OMC 4.3L HO with cracked block

[Scott Danforth]

You dont cut all the way thru. You cut most of the way thru on two sides.....then hit with hammer

 

[froggy1150]

Cut almost all the way thru with a cutoff wheel in 2 spots to get to inner race then whack with a big hammer and chisel. The inner race will crack if you went deep enough then you can pull off.

 

[Travis71]

Thanks for the tips gentlemen! When I went back out to the shop after dinner I was able to get it to start moving with a few hammer blows and eventually got it off. I guess maybe the heating loosened it up and I just needed to let it cool off completely. Not sure exactly, all I know is I got it off!!

I was going to clean/polish the shaft with some steel wool...see anything wrong with that?

 

[tpenfield]

Don’t get too far ahead of yourself. Just thinking that if the gimbal bearing is that stuck to the shaft the it may not be a quick fix. Wonder if the gimbal bearing actually spun in the transom assembly :noidea:

 

[Scott Danforth]

Thanks for the tips gentlemen! When I went back out to the shop after dinner I was able to get it to start moving with a few hammer blows and eventually got it off. I guess maybe the heating loosened it up and I just needed to let it cool off completely. Not sure exactly, all I know is I got it off!!

I was going to clean/polish the shaft with some steel wool...see anything wrong with that?

yes. if there is any pitting near the seal, it will take out the seal.

you have to pull the shaft out of the outdrive and inspect

and as Ted and a few others pointed out, you now have to look at the gimbal assembly as well.

new sierra u-joint shaft thru iBoats is only $350 https://www.iboats.com/shop/omc-sterndrive-cobra-u-joints-legacy-igf-269323.html