Bravo 3 U-joint replacement

[Mischief Managed]

Looking through the service manual, it seems that the pinion and U joint assembly need ot be removed from the driveshaft housing to replace the U-joints. Why is that? Looking at the drive as it sits in my garage, the U-joints appear easy enough to access with the pinion installed in the housing.

I was planning to press them out and new ones in with a tool like this:

Am I missing something here?

 

[tommays]

Re: Bravo 3 U-joint replacement

i THINK that the ujoint next to the retaining nut will NOT clear it without removeing the nut




Tommays

 

[Don S]

Re: Bravo 3 U-joint replacement

There usually isn't enough room around the retaing nut and the ujoint to use that tool with the drive still together.

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: Bravo 3 U-joint replacement

i THINK that the ujoint next to the retaining nut will NOT clear it without removing the nut




Tommays

That's how it would seem based on the manual, but here's what it looks like:

There's plenty of clearance there.

Looking at an alpha though, it would seem that you must indeed remove the retaining nut to get the U-joints out.

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: Bravo 3 U-joint replacement

There usually isn't enough room around the retaing nut and the ujoint to use that tool with the drive still together.

Hmmm, I guess this really complicates the U-joint replacement. Might let a pro do this project...

 

[Destin]

Re: Bravo 3 U-joint replacement

I changed mine without any special tools. I had to file the corners off of a couple tangs about 3/16" to make clearance on my Alpha One. I couldn't see where that would weaken or hurt anything. Don't know if the Bravos are similar.

 

[flabum]

Re: Bravo 3 U-joint replacement

The u-joints can be changed without removing the carrier nut: Simply grind a little off the carrier nut tangs to allow the ujoint cap to pass. You only nee to do this in one place (two tangs), rotate 180* to get the opposite side out.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Bravo 3 U-joint replacement

just wondering why your wanting to replace yer u-joints?

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: Bravo 3 U-joint replacement

I'm replacing them because they became a bit noisier over the Summer. I'd rather do it now then suffer the consequences and down time of a failed U-joint next Summer. I took another look at it last night and I am 99% sure I can do the work without removing the pinion retaining nut. There's lots of clearance.

 

[flabum]

Re: Bravo 3 U-joint replacement

U-joints rarely go bad unless there is a lot of water in the bellows. I'd check the bearing up insinde the transom assembly first.

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: Bravo 3 U-joint replacement

I decided to replace them based on advice I got in this thread a couple of days ago: http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=229021
It looks like fairly easy work, so far.

 

[Don S]

Re: Bravo 3 U-joint replacement

U-joints rarely go bad unless there is a lot of water in the bellows.

Odd, I've sure found a lot of bad ones that never had water in them.

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: Bravo 3 U-joint replacement

Update. It is extemely simple to replace Bravo U-joints without removing the pinion. I used a ball joint press like the one pictured and there is plenty of space to use it. New ball joints feel much tighter than the old ones. I hope this fixes the noise I was hearing last year. I plan to change the gimbal bearing too.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Bravo 3 U-joint replacement

Thanks for the update, Dave!