U joint bellow installation, please help

[Goldie627]

Hello all, I'm stumped. Here's the deal... I have a 1986 Sea Ray, GM 4 Banger, Alpha One. I've rebuilt the gimbal housing, gimbal ring and bell housing. My question is, how do I install the u joint bellow? I can barely get the u joint bellow to go on the gimbal flange for a test fit so i really dont think i could get the u joint bellow on the gimbal flange after I glue and screw it to the bell housing. It does not just slide on, you have to finesse and stretch the bellow.

I'm lost, please guide me to the light..

So far,

water hose installed to gimbal
exhaust bellow is glued and screwed to gimbal
shift cable bellow is glued and screwed to gimbal
gimbal ring is installed to gimbal housing

i think the next step is screwing and glueing u joint bellow to bell housing?
but then how do you get the edge of the u joint bellow to go over the edge of the gimbal flange?

This is the kit I'm using
Transom Repair Kit Mercruiser Alpha One Gen 1 w/ Gimbal Bearing OE# 30-803097T 1
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Transom-Rep...-Gimbal-Bearing-OE-30-803097T-1-/281237345239

Hey Bondo, I'm here with everybody else

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,..... If ya follow the factory manual, Exactly, everything will go together as it should,....

The factory manuals are available for free in Don'S Adults Only section, at the top of the forum, or click the link in my signature,...

 

[Rick Stephens]

Hey Goldie,

The right way is u-joint bellows installed on the bell housing with exhaust and **** cable bellows on the gimbal housing. When you stick the bell housing on I like to follow SEI's tip where I add a second little coat of bellows cement on the u-joint bellows gimbal housing end to act as a lubricant - and while it is wet use the bell housing to push the u-joint bellows on. Once you get the u-joint bellows compressed it pushes on really easy.

The Merc manuals all say let the bellows cement dry ten minutes, and say nothing about doing it wet, but the trick makes it so easy. Put a coat on, let it dry, they put a quick wet coat on as a lube. Easy peasy.

Rick

 

[Goldie627]

Hey Goldie,

The right way is u-joint bellows installed on the bell housing with exhaust and **** cable bellows on the gimbal housing. When you stick the bell housing on I like to follow SEI's tip where I add a second little coat of bellows cement on the u-joint bellows gimbal housing end to act as a lubricant - and while it is wet use the bell housing to push the u-joint bellows on. Once you get the u-joint bellows compressed it pushes on really easy.

The Merc manuals all say let the bellows cement dry ten minutes, and say nothing about doing it wet, but the trick makes it so easy. Put a coat on, let it dry, they put a quick wet coat on as a lube. Easy peasy.

Rick

Thank you Rick! How have you been?

The reason I'm second guessing the order of installation in the service manual is because my u joint bellow will not physically go over the gimbal housing flange.

If you were to install the u joint bellow on the gimbal housing first, you could probably pry and stretch the bellow over the gimbal flange, but, with the u joint bellow installed in the bell housing first per the service manual, theres no way to finesse the forward side of the u joint bellow onto the gimbal flange even with pressure since the edge of the bellow doesnt go completely over the edge of the gimbal flange.

I'm going to drive out to the boat and take a picture so you can see what i mean.

 

[Bondo]

theres no way to finesse the forward side of the u joint bellow onto the gimbal flange even with pressure since the edge of the bellow doesnt go completely over the edge of the gimbal flange.

Ayuh,..... Do you have the right bellows,..??

Do you have it clocked to the right orientation,..??

 

[Rick Stephens]

Thank you Rick! How have you been?

The reason I'm second guessing the order of installation in the service manual is because my u joint bellow will not physically go over the gimbal housing flange.

If you were to install the u joint bellow on the gimbal housing first, you could probably pry and stretch the bellow over the gimbal flange, but, with the u joint bellow installed in the bell housing first per the service manual, theres no way to finesse the forward side of the u joint bellow onto the gimbal flange even with pressure since the edge of the bellow doesnt go completely over the edge of the gimbal flange.

I'm going to drive out to the boat and take a picture so you can see what i mean.

Hey Goldie, I am doing fine, thank you! This time of year I only get one day a week off of baseball coaching, and yesterday I got to splash my relatively minor rebuild project after working on it for 6 months. It was awesome to finally hear the growl of the 'monster' V6 on the water. Nothin blew up and we didn't sink - so the wife says it was a win win.

First time I did a bellows I tried prying with screwdrivers to get it over the lip - made a mess. Since then it has been a snap lubricating with bellows cement. I don't think you can get to the u-joint hose clamp screw in the bell housing end once it is in the gimbal housing. And it really is easy peasy with the glue wet. You'll get it. Time to splash that puppy!

Rick

 

[flipbro]

What brand you working with?

 

[Goldie627]

Ayuh,..... Do you have the right bellows,..??

Do you have it clocked to the right orientation,..??

I got it all figured out. My main problem was me being to dainty with it! You have to work that bellow into where you want it and be deliberate about it

 

[Goldie627]

Hey Goldie, I am doing fine, thank you! This time of year I only get one day a week off of baseball coaching, and yesterday I got to splash my relatively minor rebuild project after working on it for 6 months. It was awesome to finally hear the growl of the 'monster' V6 on the water. Nothin blew up and we didn't sink - so the wife says it was a win win.

First time I did a bellows I tried prying with screwdrivers to get it over the lip - made a mess. Since then it has been a snap lubricating with bellows cement. I don't think you can get to the u-joint hose clamp screw in the bell housing end once it is in the gimbal housing. And it really is easy peasy with the glue wet. You'll get it. Time to splash that puppy!

