Pulled the outdrive and yuck

[Joshua Nichols]

So after finally getting the engine running good.. I noticed a vibration.. Pulled the outdrive and yucky.. Grease (not gear lube) and water in the bellows.. I found the little ring hanging on my drive shaft.. Is it the backing to the gimble bearing? There was a ton of green grease in there.. Previous owner musta pumped a gallon in this thing. I was also wondering.. How you get the bearing out? Slide hammer or something? The bellows looked okay, but low and behold a little cut at the top.. Check out how deformed it is.. I guess that's from the guy leaving up for so long(trim motor was out).. I don't think I need to replace the u joints.. They seem pretty smooth.. I think I caught the trouble early.. Another thing. The nylon nuts sure came off easy.. Those should be replaced too I think..
This outdrive is so easy to get off.. No wonder it should be seasonal maintenance. Used a piece of wood and the trailer jack to help get it off.. Sure made the difference.. I am a strong fellow, but I don't wanta make a habit of picking the thing up.

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

Re: Pulled the outdrive and yuck

I used a slide hammer and the bearing came out with a couple of whacks. This link is in the sticky's, How to make a gimbal bearing puller.
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=364003

The best looking one seems to be a automotive axle bearing puller which is in that link. Can be rented from an auto parts store.

I always grease the gimbal bearing while the drive is off so you see when it is full. Give it a couple of twists with your fingers and grease a little more. That will prevent you from having a bellows full of grease when you pull it off, cause you can't tell by feel when it is full.

If your gonna do the gimbal bearing, I would do the u-joints as well. At least you know everything is new there.
Good Luck

 

[dozerII]

Re: Pulled the outdrive and yuck

If the ujoints move smoothly and you don't see any rust powder coming out of the seals on the bearing cups why change them. You will be checking the whole syatem again at the end of next season.

 

[Joshua Nichols]

Re: Pulled the outdrive and yuck

Well there is no rust what so ever.. Matter fact after cleaning off the grease everything looks shiny and new

 

[zbnutcase]

Re: Pulled the outdrive and yuck

Sterndrive u-joints can look/feel good and still cause knocking and or vibration. I would replace them myself.

 

[hoot]

Re: Pulled the outdrive and yuck

Josh, you can do what you feel is necessary, but if you had any moderate amount of water in the bellows, your post next year is gonna be titled 'vibration when turning, is it the u-joints?". I had the same experience, only changed the bearing, u-joints felt smooth, even pumped them with new grease. You cannot tell anything about them by moving them in hand while on the shaft. Water will enter the cups and flat spots will form on the hardened surfaces. On my outdrive (pre alpha) it was a pain but necessary. BTW, when i pulled my outdrive, all that yuck ran out in my shoes and feet!!!

 

[Fishermark]

Re: Pulled the outdrive and yuck

I would take the opposite approach on the u joints. If they are really shiney and new and feel tight, I would leave them be. They are the same as the u joints on a car - which get wet all the time. How many times have you ever had to change the u-joints on your car? I'm just saying if they don't show signs of wear, then leave them alone. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Joshua Nichols]

Re: Pulled the outdrive and yuck

Busted the jaws on a POS slide hammer.. This thing isn't rusted in I don't see why it didn't just come out.. I got a idea and will see if it will work tomorrow.. Found a alignment tool on ebay for $9.99.. That would be awesome rather than pay a 100 bucks.. Had good reviews..
The joys of owning old stuff... I was looking around and didn't even see my shift cable bellows.. I hate to remove the cable.. It shifts perfect and I don't wanta get into that nightmare... Maybe I am not looking in the right place

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

Re: Pulled the outdrive and yuck

In this photo by Fishermark: you can see the end of the shift mechanism in the bellhousing. It is behind this area.

Turn the steering wheel to left so the bellhousing is turned to port and look at the backside of the bellhousing: (the part the outdrive is bolted to)You should see the bellows there with the shift cable passing thru it. They can get torn in half near the small end of the bellows.

 

[Joshua Nichols]

Re: Pulled the outdrive and yuck

Well I went and looked mine over real good.. No bellows on the outside.. I don't even see how ya could attach some.. So I stuck my head it the engine compartment.. There is a ridged hose that attached to the transom that the shift cable runs though.. On the end of that they have put the shift cable bellows.. I am not sure if it is suppose to be like this, but seems to be working.. I get no water in the bilge at all.. even the drive shaft bellows didnt leak enough to be noticeable.. I guess if it isn't broke don't fix it..

 

[nola mike]

Re: Pulled the outdrive and yuck

just noticed yer running an OMC--eric posted a pic of a merc setup.

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

Re: Pulled the outdrive and yuck

As Homer Simpson would say:"Doh"!!!!

 

[zbnutcase]

Re: Pulled the outdrive and yuck

I would take the opposite approach on the u joints. If they are really shiney and new and feel tight, I would leave them be. They are the same as the u joints on a car - which get wet all the time. How many times have you ever had to change the u-joints on your car? I'm just saying if they don't show signs of wear, then leave them alone. Just my 2 cents.

Drive u-joints work at far more extreme angles than in any automotive app.

 

[Joshua Nichols]

Re: Pulled the outdrive and yuck

Yeah I was going to say.. Seems like they have to deal with more stress than l a cars u joints.. Changing them is going to be a pain with no vice or a press.. Almost worth it to pay someone to put them in.. I guess I will give it a shot.. I have installed dozens on PTO shafts on cutters and things...Big socket little socket..

 

[Joshua Nichols]

Re: Pulled the outdrive and yuck

Okay.... Success on the bearing.. Found a little pilot bearing puller at harbor freight(I don't normally buy that junk). The thing had good reviews.. So I went ahead and got it..I wasn't impressed with the hammer size at all.. The jaws well they are awesome.. Takes a bit of fooling around to get it on, but it will remove one thats not rusted up.. Takes some good whacks with the dinky slide hammer(sure looked bigger in the picture), but off it came.. Took some pictures of the tool.. Will work great if I ever do a clutch job on my truck worth the cash

 

[Joshua Nichols]

Re: Pulled the outdrive and yuck

Well I got the outdrive back on last night.. Wasn't fun let me tell you.. It is pretty heavy and takes a lot of wiggling.. Got everything replaced.. Here is the question.. How come the new exhaust bellows are slit all the way down? I don't guess it matters, but the one I took off wasn't that way..

 

[DBreskin]

Re: Pulled the outdrive and yuck

The shift cable bellows is supposed to be inside the boat at the end of the shift cable tube. It sounds like yours is in the right place.

The exhaust bellows is supposed to be slit at the bottom. Be sure to orient it so the slits are at the bottom; this allow water to drain when the boat is trailered and also allows the bellows to stretch easily when the drive is tilted up.

 

[Joshua Nichols]

Re: Pulled the outdrive and yuck

The shift cable bellows is supposed to be inside the boat at the end of the shift cable tube. It sounds like yours is in the right place.

The exhaust bellows is supposed to be slit at the bottom. Be sure to orient it so the slits are at the bottom; this allow water to drain when the boat is trailered and also allows the bellows to stretch easily when the drive is tilted up.

I installed them slit down.. Just seemed like the correct way..

 

[Joshua Nichols]

Re: Pulled the outdrive and yuck

Well we are making a test run in the morning.. Hoping for no leaks.. I only used glue on one side of the gasket.. Which might of been a mistake.. I guess I will see tomorrow.

 

[Joshua Nichols]

Re: Pulled the outdrive and yuck

Well No leaks... I guess I am better than I thought I was