I have a 1998 Bayliner Rendezvous (MerCruiser Alpha 1 Gen 2). I need a new Lower Shift Cable, and plan to DYI with 2 friends. While there I plan to replace the 3 bellows, Shift Shaft seal, and Gimble bearing. Do you experts have any special precautions, and recommendations for other parts to replace. I'm pretty handy, but this is new territory; what degree of difficulty is this?
Get a factory shop manual i want to say number 14 , very helpful.
i did mine last spring might be worth doing the trim limit switch and sender while in there. Need a BF slide hammer to get gimbal out but look at it first . My boat is a 2004 bellow never leaked so i have the factory greasable gimbal bearing still in there.
not sure what engine but if yiu have a V routing the shift cable around the exhaust wye is an MF. after i took the core out i ran a weedwacker wire up it then pulled the outer sleeve out. Run the new outer sleeve up the weedwacker wire other wise spend hours f ing around trying to get the new outer cable routed correctly.… i did both on this job. my dad was helping and misrouted the outer cable , get into home stretch… inner cable couldnt make the bend (incorrect) he had it in, janked it back out used the weedwacker wire , correctly routed to guide the outer cable… turned a 12 beer job into a 30 pack job…
if you have a 3.0 prob isnt an issue…
would also do the bushings on the shift swivel in bellhousing as well as seal. Pressure test the drive while off inspect u joints.
before you take bellows off inspect them . I did mine last year 2004 boat and they were just starting to show wear. yours may have been already replaced. If they used oem bellows you may be good for years to come. I inspected mine annually when drive pulled for a couple years before finally pulling trigger
use heat on bellhousing pivot pins to remove. Also likely the 10-32 screws on trim limit and sender will not come out… just drill and retap them.
took me two weekends to get it, not full weekends but enough first time i did it wrong to stretch it out. Since the original ones lasted 18 years next set will be someone elses issue …
added three things.
Exhaust bellows is i possible without the tool, or use the tube.
use power tune to slide driveshaft bellows retaining ring in. I used a 3 or 4” pvc storm water drain drate and the handle of a BFH as a pusher to slide it in , but needed two sets of hands to hold bellhousing at right angle so bellows ridge would stay in the groove of the bellhousing.
dont f around with cheap aftermarket parts use oem merc they all fit perfectly..
did i mention to stock up on beer, titos, makers or what ever floats your boat…