Rick

Our River Cats (aaa) had thier season opener a few weeks ago, i think they played the real SF Giants. It was crazy awesome how many people came out.

I'm glad to here your project was a success!!!

I'm really close to being able to float test, maybe another two weeks baring anymore delays.. Im going to try to make a step by step with pictures or a video on bellows installation. Or maybe just some tips that may not be obvious to a person with no marine experience.

 

[Goldie627]

What brand you working with?

"SEI Marine" Bellows Kit on "Alpha One" Outdrive

 

[Rick Stephens]

Our River Cats (aaa) had thier season opener a few weeks ago, i think they played the real SF Giants. It was crazy awesome how many people came out.

.

RIVER CATS - I didn't know you were in Sacramento. What a team - and I may be in Idaho now, but I am a Giants fan since childhood. Just look at the Giants - the whole infield came right off the RiverCat field the last few years. Great farm team.

As a kid I worked for Hatfield Trucking, based in Sacramento. Lived in Stockton and came through every night via SF Airport. Gotten too big since I lived around there.

Rick

 

[Dawn Tolliver]

Been working on the same problem almost. On a 71 silvercraft 140 mer. SUPPOSIDLY with the stern that's a pre alph?Being 60 some and a single female boater. I do most my own work. This bellow stuff could use some better explaining. Like not all have the ring! But most of all that putting the exhaust on would be way easier if you could switch over to the tube. So much easier! Also start on the exhaust working up to the u-joint bellows. Secrets to it are, keep the flat tabs towards the stern. On the sides. My bellow came with no top mark at all. Just a GLM mark. If I used that as top. Then my flats would be top and bottom? Go figure.Then those STUPID little metel clips! I think they have two functions. Ones for the corrosion factor. The other is because on both sides where you seat the bellows on, theres a small groove! On the clips theres two bumps! I spent the better part of the day not even knowing those clips needed to be on. They were in a seperate bag! Not on the bellows themselves. So the bellows even after being glued heavily by this time. Would just keep slipping off of the set point ring. ONCE those clips were on the bellows stayed in place and tightened right down. Easy peasy! Mercruiser could make it even easier by simply making them wider to fit that gap better and maybe two on each side! On the bellows when you buy them. I bought two clips and made my own. To have two on each end. Took 5 min to place the u joint
bellows MY WAY! The clamps are to go on at 3:00 o'clock for the bell, up top. BEFORE sterns put on. and I went to 9:00 FROM the bottom turning the bell to the right. That way I could fell with my hand for any slippage. A ratchet did the rest. So back out to trout fishing i go. After i get done towing all the kids that is! I enjoy your site and all the help its GIVEN me. Just wish there were more ladies doing THERE own boat work! Fish on dudes, fish on!

 

[achris]

Been working on the same problem almost. On a 71 silvercraft 140 mer. SUPPOSIDLY with the stern that's a pre alph?

Nope, not a 'pre-alpha' (no such thing as a pre-alpha), mostly likely an MC-1 drive.

Being 60 some and a single female boater. I do most my own work.

Well done, and saving money in the process

This bellow stuff could use some better explaining.

Please keep in mind that the facroty manuals are written to be used by trained and qualified Merc technicians, they are not written for 'backyarders'.

Like not all have the ring!

Again, a Factory trained tech would know that.

But most of all that putting the exhaust on would be way easier if you could switch over to the tube. So much easier! Also start on the exhaust working up to the u-joint bellows.

Nope, ALWAYS put the uni-joint bellows on first, always!

Secrets to it are, keep the flat tabs towards the stern. On the sides. My bellow came with no top mark at all. Just a GLM mark.

first big mistake. The aftermarket bellows are CONSIDERABLY more difficult to work with than the OEM. Agreed, the OEM are more expensive, but after using both, the extra expensive is nothing when you have worked with both.

If I used that as top. Then my flats would be top and bottom? Go figure.Then those STUPID little metel clips! I think they have two functions. Ones for the corrosion factor. The other is because on both sides where you seat the bellows on, theres a small groove! On the clips theres two bumps!

Half right. The clips are part of the continuity for the hose clamps. The groove that the bellows fits onto has a corresponding ridge on the bellows itself. THAT is what keeps the bellows in place. If you don't have a ridge, GLM (Good Luck Marine, for a good reason!).

I spent the better part of the day not even knowing those clips needed to be on. They were in a seperate bag! Not on the bellows themselves. So the bellows even after being glued heavily by this time. Would just keep slipping off of the set point ring. ONCE those clips were on the bellows stayed in place and tightened right down. Easy peasy!

What more can I say, GLM...

Mercruiser could make it even easier by simply making them wider to fit that gap better and maybe two on each side! On the bellows when you buy them.

The Merc bellow DO have the clips attached. And they have a ridge to stop the bellows sliding off the fitting point.

I bought two clips and made my own. To have two on each end. Took 5 min to place the u joint bellows MY WAY!

I'm sorry, but I wouldn't trust a home-made hack (no disrespect intended) to hold for very long. Do it the right way, or don't do it at all.

The clamps are to go on at 3:00 o'clock for the bell, up top. BEFORE sterns put on. and I went to 9:00 FROM the bottom turning the bell to the right. That way I could fell with my hand for any slippage. A ratchet did the rest. So back out to trout fishing i go. After i get done towing all the kids that is! I enjoy your site and all the help its GIVEN me. Just wish there were more ladies doing THERE own boat work! Fish on dudes, fish on!

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