Lower bearing carrier nut......grrrr

[mmajor97]

I am having one heck of a time getting the nut to break loose on my merc alpha one lower unit. I broke the end off a brand new 1/2" drive breaker bar today messing with it. Are there any secrets to achieving this seemingly impossible job? I bent the tab back. The nut is not corroded at all. I am afraid to put heat to the lower unit housing as I don't want anything to warp or break. Please help me if you have any ideas!

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Lower bearing carrier nut......grrrr

If you mean #73 in this link, http://mercstuff.com/fichee.htm if more than a year old forget unthreading it. Drill 2 1/4 holes about a 1 1/2 apart thru the ring to the SS lock tab washer, remove the small section, then remove the remaining section

 

[mmajor97]

Re: Lower bearing carrier nut......grrrr

I actually thought about doing just that but that was going to be my last resort as I didn't want to wait for another nut to come in. Guess I will be waiting. Exactly where would you drill your holes? I am scared of getting into the threads. Also, does this nut get loctite when I put it back together?

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Lower bearing carrier nut......grrrr

drill the ring about the middle ,even if you did catch the thread slightly it wont matter.
goes on with some grease and torqued
Exactly why are you doing this, because some other special tools come into play.

 

[mmajor97]

Re: Lower bearing carrier nut......grrrr

I am just replacing the prop shaft seals. Well attempting to anyway. I have all the tools I need as far as I know. I was gonna rig up a puller with a steering wheel puller and some long eye bolts to get the carrier out. I have the seal driver that has the different steps on each side for the 2 seals.

 

[picklenjim]

Re: Lower bearing carrier nut......grrr

Re: Lower bearing carrier nut......grrr

They can be replaced without removing the carrier though it is definitely easier to change them on the bench. When tightening down the carrier nut it must be tightened to give the correct bearing preload. Hope you have a manual and understand this or it won't live. Sometimes you can use a large punch and tap on the lugs on the nut and get it to break loose. Assuming you have soaked it with good penetrating oil. If you do get it loose mark it's exact spot so you can tighten it back to there. That way the preload will be the same as before.Also there is a small key between the carrier and housing. Make sure you have it in place before reinstalling the carrier.

 

[zbnutcase]

Re: Lower bearing carrier nut......grrr

Re: Lower bearing carrier nut......grrr

They can be replaced without removing the carrier though it is definitely easier to change them on the bench. When tightening down the carrier nut it must be tightened to give the correct bearing preload. Hope you have a manual and understand this or it won't live. Sometimes you can use a large punch and tap on the lugs on the nut and get it to break loose. Assuming you have soaked it with good penetrating oil. If you do get it loose mark it's exact spot so you can tighten it back to there. That way the preload will be the same as before.Also there is a small key between the carrier and housing. Make sure you have it in place before reinstalling the carrier.

There is NO preload adjustment on Alpha carriers....

 

[mmajor97]

Re: Lower bearing carrier nut......grrrr

I thought the only bearing preload adjustment was on the upper unit on the (for lack of better terms) u-joint shaft bearings? All I am planning on doing is pulling the carrier, changing the seals, re-installing carrier, torqing the carrier nut to specs and putting it back on the boat. BTW, I went and drilled the nut like Bt Doc said to do, worked like a charm! Now on to pulling the carrier. Hopefully that won't be as daunting as the nut was. Any advise for thatart of it before I spend countless suffering hours and then decide to make a new thread? Thanks for the help!

 

[dubs283]

Re: Lower bearing carrier nut......grrrr

Now on to pulling the carrier... Any advise?

yes...

disregard picklenjim (post #6) advice

the bearing carrier is approximately six inches long, so adding heat to the outside of the bullet - measuring from the aft/retainer (nut) that you removed towards the front

with a proper puller (i use a two jaw puller) there should be little trouble removing the entire carrier assy

many times i have pulled the carrier (aluminum) without the reverse gear still attached, this is due to the heat applied

i do hope that you have merc manual #6 or #14 regarding alpha 1/gen II drives??

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Lower bearing carrier nut......grrrr

if you use a two jaw puller on the outer ring of the carrier 99% chance your simply gonna snap the carrier.
two best tools I have used are either the puller legs for the OMC v4-v6 carriers from OMC or the carrier tool offered by precision tooling.
the merc tool here in the salt pond is a teat on a boar hog.
only worse carrier tool ever offered is the one Yamaha sends us.

 

[mmajor97]

Re: Lower bearing carrier nut......grrrr

Does anybody have an opinion on where the best place to pull the carrier from? Outer ring or inside on the body? I have heard that the outer ring could break but I am not sure.

 

[Don S]

Re: Lower bearing carrier nut......grrrr

Does anybody have an opinion on where the best place to pull the carrier from? Outer ring or inside on the body? I have heard that the outer ring could break but I am not sure.

Read rodbolts reply just above your reply above.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Lower bearing carrier nut......grrrr

next trip downstairs ill try to remember to get the BRP part number off the puller leg box.
only mod needed is to grind a bit more clearence off the legs, but ya gotta do it even for OMC carriers.
DO NOT attempt to pull it like the picture book shows, I have seen them break in school.