Alignment bar / Motor alignment

[81 Checkmate]

Ok guy's.....Put my motor in last night.....now im trying to align my motor. 2-pc rear main bell coupler, MC-1 Drive

Question.......I had alignment bar machined to the dimensions that Don has posted in the stickys

1.150 dia on the end that goes in the coupler.......i cant seam to get it to go in the coupler....i mic'd the splin shaft O.D. on the drive and have 1.122 so you have a 17 thousand difference...bar smaller than splin shaft

Now thats the O.D. of the splins.....if you look in the coupler the shaft splins fit into the coupler splins....so the I.D of the coupler hole is smaller than the bar i think becouse of the depth of the slots. Am i wrong?

Is there a difference between the splin shaft MC-1 drive and an alpha

 

[achris]

Re: Alignment bar / Motor alignment

Ok guy's.....Put my motor in last night.....now im trying to align my motor. 2-pc rear main bell coupler, MC-1 Drive

Question.......I had alignment bar machined to the dimensions that Don has posted in the stickys

1.150 dia on the end that goes in the coupler.......i cant seam to get it to go in the coupler....i mic'd the splin shaft O.D. on the drive and have 1.122 so you have a 17 thousand difference...bar smaller than splin shaft

Now thats the O.D. of the splins.....if you look in the coupler the shaft splins fit into the coupler splins....so the I.D of the coupler hole is smaller than the bar i think becouse of the depth of the slots. Am i wrong?

Is there a difference between the splin shaft MC-1 drive and an alpha

No difference between the coupler sizes, MC-1 to Alpha One Gen II...

Did you try you alignment tool in the coupler BEFORE you put the engine in the boat?

I'll go and mic my bar and come back here (as an EDIT)...

Chris.....
My bar mic'd up at exactly 1.15"

 

[500dollar744ti]

Re: Alignment bar / Motor alignment

When I first aligned my motor, it was totally out, I couldn't get the bar to go in at all. I had to free the mounts and adjust them lots to get it lined up. I couldn't believe how far out of alignment it was, I thought I was doing it wrong.

Your engine might just be so far out of alignment that it won't go at all. I thought I was never getting mine aligned because I could not get the bar to go in at all. I finally adjusted it so much that the bar actually went in a little and that gave me hope. I kept going and going and it lined up finally.

The previous owner was actually using the boat like this and the drive was able to fit in and out but the bar would not even come close. Your engine could have been way out of alignment beforehand and now you really gotta make big adjustments.

I just pulled my drive the other day, checked my alignment again, still spot on from when I did it the first time.

That was just my experience.

 

[81 Checkmate]

Re: Alignment bar / Motor alignment

No chris i did not check it.....and i could shoot myself right now.

I did mic the bar and it is at 1.15 so it should fit like you said.

I have my resto thread over in resto projects......so i have new every thing.......My wood mounts might be little lower than origanal. I might have to hook the chain fall back up to the motor and take some weight off it.

Ill keep messing with it and see if i get it......I just wanted to ask if there was a difference in the couplers.

Thanks....Guy's

 

[achris]

Re: Alignment bar / Motor alignment

No chris i did not check it.....and i could shoot myself right now....

Isn't hindsight a wonderful tool... :facepalm:

I have always had great success just eye-balling the alignment before moving into the final adjustments with the bar. It's enough to get you close... I use a torch to illuminate the spines in the coupler and just move the chain block as I watch the end of the coupler through the gimbal bearing....

HTH...

Chris.........

 

[81 Checkmate]

Re: Alignment bar / Motor alignment

Yea....i assumed it would fit..... and we all know what that means!

I was so excited last night to get this motor in and got side tracked....Ill send you a box and you can put your Eye ball in it..ship it to me..ill use it and send it back to ya after i get this alingned up!

Thanks ill let you know the results.

 

[achris]

Re: Alignment bar / Motor alignment

....Ill send you a box and you can put your Eye ball in it..ship it to me..ill use it and send it back to ya after i get this alingned up!.

Done deal...

 

[ktbarrentine]

Re: Alignment bar / Motor alignment

I use a torch to illuminate the spines in the coupler

A.... torch???? Oh, that's right! You guys "down under" and "across the pond" use such amusing terminology!!!!

 

[achris]

Re: Alignment bar / Motor alignment

A.... torch???? Oh, that's right! You guys "down under" and "across the pond" use such amusing terminology!!!!

Ok, just for you KT, flashlight....

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Alignment bar / Motor alignment

a lumen producer,
what I`ve done is taken a new shaft, machined off the yoke and undercut the area where the gimbal bearing rides
by an 1/8 inch and tapped it for a bolt to remove it.. once inserted it gives you a visual on where to adjust the mounts .a 1/8 welding rod for measuring.
The final test is with the alignment bar.

 

[81 Checkmate]

Re: Alignment bar / Motor alignment

Update...........Chris's EYE ball worked......well kinda sorta. After a few beers and worn out from jump in and out of the boat to check my home made bar......I thought put the motor mounts at about the same spot the were when i took it apart 2 yrs ago......Yes i did write the dim down..... and try the outdrive just for s..... and giggles.

Wala it went in like it slid on butter.....finger tighten the bolts right up.

So im the ballpark atleast the infield......so im gona try and barrow or buy a new alignment bar to set it correct.

I guess my mic..ing skills and my machinest friend are not up to par. :facepalm:

I like the old shaft idea machined down to fit.....Nice

Now onto finishing the bolt on's to start it...........

Thanks

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Alignment bar / Motor alignment

I like the old shaft idea machined down to fit.....Nice

Read again, use a new one to get the best fit to the coupler splines.having a used shaft flop around makes adjusting it a longer task.

 

[81 Checkmate]

Re: Alignment bar / Motor alignment

Ok....read again...new shaft!

ill just pull one outa my back pocket and cut it up for an alingment bar............Ah just kidden! Tight tolerences work wonders.......so does hindsight.