

How did you find the steel to make up something like that? thank you.

I went to a steel supply place in Tacoma, Wa (Interwest Metals) . They have every shape, size, etc of steel, stainless, aluminum etc on hand.

You just tell them you want a 1 3/8" dia piece of steel and they ask "how long"? A 36" piece was something like $20. I turned it down in the neighbor's lathe.

 

[NMBuzz]

Re: home made alignment tool

You can get the tool plus shipping for under $40 on Ebay...

Yeah right.... be careful with that for sure. I bought one on eBay the 15th and have not seen it yet. Seller's email is out of service too!
Buyer beware...

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: home made alignment tool

Yeah right.... be careful with that for sure. I bought one on eBay the 15th and have not seen it yet. Seller's email is out of service too!
Buyer beware...

Ahhh........FLEAbay strikes again!!!!!!!!!!

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: home made alignment tool

Yeah,


I bought one from someone online and it was something like $60.

It was also BENT and had about 0.008" of runout when I checked it with a dial indicator.

That's why I made my own.

All is not lost however, I am going to "true " it up and when it's perfect I will offer it to someone here.



By the way, you can all thank DonS for the picture above with the dimensions.....

Cheers,


Rick

Home made alignment tool part 2