Volvo SX U-joints

[Leardriver]

Hello!

I'm working on a 2004 Glastron GX185 with a Volvo 4.3 and Volvo SX drive. A little bit of water got in through a hole in the u-joint bellows, and I'm replacing the Gimbal bearing and bellows. The u-joints themselves are tight, still move smoothly and like new, since the boat has only 90 hours on it, and had only a trace of rust-colored water on them that wiped off easily. I'm not opposed to changing out the u-joints, but these have the C clips on the outside of the caps and I can't find a replacement joint, only a whole new shaft for several hundred bucks.
Are these u-joints a part that can be run for a while and keep an eye and ear out for, and maybe pull the drive off in 20-30 hours and inspect? Volvo has made it tough to replace these joints, unless someone has a part number for an aftermarket version.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Leardriver]

Re: Volvo SX U-joints

Ok, I know it's a little lame to reply to my own post, but I wanted to share my observations after bellows and gimbal bearing replacement.

Pulling the drive on a newer Volvo SX is EASY! Having the dealer do it is completely unnecessary.

I had the dealer install my gimbal bearing. It took him 15 minutes to pop the old one out, check alignment, which was perfect, and install a genuine Volvo bearing. He charged me $100. It's tough to bill for 20 minute jobs, and it's a little steep, but I'm not trying to save money so badly that I want to risk a season of valuable boating trips because of a part failure or incorrectly installed part. Buying the tool is on my list, though.

Now for the u-joint bellows. Since the drive was off, I had read the the pivot housing must be removed. I couldn't find the right size allen or torx head, and before I headed to the tool store, I took a good look at the housing, saw daylight, and snaked a long 1/4 inch drive extension up from the bottom right side and unscrewed the clamp and removed the bellows with all housings still installed. The exhaust bellows were in the way for installing the new u-joint bellows, but after removing the snap ring and unscrewing the clamp, it was out in 2 minutes.

I cleaned the bellows mounting flange, put a light coat of Volvo bellows adhesive, and easily installed the bellows from below. I slid it back and forth a couple of times to verify that the bellows had engaged the rubber groove, and tightened the clamp in the 1-2 o'clock position per the manual. I used a little u-joint on the 8 mm socket to tighten both bellows when reinstalling.

I was glad to be able to do this without disturbing the trim sender and having to adjust that. One less thing to do.

I'm not advocating skipping a step, but I didn't have the tool handy to remove the pivot, and am a little surprised that no one has mentioned that this job can be done with minimal effort without removing it. I have no bloody knuckles.

I feel like I saved 100-200 bucks by doing it myself. I'm not trying to take the meat off of any dealers' fork, but the familiarity with my boat was rewarding.

 

[MNBrent]

Re: Volvo SX U-joints

I'm interested in hearing what procedure you used for pulling the drive.

Did you use an engine hoist or a home built dolly or ?

Did you leave both of the Bellows on the transom as you pulled the outdrive off?

Did you use an expander tool to put the bellows back on?

 

[Don S]

Re: Volvo SX U-joints

Look at the manual I gave you a link to. The bellows stay on the boat when you remove the drive.

With the drive all the way down, just put some blocks under the skeg and pull the drive off. Then all you are doing is balancing the drive. The weight is on the skeg. It's nice to have a lift if you do them everyday, but not necessary for 1 time a year.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Volvo SX U-joints

I think someone needs to post a picture to show MNBrent what things look like when you pull the drive off...or...remove the trim cylinders, remove the shift cable, remove the 6 nuts holding on the drive and yank it off and it will be totally obvious why you don't have to touch the bellows.

 

[gadget73]

Re: Volvo SX U-joints

I've never actually done a bellows the "proper" way by removing the pivot housing. Always used a long 1/4 extension and the universal joint where appropriate. SX drives are not that different from doing on on an Alpha if I remember right, just a hose clamp at each end, and the adhesive stuff.

 

[Don S]

Re: Volvo SX U-joints

All he is wanting to do is inspect the bellows, not replace it.

Replacing is MUCH, MUCH easier than any Alpha drive known to man.
Remove the drive. Remove the water hose from the bellhousing, Remove the exhaust bellows. Lift the lip of the ujoint bellows out of the bellhousing, remove the clamp and bellows and pull it out the bottom. Put the new one back in and put the drive on and bang, you are done. 1 hour job.

 

[MNBrent]

Re: Volvo SX U-joints

Don
Ive decided from your advice, that since I really should be pulling the drive unit for inspection, while its off, Im going to be replacing items in there that are suspect. I put the list Im gathering in the other thread about bellows inspection.

I have read the manual, and it seemed so simple that it seemed Im missing some details or something.

Any pictures would be GREAT!!!

Best Regards, brent.