Re: What can I do to remove my outdrive for winter?
Many people, myself included, pull the drive for the winter and store it indoors. That way we can service the drive, check the bellows and the bearing and the engine alignment. Your drive looks like it's an Alpha drive. To pull it put the shift lever in forward. Disconnect the cross-bolt on the drive holding the two lift cylinders to it, and remove the six nuts and washers around the drive. It should then come off. If it's stuck, jiggle it a bit; don't be gentle. It weighs about 75 lbs. so be prepared for the weight when you remove it. Having a rolling stand for it makes it easier to move, service, and install. There are threads on how to build a wooden one on this site, on BoaterEd, and on the Chaparral owners forum, among others. Get service manuals for your engine and drive so you can understand how they work and how to service the. By the way, it's easier to winterize your engine before you pull the drive. That way you can use muffs to run the engine. Check other threads for more info on winterizing. Another reason to pull the drive is to prevent its theft over the winter. Unfortunately not everyone is honest and each year drives are stolen off boats, even when they're stored on a driveway or next to a house! Good luck. Hy