Mercruiser TRS outdrive installation

[johnweeles]

I recently purchased a 1981 Sea Ray with a 454 and Mercruiser TRS outdrive. I removed the drive to grease the u-joints and am having trouble reinstalling it. I am familiar with installing the Alpha drives, but cannot seem to get the shaft into the gimbal bearing on this one.
Does anyone know the trick for this?

Thanks,

Jon

 

[Pete104]

Re: Mercruiser TRS outdrive installation

These units aren't meant for DIYoursefers!

I responded to your later post before I caught this one.

 

[picklenjim]

Re: Mercruiser TRS outdrive installation

What you need to do is have the drive even with the bell housing studs while it is standing on the skeg. Either lift the front of the boat or stack pieces of plywood under the skeg to accomplish this. These drives are too heavy to lift and wrestle on. Reach between the drive and bell housing and hold the u-joint shaft straight and guide the spring on the end into the bearing. Once the spring is into the bearing pull your hand out and slowly work the drive the rest of the way in. Have someone turn the prop shaft back and forth slightly as you push in so the splines will align. Once all the way in spin one of the nuts on to hold it. Don't forget to put the large o-ring on the drive over the u-joint shaft and the gasket on the bellhousing studs. I usually put a little High Tack on the o-ring and gasket to hold them firmly in place. Once you have done this a few times you will see it is no harder than an alpha.

 

[johnweeles]

Re: Mercruiser TRS outdrive installation

That's where I'm going wrong. I put the spring in the bearing and could hold the u-joint as I slid the drive forward after several attempts with the spring on the shaft first. I will put the spring back on and give some more attempts. Thanks for the advise!